Process for the production of sorbent solids for use in the desulfurization of gases
OwnerPatrick John McGauleyinventor
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Abstract
This disclosure describes a process for the preparation of iron-bearing and calcium-bearing sorbent solids for use in the desulfurization of gases. The process involves mechanical procedures for generating porous agglomerated solids that are high in surface area and uniquely suitable in both particle size and mechanical properties for processing in gas-solids contacting equipment of conventional design. The process also involves the use of water in the agglomeration procedures in quantities controlled to react both chemically and mechanically with solid components of the feed materials and to generate adhesive cement between finely divided solids in porous agglomerated particles of the sorbent product.
Claims16
A process for the preparation and utilization of sorbent solids having particular utility in reducing the sulfur compound content of combustion gases and reducing gases, which comprises the steps of:
- a. mixing (i) finely divided solids containing a compound, selected from the group consisting of iron and calcium compounds, as an active component, with (ii) a liquid selected from the group consisting of water, sulfuric acid, and solutions containing sulfuric acid to produce agglomerated particles of moist solids that contain water soluble and reversibly hydratable compounds, which solids are essentially free of individual particles smaller than ten microns in diameter,
- b. drying the above agglomerated moist solids by contact with relatively sulfur-free gases in a fluid bed drier, at temperatures between 80.degree. and 300.degree. C., to remove the water therefrom and thereby to produce porous dry solids containing agglomerated particles high in surface area and to cure water soluble and reversibly hydratable compounds and thereby to produce particles high in mechanical strength,
- c. modulating the flow rate of gas in contact with the above solids to elutriate from the fluid bed of the drier, a major fraction of the particles smaller than about 200 microns in diameter,
- d. collecting a fraction of the classified, porous, agglomerated, dry solids that remain in the bed of the drier, as product of the sorbent preparation procedures of the process,
- e. utilizing the collected sorbent solids by contact with sulfur-bearing gases in gas-solids contacting equipment to generate, as products of the process, spent sorbent solids containing sulfur compounds, and a gas reduced in content of sulfur, and
- f. repetitively regenerating and reusing at least a major fraction of said spent solids.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.