Method and apparatus for cooling and neutralizing acid gases

Claim 1

A process for treating an effluent gas containing particles and acidic components which includes: (a) introducing the effluent gas into a first chamber; (b) flowing the gas through the first chamber in an upwardly moving diminishing spiral-like flow to effect separation of the larger particles from the gas; (c) collecting the particles separated from the gas in the first chamber; (d) transferring the effluent gas from the first chamber into a second chamber; (e) introducing a spray of a basic material in a direction cocurrent with the upwardly moving effluent gas at the location where the effluent gas has completed its spiral path and wherein it is transferred into the second chamber; (f) flowing the gas through the second chamber in a substantially upward direction; (g) controlling the residence time of the effluent gas in the second chamber to effect a reaction of the basic spry and acidic components while moving the acidic components upwardly in the second chamber; (h) evaporating substantially all of the basic spray to form a dry steam with entrained acid salts, the dry steam exiting from the chamber and being substantially free of acid gases; and (i) removing the products of reaction after the effluent stream has left the second chamber.