Performance and mechanism of CO2 absorption during the simultaneous removal of SO2 and NOx by wet scrubbing process


Chaoping Cen , Peng Lu , Xianhui Yan , Lyumeng Ye , Dingsheng Chen , Dongyao Chen , Jianhang Huang

DOI:10.1016/j.jes.2022.08.028

Received May 20, 2022,Revised , Accepted August 22, 2022, Available online September 05, 2022

Volume 36,2024,Pages 534-545

The co-removal of CO2 while removing SO2 and NOx from industrial flue gas has great potential of carbon emission reduction but related research is lacking. In this study, a wet scrubbing process with various urea solutions for desulfurization and denitrification was explored for the possibility of CO2 absorption. The results showed that the urea-additive solutions were efficient for NOx and SO2 abatement, but delivered < 10% CO2 absorption efficiency. The addition of Ca(OH)2 dramatically enhanced the CO2 absorption, remained the desulfurization efficiency, unfortunately restricted the denitrification efficiency. Among various operating parameters, pH of solution played a determining role during the absorption. The contradictory pH demands of CO2 absorption and denitrification were observed and discussed in detail. A higher pH of solution than 10 was favorable for CO2 absorption, while the oxidizing of NO to NO2, NO2 or NO3 by NaClO2 was inhibited in this condition. When 7 < pH < 10, it was favorable for the conversion and absorption of NO and NOx. However, the conversion of HCO3 to CO32− was significantly inhibited, hence preventing the absorption of CO2. Large part of Ca(OH)2 became CaCO3 with a finer particle size, which covered the unreacted Ca(OH)2 surface after the reaction. Kinetic analysis showed that the CO2 absorption in urea-NaClO2-Ca(OH)2 absorbent was controlled by chemical reaction in early stage, then by ash layer diffusion in later stage.

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