Abstract: Oxidative sorbents are provided for adsorbing elemental or oxidized mercury from mercury-containing fluids such as flue gas from a coal-burning power utility or the like at a temperature range of about 50 to 350° C. The method of preparing and using the oxidative sorbents is also provided. The oxidative sorbent compositions include one or more silicates capable of cation exchange with a plurality of active metal cations and their counter anions. The silicates may include those selected from clays such as montmorillonite, laumonite, bentonite, Mica, vermiculite and kaolinite, and from silica gels, natural and synthetic molecular sieves, zeolites, and ashes from stoker- and pulverized coal-fired boilers. The one or more oxidative metal halides and/or sulfates may be selected from the group consisting of CuCl, CuBr, CuCl2, CuBr2, CuSO4, FeCl2, FeCl3, FeSO4, Fe2(SO4)3, ZnCl2, ZnBr2, NiCl2, and NiSO4. The oxidative sorbents may also include activated carbon.

Abstract: A two stage method is described for the removal of NOx and SOx from flue gas. The first stage removes all NOx by sodium sulfite sorbent injection. The second stage removes SOx by sodium bicarbonate injection. The sodium sulfite product formed in the second stage is transferred to the first stage for injection.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for desulfurizing and denitrifying coal by pyrolysis and subsequently treating the gaseous pyrolysis by-products with a solid sorbent to substantially reduce the release of SO.sub.x gases to acceptable levels. In one aspect of the invention, coal is pyrolyzed in the inner chamber of the desulfurization and denitrification apparatus to drive off the sulfur and nitrogen compounds contained therein. In another aspect of the invention, the gaseous by-products of pyrolysis are treated with a solid sorbent in the outer chamber of the desulfurization and denitrification apparatus to substantially desulfurize those gases. In a further aspect of the invention, the desulfurized gases, which contain nitrogen compounds, are combusted under controlled conditions to minimize the production of NO.sub.x gases.

Abstract: A system for the removal of sulfur compounds from the flue gas from a high-sulfur coal combustion unit. The flue gas is contacted with a combination of a calcium hydroxide slurry and gaseous ammonia in a combined stoichiometric ratio which provides for near 100% utilization of the calcium hydroxide and ammonia with a sulfur dioxide removal efficiency approaching 100%. The system is useful in treating flue gas from high-sulfur coal combustion to remove the sulfur dioxide therefrom so that the flue gas can be exhausted to the atmosphere.