PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING GASEOUS ELEMENTARY MERCURY FROM GAS

摘要

A method for removing gaseous elementary mercury from a gas that can be permitted to contain sulphur dioxide. The gas is treated in a washing tower with washing liquid that circulates in a closed system and that contains 0.01-300 mmol/l mercury (II) ions and at least twice this amount of chloride ions. The elementary mercury present in the gas is oxidised and solid mercury (I) chloride is formed. A part of said formed solid mercury (I) chloride is passed to a reaction unit for oxidation to mercury (II) chloride. Chlorine intended for said oxidation and liquid intended for taking-up mercury (II) ions formed by said oxidation process is caused to pass up through a reaction zone in the bottom part of the reaction unit and said zone is kept substantially full of solid mercury (I) chloride. The quantity of chlorine is adapted so that said chlorine will be essentially consumed during its passage up through the reaction zone. The liquid and its content of formed mercury (II) ions is united and mixed with the washing liquid present above said reaction zone and thereafter the so united washing liquid is passed with its increased mercury (II) content to the closed circulating system to be recycled to said washing tower as a compensation for the mercury (II) ions consumed for the oxidation of elementary mercury. An apparatus for effecting the method has a washing tower (11) and a reaction unit (26) with a smaller cross section than the tower (11). The reaction unit (26) is connected to the bottom of the tower (11) and has conduits and means for maintaining a closed circuit system of washing liquid from a liquid outlet (41) in the lower part of the tower (11) to a liquid inlet (40) in the upper part of the tower (11). The lower part (42) of the washing tower (11) below the level of the liquid outlet (41) has a tapering cross section for adaptation to the reaction unit (26).