OXIDATION OF CALCIUM-SULFITE SLURRIES IN A CONTINUOUS REACTOR (LIMESTONE SCRUBBERS, SULFUR DIOXIDE)

The oxidation of calcium sulfate in a gas-solid-liquid system has been studied in a continuous stirred reactor. This oxidation reaction is of interest since it occurs in limestone scrubber systems for flue gas desulfurization. The overall oxidation process consists of oxygen absorption, dissolution of calcium sulfite, and liquid phase reaction, but the emphasis in this work has been done on the dissolution step. The dissolution of calcium sulfite into a solution of adipic acid was studied in the continuous stirred reactor. A model was developed to describe these experiments and good agreement between model and experiment was obtained. Experiments were also performed in which the dissolution of calcium sulfite into adipic acid solutions in the presence of calcium sulfate was examined. A model was developed for this system in which a shift in the equilibrium solubility of calcium sulfite due to the presence of calcium sulfate was included. Moderate success was achieved with this method, as the model described the dissolution experiments with added calcium sulfate and the oxidation experiments. The effect of manganese catalyst on the reaction was also studied. A brief examination of the gas-liquid mass transfer step was made using the model for slurry oxidation.