Flue gas desulphurization in a gas-solid trickle flow reactor with a regenerable sorbent

Experimental results obtained from a small pilot plant show the gas-solid trickle flow reactor to be an interesting new absorber-design for dry regenerative flue gas desulphurization with supported copper (I) oxide as the sorbent material. Excellent gas-solids heat and mass transfer enable sulphur dioxide removal efficiencies up to 50% with only 1 m reactorlength when the regenerated sorbent is contacted directly (without preoxidation) with simulated flue gas. The lower sulphur dioxide removal efficiencies obtained with oxidized sorbents can be described by a simple one-dimensional two phase model. The special developed silica-supported copper (I) oxide sorbent has a good physical and chemical stability. Nevertheless, much attention should be paid to the lay-out of the solids transport system to achieve a sufficient sorbent life time. (A