Continuous process for scrubbing so2 from a gas stream containing so2 and o2

Abstract

Abstract AN INPUT STREAM CONTAINING S02 AND 02 IS CONTINUOUSLY TREATED IN ORDER TO REMOVE A SUBSTANTIALLY PORTION OF THE S02 THEREFROM BY THE STEPS OF: (A) SCRUBBING THE INPUT GAS STREAM WITH AN AQUEOUS ABSORBENT CONTAINING AN ALKALINE REAGENT AND A FIRST REDUCING AGENT TO PRODUCE A TREATED GAS STREAM AND A RICH ABSORBENT CONTAINING A MIXTURE OF SULFITE AND THIOSULFATE COMPOUNDS; (B) TREATING AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE RESULTING RICH ABSORBENT STREAM WITH A SECOND REDUCING AGENT AT CONDITIONS SELECTED TO COVERT SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF THE REMAINING SULFITE COMPOUND CONTAINED THEREIN TO THE CORRESPONDING THIOSULFATE COMPOUND; (C) REACTING AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE RESULTING THIOSILFATERRICH WATER STREAM WITH CARBON MONOXIDE AT REDUCTION CONDITIONS SELECTED TO PRODUCE THE CORRESPONDING SULFIDE COMPOUNDS; (D) STRIPPING HYDROGEN SULFIDE FROM AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE RESULTING SULFIDE-RICH SOLUTION TO FORM A REGENERATED AQUEOUS ABSORBENT STREAM; AND, THEREAFTER, (E) PASSING AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE REGENATED ABSORBENT STREAM OF THE S02-SCRUBBING STEP. THE PRINCIPAL UTILITY OF THIS S02-SCRUBBING PROCESS IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROBLEM OF CONTINUOUSLY REMOVING A SULFUR DIOXIDE CONTAMINANT FROM FLUE OR STACK GAS STREAMS CONTAINING S02 AND 02 SUCH AS ARE TYPICALLY PRODUCED IN MODERN ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATING STATIONS IN ORDER TO ABATE A SERIOUS POLLUTION PROBLEM AND TO ENABLE THE SAFE, NOPOLLUTING BURNING OF WHICH SULFUR FUELS.

Inventors

• 👤 P Urban

Bibliographic Details