Abstract

An apparatus and process for removing acidic gases, such as sulfur dioxide, hydrogen chloride and hydrogen fluoride, from flue gases produced by processing operations of the type carried out in utility and industrial plants. The apparatus is generally a gas-liquid contactor whose operation uses an ammonium sulfate-containing scrubbing solution to absorb acidic gases from flue gases, and into which oxygen and ammonia are then injected to react with the absorbed sulfur dioxide to produce ammonium sulfate as a valuable byproduct. The oxygen and ammonia are not introduced together into the scrubbing solution, but instead are introduced sequentially and in a manner so that the oxidation first occurs in a relatively low pH solution as a result of the absorbed acidic gases. The ammonia is then added to the solution in a manner that inhibits or prevents intermixing of the ammonia with the majority of the solution, but is present in the solution when recycled for further absorption of acidic gases. This is accomplished by providing a partition within a vessel containing the scrubbing solution, so that two volumes are defined within the vessel. The portion of the solution within one of the volumes receives oxygen. The solution is then drawn into the other volume, which ammonia is introduced. By avoiding the injection of ammonia into that portion of the solution that receives oxygen, which is at a lower pH and contains lower levels of ammonium sulfite, high ammonia vapor pressure and ammonia slip are minimized. By avoiding the injection of oxygen into that portion of the solution that receives ammonia, bubbles normally present in the scrubbing solution due to the injection of oxygen are prevented from being drawn into that portion of the solution that is in the process of being recycled for further absorption of acidic gases.