A process for capturing and removing carbon dioxide gas, heavy and trace metals, fly ash, large and small particulates, oxides of nitrogen and sulfur, carbon monoxide, organic compounds, or a mixture thereof, from a hot combustion gas mixture stream, comprising:
- a) pressurizing said hot combustion gas mixture stream to give a pressurized hot combustion gas mixture stream;
- b) conditioning said pressurized hot combustion gas mixture stream to remove large particulates and large fly ash particles and to reduce to temperature thereof to the range of about 250 to about 400° F. to give a conditioned combustion gas mixture stream;
- c) treating said conditioned combustion gas mixture stream in a first aerodynamic reactor in which said conditioned combustion gas mixture stream is driven through a subsonic nozzle in part by a free jet exiting from at least one supersonic nozzle fed with a compressible fluid so as to form a supersonic free jet which, in conjunction with said subsonic nozzle, acts as an ejector pump, said supersonic free jet having incorporated therein atomized liquid droplets or vapor issuing from nozzles associated with said supersonic free jet and contacting said conditioned combustion gas mixture stream to form a turbulent subsonic free jet by passing through said subsonic nozzle into a downstream reaction chamber whereby the heavy and trace metals and the particulates provide nucleation sites for the encapsulation of said heavy and trace metals, and said particulates into liquid droplets under conditions of impaction, interception, condensation, diffusion, or a combination thereof, to be followed by droplet growth by means of impaction, interception, nucleation, condensation, or a combination thereof, into first larger liquid droplets;
- d) removing said first larger liquid droplets from said conditioned combustion gas mixture stream in a first gas/liquid separator as a first liquid effluent stream containing said heavy and trace metals and said particulates;
- e) removing said first liquid effluent stream for subsequent disposal or physical and chemical recovery;
- f) discharging a first effluent gas stream comprising oxides of carbon, nitrogen and sulfur from said first gas/liquid separator;
- g) treating said first effluent gas stream from said first gas/liquid separator in a second aerodynamic reactor for the removal of sulfur dioxide and a portion of the carbon dioxide, said aerodynamic reactor comprising a subsonic nozzle through which said first effluent gas stream is driven in part by a supersonic free jet exiting from at least one supersonic nozzle fed with a compressible fluid so as to form a supersonic free jet which, in conjunction with said subsonic nozzle, acts as an ejector pump, said supersonic free jet having incorporated therein atomized liquid droplets or vapor of an alkali metal alkaline solution issuing from nozzles associated with said supersonic free jet and contacting said first effluent gas stream to form a turbulent subsonic free jet by passing through said subsonic nozzle into a downstream reaction chamber, whereby said sulfur dioxide, said carbon dioxide, and said alkali metal alkaline solution are brought into intimate contact and react to produce reaction products in the form of second liquid droplets, said second liquid droplets growing by diffusion, impaction, interception, condensation, or a combination thereof, into second larger liquid droplets;
- h) removing said second larger liquid droplets from said first effluent gas stream in a second gas/liquid separator as a second liquid effluent stream containing said liquid reaction products;
- i) treating said second liquid effluent stream by filtration, washing by water or a metal chloride solution, said wash solution ducted for subsequent disposal or physical and chemical recovery;
- j) passing said treated second liquid effluent stream to a first mixing tank;
- k) treating a first portion of said second treated effluent stream from said first mixing tank through steps comprising decarbonation, oxidation, evaporation, crystallization, or a combination thereof, whereby a portion of carbon dioxide gas and water vapor is liberated and alkali metal sulfate is separated as a solid with recycle of the effluent liquid stream from said sequential decarbonation, oxidation, evaporation, crystallization, or a combination thereof, treatment to said first mixing tank;
- l) adding water and an alkali metal alkaline solution to said first mixing tank;
- m) circulating of a second portion of said second treated liquid effluent stream from said first mixing tank to said second aerodynamic reactor;
- n) condensing said water vapor from said carbon dioxide and water vapor to produce carbon dioxide gas;
- o) discharging the remainder of said first effluent gas stream as a second effluent gas stream comprising oxides of nitrogen and carbon dioxide from said second gas/liquid separator;
- p) treating said second effluent gas stream from said second gas/liquid separator in a third aerodynamic reactor for the removal of said nitrogen oxides and an additional portion of said carbon dioxide, said third aerodynamic reactor comprising a subsonic nozzle through which said second effluent gas stream is driven in part by a supersonic nozzle fed with a compressible fluid so as to form a supersonic free jet which, in conjunction with said subsonic nozzle, acts as an ejector pump, said supersonic free jet having incorporated therein atomized liquid droplets or vapor of an alkali metal alkaline solution issuing from liquid nozzles associated with said supersonic free jet and contacting said second effluent gas stream to form a turbulent subsonic free jet by passing through said subsonic nozzle into a downstream reaction chamber, whereby said nitrogen oxides, said carbon dioxide, and said alkali metal alkaline solution, are brought into intimate contact and react to produce reaction products in the form of third liquid droplets growing by diffusion, impaction, interception, condensation, or a combination thereof, into third larger droplets;
- q) removing said third larger droplets from said second effluent gas stream in a third gas/liquid separator as a third liquid effluent stream containing the said liquid reaction products;
- r) treating said third liquid effluent stream by filtration washed by water or metal chloride solution with the effluent wash liquid removed for subsequent disposal or physical and chemical recovery;
- s) passing said filtered liquid reaction products from said third effluent stream to a second mixing tank;
- t) circulating a first portion of said filtered liquid effluent from said third effluent stream to said third aerodynamic reactor;
- u) treating a second portion of said filtered liquid reaction products from said third effluent stream from said second mixing tank through oxidation, decarbonation, cooling, evaporation, crystallization, or a combination thereof, whereby carbon dioxide gas and water vapor are liberated and alkali metal nitrate is separated as a solid with recycle of the remaining product liquid stream to said second mixing tank;
- v) adding water and alkali metal alkaline solution to said second mixing tank;
- w) condensing said water vapor from said carbon dioxide gas and water vapor to produce carbon dioxide gas;
- and
- x) discharging the remainder of said second effluent gas stream as a third effluent gas stream.