Abstract
Alumina and alumina based sorbents, catalysts, and catalyst supports are used in many air pollution control applications because of high surface area, porosity and thermal stability. Although some air pollution abatement may use once-through sorbents, problems of solid waste make regeneration attractive, especially where high volume pollutants like SO2 can be converted to storable sulfur. “Alkalized alumina” as a regenerable SO2 sortent has been tested extensively with some recent reports indicating possible effectiveness on NOX as well. High area alumina is used as support for catalytic materials in conversion of SO2 to H2SO4, while special aluminas provide the best catalyst for the Claus process for conversion of H2S and SO2 to sulfur. The wide range of available alumina properties of value in air pollution abatement in smelters, power plants and chemical processing are illustrated by discussing (a) dry sorption of SO2 by alkalized alumina, (b) absorption of SO2 in slurries of basic aluminum sulfate, (c) catalytic conversion of SO2 to H2SO4, (d) catalytic conversion of SO2/H2S to elemental sulfur in the Claus process.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
(a) D. J. Bienstock, J. H. Field and J. G. Myers, BuMines Report Invest. 7021 (July 1967).
D. Bienstock, J. H. Field, S. Katell and K. D. Plants, “Evaluation of Dry Processes for Removing Sulfur Dioxide from Power Plant Flue Gases”, Journal of Air Pollution Control Association, Vol. 15, No. 10, 1965, pp. 459–464.
M. D. Schlesinger and E. G. Illig, “The Regeneration of Alkalized Alumina”, Chemical Engineering Progress, Symposium Series No. 115, Vol. 67, 1971, pp. 46–51.
D. Bienstock and J. H. Field, U.S. Patent 2,992,884 (July 1961).
J. W. Town, P. E. Sanker and H. J. Kelly, “Alkalized Alumina Attritioning and SO2 Sorption Rates”, BuMines Report Invest. 7275 (July 1969);
J. I. Paige, J. W. Town, J. H. Russell and H. J. Kelly, “Sorption of SO2 and Regeneration of Alkalized Alumina in Fluidized Bed Reactors”, BuMines Report Invest. 7414 (August 1970);
J. H. Russell, J. I. Paige and D. L. Paulson, “Evaluation of Some Solid Oxides as Sorbents of Sulfur Dioxide”, BuMines Report Invest. 7582 (1971).
J. E. Newell, “Making Sulfur from Flue Gases”, Chemical Engineering Progress, Vol. 65, No. 8, 1969, pp. 62 et seq.
D. H. McCrea, A. J. Forney and J. G. Myers, “Recovery of Sulfur from Flue Gases Using a Copper Oxide Absorbent”, Journal of Air Pollution Control Association, Vol. 20, No. 12, December 1970, pp. 819–24.
F. M. Dautzenberg, J. E. Nader, A. J. Van Ginnekan, “Shell’s Flue Gas Desulfurization Process”, Chemical Engineering Progress, Vol. 67, No. 8, 1971, pp. 86–91.
A. V. Slack, G. G. McGlannery and H. L. Falkenberry, “Economic Factors in Recovery of Sulfur Dioxide from Power Plant Stack Gas”, Journal of Air Pollution Control Association, Vol. 21, No. 1, 1971, pp. 9–15.
J. B. Rosenbaum, D. R. George, L. Crocker, W. I. Nissen, S. L. May and H. R. Beard, “The Citrate Process for Removing SO2 and Recovering Sulfur from Waste Gases”, presented at AIME Environmental Water Quality Conference, Washington, D. C., June 7–9, 1971.
L. E. Gressingh, A. F. Graete, F. E. Miller and H. Barker, “Applicability of Aqueous Solutions to the Removal of SO2 from Flue Gases”, PB-196,780, Final Report under Contract PH 86–68-77 NAPCA.
M. P. Appleby, “The Recovery of Sulfur from Smelter Gases”, Journal of the Society of Chem. Ind., Vol. 56, 1937, pp. 139T–46T.
T. Nakamura, A. Matsu and M. Matsu, U.S. Patent 3,497,459 (1970);
Y. Aiba and T. Furumori, U.S. Patent 3,544,476 (1970) assigned to Taki Fertilizer Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Kakagawa, Japan.
G. N. Brown, S. L. Torrence, A. J. Repik, J. L. Stryker and F. J. Ball, “SO2 Recovery via Activated Carbon”, Chemical Engineering Progress, Vol. 68, No. 8, 1972, pp. 55–56.
W. R. Horlacher, R. E. Barnard, R. K. Teague and P. L. Hayden, “Four SO2 Removal Systems”, Chemical Engineering Progress, Vol. 68, No. 8, pp. 43–50.
Charles L. Thomas, “Catalytic Processes and Proven Catalysts”, Academic Press, New York, 1970, pp. 240–253.
L. A. Haas, T. H. McCormick and S. E. Khalafalla, “Removing Sulfur Dioxide by Carbon Monoxide Reduction”, BuMines Report of Investigation 7483 (1971).
K. T. Semrau, “Control of Sulfur Oxide Emissions from Primary Copper, Lead, and Zinc Smelters—A Critical Review”, Journal of Air Pollution Control Assoc, Vol. 21, No. 4, 1971, pp. 185–194.
R. Lepsoe, “Chemistry of Sulfur Dioxide Reduction Kinetics”, Ind. Engineering Chemistry, Vol. 32, No. 7, 1940, pp. 910 et seq.
E. P. Fleming and T. C. Fitt, “High Purity Sulfur from Smelter Gases”, Ind. Engr. Chem., Vol. 42, No. 11, 1950, pp. 2249 et seq.
J. R. West and E. H. Conroy, “Process of Reducing SO2 to Elemental Sulfur”, U.S. Patent 3,199,955 (August 10, 1965).
Anon., “New Facility Will Produce Iron-Nickel Pellets and Elemental Sulfur”, Eng. Mining Journal, Vol. 169, No. 3, 1968, p. 168.
M. J. Pearson, “Catalysts for Claus Process”, presented at meeting of Canadian Natural Gas Producers Association, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, November 24, 1972. To be published in CNGPA Journal.
A. W. Yodis, “Sulfur from Smelter Gas by Reduction of Sulfur Dioxide”, preprint presented at Division of Fertilizer & Soil Chemistry, 158th National Meeting of American Chemical Society.
V. B. Sefton and H. J. Hopton, “Removal of Sulfur Dioxide from Waste Gases”, Canadian Patent 838,599 (1971).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2016 The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Murphy, J.F. (2016). Aluminas in Air Pollution Control. In: Donaldson, D., Raahauge, B.E. (eds) Essential Readings in Light Metals. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48176-0_150
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48176-0_150
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-48574-4
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-48176-0
eBook Packages: Chemistry and Materials ScienceChemistry and Material Science (R0)