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ADVANCED CONCEPTS: SO2 REMOVAL PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS
Citation:
Potts, J. AND J. Jordan. ADVANCED CONCEPTS: SO2 REMOVAL PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/7-78/216.
Description:
The report gives results of a study of a potassium scrubbing system that recovers useful forms of sulfur from pollutants while using a low-energy process to regenerate the absorbing medium. The report also describes two versions of a new, regenerable process for SO2 scrubbing that show promise for further development; they are based on absorption in a melamine slurry, followed by low temperature thermal or chemical regeneration. No solids requiring disposal are generated by the potassium scrubbing system. Laboratory tests of the scrubbing, thermal decomposition, and reduction steps show that the process (based on the precipitation of potassium pyrosulfite) is feasible. The absorbing solution is regenerated by thermal stripping of one-third of the pyrosulfite and chemical reduction of the remainder to form hydrogen sulfide. Elemental sulfur is obtained via the Claus reaction. The report includes studies of the oxidation of various sulfite compounds produced in several different SO2 scrubbing processes. Using laboratory, bench-scale equipment of new design, the sulfites of ammonia, potassium, zinc, and calcium were successfully oxidized with high efficiency. Such oxidation will be beneficial to the value of the products and to improve physical properties or reduce chemical oxygen demand of the waste.