Flue Gas Purification Process Using A Sorbent Polymer Composite Material

• US 20070207923A1
• Filed: 05/14/2007
• Published: 09/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates (W.L. Gore & Associates)
• Original Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates (W.L. Gore & Associates)
• Inventors: Wu, Xiaoqun, Lu, Xia-Chun
• Application Number:
  US11/748,088
• Publication Number:
  US 20070207923A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 502/401
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/102 Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/202 Polymeric adsorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/302 Sulfur oxides
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/602 Mercury or mercury compounds
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/02 by adsorption, e.g. preparative gas chromatography solid sorbent compositions B01J20/00, preparation of inorganic compounds or elements C01
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/04 with stationary adsorbents B01D53/025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/0266 Compounds of S
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/027 Compounds of F, Cl, Br, I
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/20 comprising free carbon; comprising carbon obtained by carbonising processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/261 obtained by reactions only involving carbon to carbon unsaturated bonds macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds per se C08F
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28026 Particles within, immobilised, dispersed, entrapped in or on a matrix, e.g. a resin
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28028 Particles immobilised within fibres or filaments
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28033 Membrane, sheet, cloth, pad, lamellar or mat
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28035 with more than one layer, e.g. laminates, separated sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28052 Several layers of identical or different sorbents stacked in a housing, e.g. in a column
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/2808 being less than 2 nm, i.e. micropores or nanopores
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3007 Moulding, shaping or extruding
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3078 Thermal treatment, e.g. calcining or pyrolizing
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3204 Inorganic carriers, supports or substrates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3234 Inorganic material layers
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3236 : containing metal, other than zeolites, e.g. oxides, hydroxides, sulphides or salts
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3242 : Layers with a functional group, e.g. an affinity material, a ligand, a reactant or a complexing group
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3285 : Coating or impregnation layers comprising different type of functional groups or interactions, e.g. different ligands in various parts of the sorbent, mixed mode, dual zone, bimodal, multimodal, ionic or hydrophobic, cationic or anionic, hydrophilic or hydrophobic

Abstract

This invention provides a process of removing sulfur oxides, mercury vapor, and fine particulate matters from industrial flue gases that contain such pollutants. The pollutants are removed by modules, which contain microporous adsorbent (i.e., sorbent) material that is held within a polymer matrix. The preferred polymers are fluoropolymers. The composite material that contains the microporous absorbent material held within a polymer matrix removes sulfur oxides by converting them into high concentration sulfuric acids. It also removes mercury vapor by chemically adsorbing the mercury into the matrix. It also removes fine particulate matters by surface filtration. The sulfuric acid that is produced inside the composite material is automatically expelled onto the external surfaces of the composite material and is drained into an acid reservoir together with the fine particulate matters which are washed from the external surfaces of the composite material by the constant dripping of the sulfuric acid along the external surfaces of the composite material.

Claims

1. A sorbent-polymer-composite material comprising:

(a) a sorbent material in the form of porous particles; and

(b) a polymer material comprising at least one fluoropolymer or a copolymer or terpolymer containing at least one fluoromonomer;

wherein the sorbent material is held within a matrix of the polymer material such that the particles of sorbent material are in contact with the polymer material such that the particles of sorbent material are in contact with the polymer material and said sorbent material is either untreated or treated with at least one chemical substance that is retained in or on the sorbent material.

2. A module comprising at least two sorbent-polymer-composite sheets held on a solid frame, wherein:

(a) the sorbent-polymer-composite sheets consist essentially of;

(i) sorbent material consisting essentially of porous particles that are either untreated or treated with at least one chemical substance that is retained in or on the porous particles; and

(ii) a polymer material comprising at least one fluoropolymer or a copolymer or a terpolymer containing at least one fluoromonomer; and

the sorbent material is held within a matrix of the polymer material such that the particles of sorbent material are in contact with the polymer material;

(b) the solid frame consists of a material that is compatible with sulfuric and nitric acid solutions; and

(c) the sorbent-polymer-composite sheets are held on the solid frame in parallel to one another with a gap between each of the sheets;

further wherein said module is stackable or designed to fit into a larger framework which can hold at least two of said modules.

3. A sorbent house comprising at least two of the modules of claim 2.

4. The module of claim 2, wherein said module contains at least three of said sorbent-polymer-composite sheets.