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U.S. Department of Energy
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German scrubber yields gypsum, won't scale

Journal Article · · Electr. Light Power (Boston); (United States)
OSTI ID:6765348

The Saarberg--Holter process was developed as a joint venture between West Germany's second largest coal producer and a large engineering firm specializing in pollution control. Key to the process chemistry is the use of a clear scrubbing solution--not a slurry. Flue gas, with some of the particulate removed in a mechanical separator, is first passed through the absorption reaction vessel, called the ''rotopart.'' The active compounds in the scrubbing solution are calcium hydroxide, calcium formate, and calcium chloride. These compounds are formed by adding lime and formic acid to the solution. There is a sufficient amount of free chloride available in the flue gas from most coal types to provide enough for the reaction. If not, it can be added. These compounds all react with sulfur dioxide in the absorber to form soluble calcium bisulfite. The pH of the solution is 10.5 at the beginning of the absorber reaction and 4.0 at the end. The washing fluid then flows to the oxidizer, where air is bubbled through it. The calcium bisulfite is oxidized to form insoluble calcium sulfate dihydrate or gypsum. Addition of calcium hydroxide regenerates calcium formate and calcium chloride. The slurry containing 15% gypsum (by weight) is filtered to produce a cake containing 80% solids (95% of which is gypsum.) The clean filtrate is recycled.

OSTI ID:
6765348
Journal Information:
Electr. Light Power (Boston); (United States), Journal Name: Electr. Light Power (Boston); (United States) Vol. 56:12; ISSN ELLPA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English