Gas-liquid contacting apparatus

A gas-liquid contacting apparatus for removing sulfur dioxide from a flue gas, which comprises:

• (a) a vessel for receiving therein a liquid aqueous absorbent in a continuous phase;
• (b) funnel-shaped gas sparger means for concurrently introducing the gas and aqueous absorbent, said gas sparger means having a large open end, a small open end, and an opening means at one end thereof, said gas sparger means extending vertically with said large open end above the surface of the aqueous absorbent liquid and said gas sparger means extending through the surface such that said opening means is positioned below the surface wherein said opening means comprises notch means formed in the side walls of said small open end of said gas sparger means;
• (c) air sparger means in said aqueous absorbent, below said gas sparger means;
• (d) outlet means for the gas after it contacts the aqueous absorbent, the outlet means being located above the level of said aqueous absorbent;
• (e) reactant inlet means into the vessel;
• (f) aqueous absorbent inlet means into the vessel;
• (g) outlet means for the reaction products and spent aqueous absorbent;
• and
• (h) circulation means for circulating aqueous absorbent from below the surface of said aqueous absorbent liquid to said large open end.