Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
226 words
In a regenerative system for the removal of SO 2 from an SO 2 -containing gas having a scrubbing circuit which includes a scrubbing zone and a separate sulfite conversion zone in said circuit, and a regenerative section, and where in said scrubbing circuit there is maintained a continuously recirculating aqueous solution which contains in solution either sodium or potassium thiosulfate in a concentration of at least ten percent by weight of said recirculating solution, and where in said scrubbing zone the SO 2 -containing gas is contacted under sulfite-forming conditions, with said aqueous solution which contains sodium or potassium carbonate as the effective absorbent for the SO 2 to convert said effective absorbent to the corresponding sulfite, and where in said separate sulfite conversion zone said sulfite is converted to the corresponding thiosulfate by reaction with the corresponding hydrosulfide and where in said regenerative section a mixture of the required hydrosulfide and the required carbonate is produced in a regenerated aqueous solution, said regenerative section including a reduction zone in which thiosulfate contained in a slipstream withdrawn from said scrubbing circuit is reacted with a reducing gas containing CO as the effective reducing agent, the IMPROVEMENT in the regenerative section, whereby the proper ratio of hydrosulfide to carbonate is maintained in said regenerated solution which is returned to said sulfite conversion zone, which inprovement comprises:
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
226 words
In a regenerative system for the removal of SO 2 from an SO 2 -containing gas having a scrubbing circuit which includes a scrubbing zone and a separate sulfite conversion zone in said circuit, and a regenerative section, and where in said scrubbing circuit there is maintained a continuously recirculating aqueous solution which contains in solution either sodium or potassium thiosulfate in a concentration of at least ten percent by weight of said recirculating solution, and where in said scrubbing zone the SO 2 -containing gas is contacted under sulfite-forming conditions, with said aqueous solution which contains sodium or potassium carbonate as the effective absorbent for the SO 2 to convert said effective absorbent to the corresponding sulfite, and where in said separate sulfite conversion zone said sulfite is converted to the corresponding thiosulfate by reaction with the corresponding hydrosulfide and where in said regenerative section a mixture of the required hydrosulfide and the required carbonate is produced in a regenerated aqueous solution, said regenerative section including a reduction zone in which thiosulfate contained in a slipstream withdrawn from said scrubbing circuit is reacted with a reducing gas containing CO as the effective reducing agent, the IMPROVEMENT in the regenerative section, whereby the proper ratio of hydrosulfide to carbonate is maintained in said regenerated solution which is returned to said sulfite conversion zone, which inprovement comprises:
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
129 words
conducting the reduction of thiosulfate in said reduction zone by the CO-containing reducing gas under conditions effective to produce an effluent aqueous solution which contains sodium or potassium hydrosulfide and sodium or potassium carbonate in admixture with other by-products in the following ratio, R: ##EQU3## where R has a value greater than 1 but less than 1.5 and (S 0 ) = gram atoms sulfur with valence number zero/100 grams solution, (S.sup. -2 ) = gram atoms sulfur with valence number equal to -2/100 grams solution, and ΣM = gram atoms of M/100 grams solution present in said aqueous effluent as MHS, M 2 S, M 2 S x , M 2 CO 3 , MHCO 3 , and MOH (M is either Na or K) and thereafter 2.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
129 words
conducting the reduction of thiosulfate in said reduction zone by the CO-containing reducing gas under conditions effective to produce an effluent aqueous solution which contains sodium or potassium hydrosulfide and sodium or potassium carbonate in admixture with other by-products in the following ratio, R: ##EQU3## where R has a value greater than 1 but less than 1.5 and (S 0 ) = gram atoms sulfur with valence number zero/100 grams solution, (S.sup. -2 ) = gram atoms sulfur with valence number equal to -2/100 grams solution, and ΣM = gram atoms of M/100 grams solution present in said aqueous effluent as MHS, M 2 S, M 2 S x , M 2 CO 3 , MHCO 3 , and MOH (M is either Na or K) and thereafter 2.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
subjecting said effluent aqueous solution to flash decomposition in a flash decomposition zone under conditions effective to produce said regenerated aqueous solution having a value of R in the range of 0.75 to 1
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
subjecting said effluent aqueous solution to flash decomposition in a flash decomposition zone under conditions effective to produce said regenerated aqueous solution having a value of R in the range of 0.75 to 1
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
inclusive. 2. The process according to claim 1 wherein the reduction of the value of R in said flash decomposition zone is effected by reducing the pressure maintained in said flash decomposition zone below that maintained in said reduction zone.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
50 words
The process according to claim 2 wherein the conditions maintained in said reduction zone are a temperature between 300° and 600° F., and a pressure between 10 and 100 atmospheres, and where the pressure maintained in said flash decomposition zone is reduced to about that maintained in said scrubbing circuit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The process according to claim 3 wherein the reduction is conducted in said reduction zone under non-catalytic conditions and the temperature maintained in the reduction zone is between 400° and 500° F.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
The process according to claim 3 wherein the conditions maintained in said flash decomposition zone are effective to produce an effluent aqueous solution having a value of R in the range of 0.75 to 0.98.