# US 10,500,542 B2 · Method and system for applying superimposed time-varying frequency electromagnetic wave for removal of SOX, CO2 and NOX from flue gases

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- Number: US 10,500,542 B2
- Document ID: US10500542B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/748,524
- Filed: 2016-07-29
- Published: 2018-08-09
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2015-07-29
- Assignees: Semb-Eco R&D PTE LTD
- Applicants: Semb-Eco R&D Pte Ltd
- Inventors: Hwee Hong Chew; Poh Kwee Ong
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10500542B2

## CPC

- B01D 53/323: {by electrostatic effects or by high-voltage electric fields}
- C02F 1/4602: {for prevention or elimination of deposits}
- B01D 53/504: {characterised by a specific device}
- B01D 53/60: Simultaneously removing sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides
- B01D 53/78: with gas-liquid contact
- C02F 1/004: {using large scale industrial sized filters}
- C02F 1/32: with ultraviolet light
- C02F 1/46104: {Devices therefor; Their operating or servicing}
- C02F 1/484: {using electromagnets}
- C02F 1/487: {using high frequency electromagnetic fields, e.g. pulsed electromagnetic fields}
- C02F 5/00: Softening water; Preventing scale; Adding scale preventatives or scale removers to water, e.g. adding sequestering agents (softening using ion-exchange C02F1/42)
- C23F 13/04: Controlling or regulating desired parameters
- C23F 13/06: Constructional parts, or assemblies of cathodic-protection apparatus
- C25D 11/005: {Apparatus specially adapted for electrolytic conversion coating (apparatus in general for electrolytic coating C25D17/00)}
- C25D 11/022: {Anodisation on selected surface areas}
- C25D 11/34: of metals or alloys not provided for in groups C25D11/04 - C25D11/32
- C25D 11/38: Chromatising
- B01D 2252/103: Water
- B01D 2257/302: Sulfur oxides
- B01D 2257/404: Nitrogen oxides other than dinitrogen oxide
- B01D 2257/504: Carbon dioxide
- B01D 2258/0283: Flue gases
- C02F 2103/007: {Contaminated open waterways, rivers, lakes or ponds}
- C02F 2103/008: {Originating from marine vessels, ships and boats, e.g. bilge water or ballast water}
- C02F 2103/08: Seawater, e.g. for desalination
- C02F 2103/18: from the purification of gaseous effluents
- C02F 2201/46125: Electrical variables
- C02F 2201/4614: Current
- C02F 2201/46175: Electrical pulses
- C02F 2201/483: using coils
- C02F 2303/04: Disinfection
- C02F 2303/08: Corrosion inhibition
- C02F 2303/20: Prevention of biofouling
- C23F 2213/32: Pipes
- Y02A 20/144: Wave energy
- Y02A 50/20: Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)
- C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes)
- C23F: NON-MECHANICAL REMOVAL OF METALLIC MATERIAL FROM SURFACE (working metal by laser beams B23K26/00; desurfacing by applying flames B23K7/00; working of metal by electro-erosion B23H; producing decorative effects by removing surface material, e.g. by engraving, by etching, B44C1/22; electrolytic etching or polishing C25F); INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL; MULTI-STEP PROCESSES FOR SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL INVOLVING AT LEAST ONE PROCESS PROVIDED FOR IN CLASS C23 AND AT LEAST ONE PROCESS COVERED BY SUBCLASS C21D OR C22F OR CLASS C25
- C25D: PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR
- Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE

