Process for removing contaminants from gas streams

• US 7,632,475 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2008
• Issued: 12/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Messer Industries USA, Inc. (Messer SE &Company KGaA)
• Original Assignee: Linde, Inc. (Linde Plc)
• Inventors: Finley, Steven Joseph, Eschbach, Joseph A., Aeiss, Robert, Suchak, Naresh
• Primary Examiner(s): Vanoy; Timothy C
• Application Number:
  US11/971,948
• Publication Number:
  US 20080175777A1
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 423/210, 423/215.5, 423/235, 423/522, 423/523
• US Class Current: 423/210
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/104 Ozone
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/60 Simultaneously removing sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/77 Liquid phase processes
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 17/76 by contact processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/129 Energy recovery, e.g. by cogeneration, H2recovery or pressure recovery turbines

Abstract

The present invention provides for process for inhibiting the levels of nitrogen oxides in process gas streams from sulfuric acid regeneration and production plants. The process gas stream from the waste heat boiler and the candle mist eliminator is contacted with ozone which will react with nitrogen oxides present in the flue gas.

Claims

1. A method for removing contaminants from a waste gas stream in a sulfuric acid production process comprising the steps:

a) contacting said waste gas stream with ozone;

b) directing said waste gas stream to a particulate scrubber;

c) directing said waste gas stream to a gas dryer; and

d) recovering said waste gas stream.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said waste gas stream is from a waste heat boiler.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said ozone is injected into said waste stream in an amount up to 10 percent by weight ozone.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said ozone is injected a pressure of up to 25 psig.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said waste gas stream contains sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, fly ash and particulates.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said ozone converts said nitrogen oxides to N₂O₅ and nitric acid.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said particulate scrubber removes said fly ash, particulates, N₂O₅ and nitric acid from said waste gas stream.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said gas dryer removes water from said waste gas stream.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said recovered waste gas stream is directed to a catalyst bed and sulfuric acid absorption tower.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said waste gas stream is at a temperature of 135°

C. or less.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein sulfite is added to said scrubber.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising injecting oxygen into a furnace of said sulfuric acid production process.

13. A method for removing contaminants from a gas stream from a candle mist eliminator in a sulfuric acid production process comprising the steps:

a) contacting said gas stream with ozone;

b) directing said gas stream to an environmental scrubber; and

c) recovering said gas stream.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein said ozone is injected into said gas stream in an amount up to 10 percent by weight ozone.

15. The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein said ozone is injected a pressure of up to 25 psig.

16. The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein said 1 gas stream contains sulfur dioxide, sulfuric acid, nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide.

17. The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein said ozone converts said nitrogen oxides to N₂O₅ and nitric acid.

18. The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein said environmental scrubber removes said sulfur oxides and N₂O₅ and nitric acid from said gas stream.

19. The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein said gas stream is at a temperature of 135°

C. or less.

20. The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein said recovered gas stream is vented to the atmosphere.

21. The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein sulfite is added to said scrubber.

22. The method as claimed in claim 13 further comprising injecting oxygen into a furnace of said sulfuric acid production process.

23. A method for producing sulfuric acid comprising the steps:

a) recovering a gas stream from a sulfuric acid recovery furnace;

b) directing said gas stream to a particulate scrubber;

c) injecting ozone into said gas stream prior to it entering said particulate scrubber;

d) directing said scrubbed gas stream to a gas drying tower;

e) directing said dried, scrubbed gas stream to a catalyst bed to convert sulfur dioxide present in said dried, scrubbed gas stream to sulfur trioxide;

f) directing said gas stream containing sulfur trioxide to a sulfuric acid absorption tower; and

g) recovering sulfuric acid.

24. The method as claimed in claim 23 wherein said ozone is injected into said gas stream in an amount up to 10 percent by weight ozone.

25. The method as claimed in claim 23 wherein said ozone is injected a pressure of up to 25 psig.

26. The method as claimed in claim 23 wherein said gas stream contains sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, fly ash and particulates.

27. The method as claimed in claim 23 wherein said ozone converts said nitrogen oxides to N₂O₅ and nitric acid.

28. The method as claimed in claim 23 wherein said particulate scrubber removes said fly ash, particulates, N₂O₅ and nitric acid from said gas stream.

29. The method as claimed in claim 23 wherein said gas dryer removes water from said gas stream.

30. The method as claimed in claim 23 wherein said catalyst bed comprises one or more catalyst beds.

31. The method as claimed in claim 23 wherein said catalyst bed contains V₂O₅.

32. The method as claimed in claim 23 wherein environmental scrubber uses a caustic scrubbing solution.

33. The method as claimed in claim 23 wherein said gas stream is at a temperature of 135°

C. or less.

34. The method as claimed in claim 23 wherein sulfite is added to said scrubber.

35. The method as claimed in claim 23 further comprising injecting oxygen into said sulfuric acid recovery furnace.