Effects of different pollutants on the performance and deactivation of Pt-Pd catalysts in a pilot-scale waste incineration system

A commercial Pt-Pd catalyst was applied in a pilot-scale waste incineration system. The characteristics of reacted catalysts and the concentrations of different pollutants were analyzed. Moreover, the effects of different pollutants on the performance and deactivation of catalyst were investigated. Experimental results showed that the activity of Pt-Pd catalysts for the removal of total hydrocarbons (THCs) was influenced by the contents of heavy metals (lead, cadmium, and mercury), chlorine, sulfur, and fly ash in the flue gas. The main pollutants that influenced the removal efficiency of THCs were lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and mercury (Hg). The reasons of catalyst deactivation included the deposition of carbon and fly ash on the catalyst surface, the transformation of different metals (Pb and Cd) to form metal oxides (PbO, PbO2, and CdO) to adsorb and block the active sites, and the chemical reactions of sulfur with active metals to form sulfate or sulfide (PdS2).