Plerosphere and its role in reduction of emitted fine fly ash particles from pulverized coal-fired power plants

Fine particles (PM2.5) emitted from the stacks of the coal-fired power plants are of environmental concern since they can easily enter the human respiratory track. The detailed study of the fly ash particles using scanning electron microscope/electron dispersive spectrometry (SEM/EDX) show that fine solid spherical particles (microspheres) are contained by the large cenosphere particles (>50 μm) during the combustion process. The resulting macro particles are known as “plerosphere”, which are typically impregnated by the fine microspheres. The coal-fired power plants’ particle control devices such as the electrostatic precipitators (ESP) and baghouse filters tend to capture the large plerospheres, more efficiently. Therefore, the result of this study suggests that the containment of the microspheres by plerospheres during the coal combustion process can effectively reduce the amount of fine particles and associated elements released into atmosphere.