# US 2014/0154158 A1 · Apparatus and method for removing sulfer dioxide from flue gases

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- Number: US 2014/0154158 A1
- Document ID: US20140154158A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/128,287
- Filed: 2012-06-21
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2011-06-22
- Assignees: Yeda Research and Development Co. Ltd.
- Inventors: Igor Lubomirsky; Valery Kaplan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140154158A1

## CPC

- B01D 53/507: {by treating the gases with other liquids}
- B01D 53/1425: {Regeneration of liquid absorbents}
- B01D 53/502: {characterised by a specific solution or suspension}
- B01D 53/504: {characterised by a specific device}
- B01D 2258/0283: Flue gases
- 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)

## Abstract

An apparatus and method for removing sulfur dioxide from a flue gas is described. The apparatus has sequentially operable scrubbing zone and regeneration zone, which communicate with one another via a molten eutectic mixture of lithium, sodium and potassium carbonates. In the scrubbing zone, an ingress flue gas interacts with the molten carbonates, resulting in chemical absorbance of the sulfur dioxide and in discharge of reaction gases. In the regeneration zone, ether a chemical or electrochemical melt regeneration takes place resulting in formation of sulfur-containing vapor which is cooled down for converting the sulfur-containing vapor into a liquid and solid phase for a further collection and utilization.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus for removing sulfur dioxide from a flue gas, the apparatus comprising:
a housing defining a scrubbing chamber and a regeneration chamber separated from the scrubbing chamber by a separating wall having an open region to provide a hydraulic communication between the scrubbing chamber through a pool common for the scrubbing chamber and the regeneration chamber and comprising a molten eutectic mixture of lithium, sodium and potassium carbonates; the scrubbing chamber comprising: a flue gas inlet port configured for receiving an ingress flow of said flue gas, and a scrubbed gas outlet port configured for discharging an egress flow of a scrubbed gas from the scrubbing chamber; the scrubbing chamber being configured for scrubbing the flue gas by absorbing the sulfur dioxide in the pool to form a molten mixture of carbonates, sulfites and sulfates in the pool; the regeneration chamber being configured for producing a sulfur-containing vapor; and comprising a sulfur-containing vapor outlet port configured for controllable release of the sulfur-containing vapor obtained therein; and
a sulfur-containing material collector coupled to said sulfur-containing vapor outlet port via a cooling manifold configured for cooling down said sulfur-containing vapor, and thereby converting said sulfur-containing vapor into a liquid and solid phase materials.

### Claim at position 2

2-3. (canceled)

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said scrubbing chamber comprises a plurality of baffles arranged within said scrubbing chamber and configured to provide a turbulent flow of said flue gas within the scrubbing zone.

### Claim at position 4

5-10. (canceled)

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said separating wall between the scrubbing chamber and the regeneration chamber extends downward from a top housing wall such that a distance between a bottom end of said separating wall and a inner bottom surface of the housing wall is in the range of 30% to 50% of the pool depth of said molten mixture of carbonates, sulfites and sulfates.

### Claim at position 6

12-14. (canceled)

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said regeneration chamber comprises a regeneration chamber heater configured to heat and maintain said molten mixture of carbonates, sulfites and sulfates at a second predetermined temperature.

### Claim 16

(canceled)

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the scrubbing chamber further includes a nozzle coupled to the flue gas inlet port inside the scrubbing chamber, the nozzle being configured to regulate direction of the ingress flow of the flue gas into the scrubbing chamber.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the regeneration chamber comprises an anode electrode and a cathode electrode being in contact with said molten mixture of carbonates, sulfites and sulfates to form a regeneration zone configured to provide electrochemical regeneration of said molten mixture and to produce a sulfur-containing vapor.

### Claim 19

(canceled)

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said cathode electrode is made of an alloy containing at least one element selected from titanium, aluminium, zirconium, tantalum and niobium; and wherein said anode electrode is any one electrode selected from a titanium electrode, a carbon-clad titanium electrode, and a graphite electrode.

### Claim at position 13

21-22. (canceled)

### Claim 23 (depends on 18)

The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said cathode electrode is a potential electrode immersed into said molten mixture of carbonates, sulfites and sulfates, whereas said anode electrode is coupled to or associated with a grounded conductive surface of a bottom of the regeneration chamber.