## Abstract

The invention relates to a method and system for treating flue gases comprising generating a superimposed DC time-varying pulsed wave by superimposing a direct current on a low frequency time-varying pulsating electromagnetic wave signal, providing a treatment medium comprising water, using the superimposed DC pulsed wave to treat the treatment water medium, negatively charging the treated treatment water medium, and passing the negatively charged treated treatment water medium into a chamber containing flue gas such that the negatively charged treated treatment water affects the gas components of the flue gas and converts the gas components respectively to one or more of sulphates, nitrogen, oxygen, bicarbonates, carbonates and carbon, which can then be removed with used treatment water or exhaust gases. In particular, the invention relates to methods and systems for applying a superimposed time-varying frequency electromagnetic wave comprising both AC and DC components in a pulsating manner to enable the removal of pollutant gases from flue gases.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for removing gas components SOx, NOx, and CO2 together from flue gas, comprising the steps of:
generating a superimposed DC time-varying pulsed wave by superimposing a direct current on a low frequency time-varying pulsating electromagnetic wave signal, in which an AC driving signal with time-varying frequency is riding on a DC output with a predefined DC bias voltage;
providing a treatment medium comprising water;
treating the treatment medium by subjecting it to the generated superimposed DC time-varying pulsed wave so as to excite the treatment medium, wherein the excitation causes a flow of ionic current having a DC component traveling in a pulsating and time-varying manner in the treatment medium and induces vibration of electrons and molecules of the treatment medium;
passing the thus treated treatment medium into a flue gas chamber containing flue gas, wherein the treated treatment medium affects the gas components and converts the gas components respectively to one or more of sulphates, nitrogen, oxygen, bicarbonates, carbonates and carbon; and
removing the converted gas components with used treatment medium or treated flue gas from the flue gas chamber.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein negative charge is created in the treatment medium by a mechanical charger.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the treat medium is negatively charged by bubbling a gas through the medium to produce (H2O)n−negatively charged water clusters prior to the medium being passed into the flue gas chamber.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the treatment medium is sprayed into the flue gas chamber.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the treatment medium is negatively charged by the spraying action as the treatment medium is sprayed into the flue gas chamber.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the treatment medium is negatively charged by a physical cavitation action selected from the group consisting of stirring, cyclone, and cavitation implosion prior to the medium being passed into the flue gas chamber.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the treatment medium comprises water and one or more treatment chemicals selected from the group consisting of sulphates, bicarbonates, carbonates, and nitrates.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the treatment medium comprises water and 1 to 25% Na2CO3 or other positive-ion carbonates.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the treatment medium comprises water and 1 to 25% Na2SO4 or other positive-ion sulphates.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the treatment medium is collected from the flue gas chamber and recycled by using the superimposed DC time-varying pulsed wave to treat the collected treatment medium, and passing the collected treated treatment medium into the chamber containing flue gas.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the frequency of the superimposed DC time-varying pulsed wave is between about 500 Hz and about 1 MHz.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the superimposed DC time-varying pulsed wave has a sweeping frequency between about 1 Hz and about 1 KHz.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the generated superimposed time-varying DC pulsed wave current is a biased alternating DC current having fixed frequency, time-varying frequency or randomly varying frequency.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1 including creating one or more electron-carrying (H2O)n− water clusters in the treatment medium.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1 including effecting a negative shift in water oxidation reduction potential (ORP) in the treatment medium.

### Claim 16

A system for removing gas components SOx, NOx, and CO2 together from flue gas, the system comprising:
a container containing a treatment medium;
a device for generating a superimposed DC time-varying pulsed wave and having at least two output terminals, the device comprising an alternating current (AC) wave generator for generating an AC driving signal of AC electromagnetic wave having a time-varying frequency at a desired sweeping time, and a direct current (DC) biasing unit electrically coupled in series with the AC wave generator and for producing a DC output with a predefined DC bias voltage, the DC biasing unit being configured such that the DC output is mixed with the AC driving signal to produce the superimposed DC time-varying pulsed wave in which the time-varying frequency AC wave is riding on the predefined DC bias voltage, and an emitter provided at one or each of both of a first excitation site and a second excitation site in the treatment medium or in the treatment medium and the treatment medium container and electrically coupled in series with the output terminal of the device, for transmitting the superimposed DC time-varying pulsed wave to the treatment medium, wherein the device is electrically coupled in series with the first excitation site and the second excitation site in the treatment medium or in the treatment medium and the treatment medium container directly or through the emitter, such that the superimposed DC time-varying pulsed wave is applied to the treatment medium or in the treatment medium and the treatment medium container, and wherein the DC bias output and the AC driving signal are superimposed such that the superimposed DC time-varying pulsed wave is able to induce a flow of ionic current having a DC component travelling in a pulsating and time-varying manner in the treatment medium or in the treatment medium and the treatment medium container and effect induced vibration of electrons and molecules of the treatment medium and creation of electron-carrying (H2O)n− clusters in the treatment medium;
a chamber containing flue gas and having a treatment medium inlet and a treatment medium outlet;
means to pass the thus treated treatment medium through the inlet into the flue gas chamber; and
means to remove the treatment medium from the water medium outlet.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The system as claimed in claim 16 further including a mechanical charger to negatively charge the treatment water medium, wherein the means to pass the treatment water medium into the flue gas chamber comprises a spray system, and the mechanical charger forms a part of the spray system to negatively charge the treated treatment water medium.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the DC biasing unit is selected from the group consisting of switch mode DC power supply, an AC to DC converter, a rechargeable DC battery and an inductive diode filter.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the DC bias voltage is selected such that the superimposed DC time-varying pulsed wave is produced to have polar asymmetry or become a unidirectional pulsating wave.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The system as claimed in claim 16, wherein both the first and second excitation sites are positioned in the treatment medium in a spaced relation, or one of the first and second excitation sites is positioned on the treatment medium container, and the other is positioned in the treatment medium.