Emissions control system including capability to clean and/or rejuvenate carbon-based sorbents and method of use

An emissions control system including a fluidized bed apparatus for removing contaminants from emissions, comprising:

• a housing shaped as a reverse venturi, said housing including an entry portion for receiving the emissions at a pre-determined entry flow rate, an exit portion for expelling the emissions at a pre-determined exit flow rate, and an enlarged portion disposed between said entry portion and said exit portion of said housing for trapping the contaminants in the emissions;
• said entry portion, said exit portion, and said enlarged portion of said housing being arranged in fluid communication with each other;
• a mass of reactive material disposed within said enlarged portion of said housing;
• said mass of reactive material having a reactive outer surface disposed in contact with the emissions, said mass of reactive material including a carbon-based sorbent;
• and
• at least one sorbent treatment subsystem including a solvent for treating said carbon-based sorbent before said carbon-based sorbent has been exposed to the emissions.

An emissions control method for removing contaminants from emissions comprising the steps of:

• routing the emissions through at least one pre-filter containing a pre-filter sorbent;
• routing the emissions away from the at least one pre-filter and into a treatment system having a reverse venturi shaped fluidized bed apparatus containing a reactive material that chemically binds with the contaminants carried in the emissions;
• selecting a carbon-based sorbent as the reactive material in the reverse venturi shaped fluidized bed apparatus;
• trapping the contaminants in the reactive material contained in the reverse venturi shaped fluidized bed apparatus;
• and
• routing the carbon-based sorbent through at least one sorbent treatment subsystem containing a solvent that cleans and conditions the carbon-based sorbent.