### Claim 24 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the regeneration chamber comprises a reducing gas inlet port configured for receiving reductant gas and directing it into the pool to form a regeneration zone configured to provide chemical regeneration of said molten mixture and to produce said sulfur-containing vapor.

### Claim at position 16

25-26. (canceled)

### Claim 27 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an inner surface of housing walls is made of an alloy containing at least one element selected from titanium, aluminium, zirconium, tantalum and niobium.

### Claim 28 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the scrubbing chamber further comprises:
a molten mixture outlet port arranged at a bottom of the scrubbing chamber within the pool;
a molten mixture inlet port arranged at a top of the scrubbing chamber, and a sprinkler coupled to the molten mixture inlet port from an inner side of a top scrubbing chamber wall of the scrubbing chamber; said molten mixture outlet port is coupled to the molten mixture inlet port via a molten mixture manifold to provide circulation of the molten mixture from the pool at the bottom of the scrubbing chamber to the top of the scrubbing chamber for spraying within the scrubbing chamber through the sprinkler.

### Claim 29 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the regeneration chamber comprises:
another molten mixture outlet port arranged at a bottom of the regeneration chamber within the pool;
a molten mixture inlet port arranged at a top of the scrubbing chamber, and a sprinkler coupled to the molten mixture inlet port from an inner side of a top scrubbing chamber wall of the scrubbing chamber; said another molten mixture outlet port is coupled to the molten mixture inlet port via a molten mixture manifold to provide circulation of the molten mixture from the pool at the bottom of the scrubbing chamber to the top of the scrubbing chamber for spraying within the scrubbing chamber through the sprinkler.

### Claim 30

(canceled)

### Claim 31 (depends on 29)

The apparatus of claim 29, comprising a molten mixture filter arranged within the molten mixture manifold and configured for filtering out moot present in the flue gas and dispersed in the pool of the molten mixture.

### Claim 32

A method for removing sulfur dioxide from a flue gas, the method comprising:
providing a scrubbing zone and a regeneration zone separated from the scrubbing zone and being in a hydraulic communication therebetween through a pool common for the scrubbing chamber and the regeneration chamber, the pool comprising a molten eutectic mixture of lithium, sodium and potassium carbonates;
providing a controllable ingress flow of the flue gas into a the scrubbing zone and thereby scrubbing said flue gas by absorbing said sulfur dioxide, and forming a molten mixture of carbonates, sulfites and sulfates along with a scrubbed gas;
producing a sulfur-containing vapor from said molten mixture of carbonates, sulfites and sulfates thereby providing an melt regeneration of said molten mixture of carbonates, sulfites and sulfates in said regeneration zone to produce a sulfur-containing vapor;
releasing said sulfur-containing vapor from said regeneration zone;
cooling down the released sulfur-containing vapor for converting said released sulfur-containing vapor into liquid and solid phase materials; and
collecting said liquid and solid phase materials for a further utilization.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The method of claim 32, wherein said producing a sulfur-containing vapor includes is an electrochemical melt regeneration comprising the step of providing an anode electrode and a cathode electrode, and contacting the anode cathode electrodes with said molten mixture of carbonates, sulfites and sulfates within a regeneration zone; and applying a predetermined electric voltage across the anode electrode and the cathode electrode to provide an electric current having predetermined current density there between.

### Claim 34 (depends on 33)

The method of claim 33, wherein said predetermined electric voltage is in the range of about 0.5V to 20V, and wherein said predetermined electric current density is in the range of about 0.005 A/cm2 to 5 A/cm2.

### Claim 35

(canceled)

### Claim 36 (depends on 32)

The method of claim 32, wherein said producing a sulfur-containing vapor includes is a chemical melt regeneration comprising the step of treating said molten mixture of carbonates, sulfites and sulfates with a reductant gas by passing said gaseous mixture through said molten mixture.

### Claim 37 (depends on 36)

The method of claim 36, wherein said reductant gas is a gaseous mixture comprising carbon monoxide.

### Claim 38 (depends on 32)

The method of claim 32, comprising heating the pool in the scrubbing zone to a first predetermined temperature is in the range of about 400° C. to about 500° C., and heating the pool in the regeneration zone to a second predetermined temperature is in the range of about 400° C. to about 1000° C.

### Claim 39 (depends on 32)

The method of claim 32, comprising discharging an egress flow of a scrubbed gas from the scrubbing zone.

### Claim 40 (depends on 32)

The method of claim 32, comprising providing a turbulent flow of said flue gas within the scrubbing zone.