Systems and Methods for Sequestering Sulfur

• US 20110146281A1
• Filed: 05/05/2009
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York (Columbia University)
• Original Assignee: Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York (Columbia University)
• Inventors: Rappold, Tim A., Lackner, Klaus S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,518,357 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/685
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/304 of sodium
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/306 of potassium
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/402 of magnesium
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/404 of calcium
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2255/702 Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/302 Sulfur oxides
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1481 Removing sulfur dioxide or sulfur trioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/501 by treating the gases with a solution or a suspension of an alkali or earth-alkali or ammonium compound
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/75 Multi-step processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/8609 Sulfur oxides
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus for managing sulfur are disclosed. In some embodiments, the method comprise the following: obtaining material containing sulfur; refining the material to develop a high sulfur content heavy fraction fuel oil and a low sulfur content light fraction fuel oil; burning the low sulfur content light fraction fuel oil in apparatus that emit to the atmosphere; burning the high sulfur content heavy fraction fuel oil to produce energy thereby generating flue gas containing sulfur oxide; and removing and disposing of sulfur in the flue gas using a sulfur sequestration system that includes utilizing sulfur removed from the flue gas to form a brine material.

Claims

1. A method of managing sulfur, said method comprising:

obtaining material containing sulfur;

refining said material to develop a high sulfur content heavy fraction fuel oil and a low sulfur content light fraction fuel oil;

burning said low sulfur content light fraction fuel oil in apparatus that emit to the atmosphere;

burning said high sulfur content heavy fraction fuel oil to produce energy thereby generating flue gas containing sulfur oxide; and

removing and disposing of sulfur in said flue gas using a sulfur sequestration system that includes utilizing sulfur removed from said flue gas to form a brine material.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said sulfur sequestration system further comprises:

absorbing said sulfur dioxide from said flue gas into a first solution;

oxidizing said first solution to form a sulfuric acid solution;

neutralizing alkaline materials using said sulfuric acid solution to form a brine material; and

disposing of said brine material.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said brine material is a brine solution and disposing includes releasing it into a saline water body.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said brine material is a brine slurry and disposing includes injecting it into a geologic formation.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said alkaline materials include alkali or alkaline earth metals.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said alkali or alkaline earth metals include one or more of Mg, Na, K, Ca, and minerals from olivine and serpentine groups.

7. A system for sequestering sulfur, said system comprising:

a combustion module for oxidizing materials containing sulfur thereby generating a flue gas stream containing sulfur oxides;

a combined scrubber, oxidizer, and neutralization apparatus including the following;

a scrubber module for absorbing sulfur contained in said flue gas stream into a first solution;

a sulfuric acid generation module for oxidizing said first solution to form a sulfuric acid solution;

a neutralization module for neutralizing said sulfuric acid solution generated in said sulfuric acid generation module by mixing said sulfuric acid with alkaline materials thereby forming a brine material; and

a disposal module for disposing said brine material formed in said neutralization module.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein said brine material is a brine solution and disposing includes releasing it into a saline water body.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein said brine material is a brine slurry and disposing includes injecting it into a geologic formation.

10. The system according to claim 7, wherein said alkaline materials include alkali or alkaline earth metals.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein said alkali or alkaline earth metals include one or more of Mg, Na, K, Ca, and minerals from olivine and serpentine groups.

12. The system according to claim 7, wherein said sulfuric acid generation module includes oxidizing in the presence of an activated carbon catalyst.

13. The system according to claim 7, wherein a temperature of about 60 degrees Celsius to about 100 degrees Celsius is maintained in said apparatus.

14. The system according to claim 7, wherein a pH in said combined scrubber and neutralization apparatus is adjusted to increase availability of bisulfate ions.

15. The system according to claim 7, wherein a concentration of sulfate in said brine material is kept below a solubility limit of said brine material so as to avoid precipitation of sulfate in said apparatus.

16. An apparatus for removing sulfur from a flue gas, said apparatus comprising:

a housing including a plurality of inlets and outlets;

alternating packed catalyst bed and packed neutralizer sections positioned within said housing, said alternating packed catalyst bed and packed neutralizer sections defining a treatment train having a start and an end;

a first inlet for introducing an aqueous sorbent material into said housing and to said start of said treatment train;

a first conduit for directing said aqueous sorbent material in a first direction and through said alternating packed catalyst bed and packed neutralizer sections;

a second inlet for adding alkaline materials to said packed neutralizer sections;

a third inlet for introducing a sulfur-containing flue gas into said housing and to said packed catalyst bed section closest to said end of said treatment train;

a second conduit for directing said flue gas in a second direction and through said packed catalyst bed sections, said second direction being opposite said first direction;

a first outlet for removing a brine solution from said housing;

a second outlet for removing by-product waste from said alkaline materials; and

a third outlet for allowing substantially sulfur-free flue gas to exit said housing.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

a fourth inlet for introducing oxygen into said housing and to said neutralizer section closest to said end of said treatment train;

a third conduit for directing said oxygen in said second direction and through said neutralizer sections; and

a fourth outlet for allowing said oxygen to exit said housing from said neutralizer section closest to said start of said treatment train.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said housing is a vertical column and said first inlet is adjacent a top of said column.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said alkaline materials include one or more of Mg, Na, K, Ca, and minerals from olivine and serpentine groups.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said packed catalyst bed sections include activated carbon.