Industrial Resources, Inc.

University of Maine System

Joseph M Genco

Harvey S Rosenberg

Edward C Rosar

Jacques M Dulin

Russell B Bennett

John C Hassler

Improved combination wet absorber/spray-dry dry wastes collection air pollution control process and apparatus therefor, employing aqueous solutions of sodium or ammonium alkali sorbents injected in an absorber through which SO.sub.x -containing flue or process gases containing fly ash are passed. Fly ash is collected in the absorber wherein the alkali reacts with the SO.sub.x to form sodium and ammonium sulfur oxide salts liquor containing collected fly ash in slurry form, which is passed back upstream and injected into a spray dryer through which the gases pass. The heat of the gases in the spray dryer dries the slurry to a powder of salts and fly ash which is removed. The spray dryer simultaneously provides some added preliminary SO.sub.x removal.

Air pollution control process and apparatus

A method is described for monitoring and determining the degree of completion, pulp yield, and residual lignin content in a pulping or delignification reaction. The system provides an on-line, real time, closed loop process control system for the reaction of a known quantity of wood in process liquor. The desired pulp yield is achieved by sampling the liquor during the reaction; determining the total organic carbon content of the sampled liquor; and calculating the degree of completion of the reaction and pulp yield from the process liquor total organic carbon content determination using an appropriate mathematical model. The mathematical model is based upon conservation of carbon mass in the wood or pulp and liquor during the reaction, and includes a conservation of mass equation in which the total organic carbon in the sampled liquor substantially equals the total carbon in the starting quantity of wood or pulp less the total carbon in pulp wood residue at the time of sampling the liquor. Variations of the basic system and method are described.

Method for determining the degree of completion and pulp yield

Process for control of SO.sub.x emissions from copper smelter operations involving pyrometallurgical reduction of copper ores to elemental copper in which the gases from reverberatory furnaces, roasters, and/or converters are scrubbed with a sodium alkali sorbent to produce sodium sulfate and sulfite wastes. The cleaned flue gases are exhausted to the atmosphere. The waste sodium sulfate/sulfite material is then reacted with excess acid from the smelter acid plant and ferrous ion-rich barren solution from the associated cement copper operations to produce co-precipitated double salts of sodium ferric hydroxy-disulfates and/or sulfites (SFH), having low water solubility and being suitable for landfill type disposal without posing serious water pollution problems. This disposes of the sodium sulfite/sulfate waste materials from the air pollution control process and also strips the barren solution of iron prior to its recycle to heap or dump leaching operations. The reduction of ferrous iron concentrations in the recycle barren solution tends to reduce the opportunity for iron hydroxides to be formed in the dump thereby increasing production of copper from aqueous sulfuric acid type leaching operations.

Process for control of SO.sub.x emissions from copper smelter operations

Process for insolubilizing water soluble wastes from alkaline sodium or ammonium type sulfur dioxide control systems used in conjunction with industrial or power plants. The sodium or ammonium sulfite or sulfate wastes are reacted in solution with ferric ions and sulfuric acid to produce an insoluble basic, hydrous or anhydrous, sodium and/or ammonium hydroxy ferric sulfate or sulfite compounds of the generic type M.sub.v (Na, NH.sub.4).sub.w Fe.sub.x (SO.sub.u).sub.y (OH.sub.z)nH.sub.2 O, wherein M is selected from an alkali metal other than sodium, or an authigenic metal or other cation present in industrial or power plant wastes, v is selected from zero to six, w is selected from zero to five, x is selected from zero to six, y is selected from one to five, u is 3 and/or 4, z is selected from zero to 12, and n is selected from zero to 20. Principal end product compounds include Natrojarosite, Ammoniojarosite, Metasideronatrite, Sideronatrite, Depegite, Rosarite, Iriite, and mixtures thereof. The reaction takes place at an acid pH in a temperature ranging from about 50.degree.-300.degree. F. and may occur in single or multi-stage reactors. Air and/or bacterial activation at a pH of less than about 5.5 may be employed. The end product basic, sodium and/or ammonium hydroxy ferric sulfate and sulfite compounds are water insoluble as compared to the standard in the industry, CaSO.sub.4, and may be disposed of by simple landfill without the water pollution hazards inherent with landfilling of wet or dry sodium or ammonium sulfite and/or sulfate baghouse or wet scrubber wastes. The process also uses, and conversely can dispose of, other pollutants as reactants, such as hot waste water from power plant ash tanks, waste sulfuric acid, pickle liquior, acid mine water (blackwater), iron slag or scrap, or gob or pyrite leachate as part of an integrated, multiple-pollutant disposal process.

Process for insolubilizing potentially water pollutable wastes from

Method for disposal of water soluble sodium sulfur oxide-containing wastes resulting from industrial processes producing fly and/or bottom ash from fossil fuel utilization and waste or excess sodium sulfur oxide compounds, particularly disposal of sodium sulfite and/or sodium sulfate resulting from wet or dry sodium alkali scrubbing of tail or flue gases to reduce SO.sub.x emissions therefrom as from smelters, power plants, paper plants, glass plants and industrial boiler operations. Process involves mixing sodium sulfur oxide wastes with an alumina and silica-containing fly ash and/or bottom ash, forming an agglomerate, such as a pellet or briquette, and sintering in the range of about (1000.degree.-2300.degree.F). The resultant sintered particle shows lower solubility than the current standard of calcium sulfate, being 10.sup..sup.-2 to 10.sup..sup.-4 as soluble as the starting sodium sulfur oxides, has increased density (as high as 2.3 g/l), and reduced volume as compared to the dry fly ash or sodium sulfur oxide wastes, and fixes heavy metals. Fly ash leaching and dusting problems are substantially overcome. Sodium sulfur oxides include sodium sulfite, sulfate, bisulfite, bisulfate, thiosulfite, persulfite (pyrosulfite), thiosulfate, persulfate (pyrosulfate), and mixtures thereof. Sintered particle may be disposed of by known landfill techniques, or used as an aggregate for mulch, road beds, concrete, asphalt or the like.

Growing community of inventors

Orono, ME, United States of America

Joseph M Genco