A METHOD FOR SEPARATING GASEOUS,ELEMENTARY MERCURY AND GASEOUS HALOGENIDES OF MERCURY AND OTHER HEAVY METALS FROM A GAS

摘要

The invention relates to a method for separating gaseous elementary mercury from a gas in conjunction with a wet-gas cleaning process comprising a plurality of washing stages. The mercury-containing gas is treated with an aqueous washing liquid conducted in a closed circuit, the liquid containing 0.1-300 mmol/1 mercury (II) ions and at least twice this amount of ions having the ability of forming complexes with mercury (II) ions, the mercury in the gas being oxidized and absorbed in the washing liquid. The invention is characterized in that the treatment process is carried out in conjunction with a gas-cooling process effected after the last washing stage of the wet-gas cleaning process, to form a condensate for absorbing the halogens contained in the gas. The resultant condensate is transferred to the washing liquid and the mercury (II) content of the washing liquid is maintained by contacting the washing liquid with an oxidizing agent for mercury (I) ions. The agent used to oxidize mercury (I) ions is preferably chlorine gas.