Simultaneous removal of SO2, NOx, and Hg from coal flue gas using a NaClO2-enhanced wet scrubber

A bench-scale study was conducted on the simultaneous removal Of SO2, NOx, and mercury (both Hg-0 and Hg2+) from a simulated coal flue gas using a wet calcium carbonate scrubber. The multipollutant capacity of the scrubber was enhanced with the addition of the oxidizing salt, sodium chlorite. The results showed a maximum scrubbing of 100% for SO2 and Hg species and near complete NO oxidation with about 60% scrubbing of the resulting NOx species. The chlorite additive was less effective as an oxidant in the absence Of SO2 and NO in the flue gas. Oxidation of NO and mercury were only about 50% and 80%, respectively, in the case of no SO2 in the simulated flue gas. The mercury oxidation was similarly affected by the absence of NO in the flue gas.