Method and apparatus for cooling and neutralizing acid gases

An apparatus for treating an effluent gas which gas contains acidic components of varying particle size which comprises:

• (a) a first chamber having an inlet and an outlet, the outlet being positioned above the inlet, the chamber being configured as a truncated cone, the inlet in communication with the base of the chamber and substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the chamber, the inside walls of the chamber sloping upwardly and inwardly whereby the effluent gas introduced into the first chamber moves upwardly in a spiral path within said chamber effecting removal of the larger particles from the gas;
• (b) a particle collection means disposed below the base of the first chamber to receive the particles removed in the first chamber;
• (c) a second cylindrical-shaped chamber downstream of the first chamber and in communication therewith, the chamber configured to cause the gas to flow in an upward direction;
• and being free of structural interference from one end to the other;
• (d) adjustable spray nozzle means
• to introduce a spray of a basic material in a direction cocurrent with the upwardly moving effluent gas, said means including a discharge end, said end positioned at the apex of the first chamber such that the stream contacts the effluent gas after it has followed its spiral path and flowed into the second chamber;
• and
• to control the residence time and to cause reaction of the basic spray and acidic components while the spray and the acidic components move upwardly in the second chamber to evaporate substantially all of the spray;
• and to form a dry stream with entrained acid salts, the dry stream exiting from the chamber being substantially free of acid gases;
• (e) means for removing products of said reaction from the effluent stream after the stream has left the chamber.