Abstract
In this work, the removal of SO from gas mixture with air and SO by ammonium bicarbonate aqueous solution as absorbent was investigated experimentally in a bubble column reactor. The effects of the concentration of ammonium bicarbonate, the SO inlet concentration of gas phase and the gas flow rate on the removal rate of SO were studied. The results showed that the higher the SO inlet concentration and the gas flow rate, the shorter the lasting time of SO completely removed in gas outlet, and then the faster the decrease in the removal rate of SO . The lasting time of SO completely removed in gas outlet increased with increasing ammonium bicarbonate concentration. During the process of SO absorption, there was a critical pH of solution. When the solution pH was less than the critical pH, it would sharply fall, resulting in a rapid decrease of the SO removal rate. A theoretical model for predicting the SO removal rate has been developed by taking the chemical enhancement and the sulfite concentration in the liquid phase into account simultaneously.