How to Compare Mercury Adsorbents
for Gas

TECHNICAL REFERENCE
The adsorbing power of an adsorbent is created by its total internal surface area per unit of weight of the adsorbent, in units of m2/gram. When considering a mercury removal media for an existing vessel, however, it is more useful to compare the total internal surface area of the candidate adsorbents per unit of BULK VOLUME of the adsorbent.


COMPARISON: 3 Types of Commercial Mercury Adsorbents MERSORB® mercury adsorbent (S/AC)
Elemental sulfur impregnated into activated carbon
1,000 m2/g internal adsorption surface area 0.56 g/cm3 (560 kg/m3) settled bulk density
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SurfaceAreaperUnitofVolume=(0.56g/cm3)(1,000m2/g) =560m2/cm3


IMPREGNATED ACTIVATED ALUMINA mercury adsorbent (MO/AA)
CuO/CuS impregnated into activated alumina
250 m2/g internal adsorption surface area 0.90 g/cm3 (900 kg/m3) settled bulk density ======================================================================
Surface Area per Unit of Volume = (0.9 g/cm3)(250 m2/g) = 225 m2/cm3


METAL OXIDE granular mercury adsorbent (MO)
Agglomerated metal oxide granules with small amount of alumina/other binder
40 m2/g internal adsorption surface area 1.0 g/cm3 (1,000 kg/m3) settled bulk density
======================================================================
Surface Area per Unit of Volume = (1.0 g/cm3)(40 m2/g)= 40 m2/cm3


OBSERVATIONS
MERSORB® mercury adsorbent has
14.0 x the internal surface area Per Unit Volume as granular Metal Oxide
2.5 x the internal surface area Per Unit Volumeas (MO/Act.Alumina)


RECOMMENDATION
When you need to remove micrograms of Hg/Nm3 of mercury from a gas, you need all the adsorbent surface area that you can get into your vessel. Use MERSORB® mercury adsorbent, it has MORE power to do the job.

Providing Solutions to remove mercury for emission control, corrosion prevention and catalyst protection.

Selective Adsorption Associates, Inc. (SAA) offers over 40 years of experience in Process Engineering of Adsorption Systems for Gas and Liquid Drying, Sulfur Compound Removal, Emission Control, and over 20 years of Process Design experience in Mercury Removal Systems.

CAUTION: Wet activated carbon removes oxygen from air. Thus, an asphyxiation hazard exists inside enclosed spaces containing activated carbon. Use appropriate safety precautions when entering vessels or other enclosed spaces containing activated carbon. Exposure to strong acids and oxidizers can cause formation of toxic H2S gas.

MERSORB® is a trademark of Nucon International, Inc. (NUCON®) for impregnated activated carbons used to remove mercury from gases and liquids. NUSORB® is a trademark of NUCON for its activated carbons. Information presented herein is believed to be accurate and reliable but does not provide any guarantee or warrantee by NUCON® or by Selective Adsorption Associates, Inc. Nothing herein shall be construed as an invitation to use processes covered by patents without proper arrangements with individuals or companies owning those patents.

AntiMercure® is a Registered Trademark of Selective Adsorption Associates, Inc. (SAA) for its Process for removing mercury from water; AntiMercure™ is a trademark of SAA for its pre-Engineered Systems for removing mercury from water. All Rights Reserved.