Abstract: This invention is directed to a sparging method wherein efficient gas-liquid contact is obtained without causing sloshing by introducing and dispensing gas into the liquid only through openings in the side wall of a specially designed sparger which has a single row of openings in its side wall around the periphery thereof and an open end, the gas being introduced at a rate such that the distance l between the openings in the side wall and the liquid level on the gas introduction side is within a range represented by the formula:10 mm<l<(L-10) mmwherein L stands for the distance, which is at least 50 mm, between the openings in the side wall of the sparger and the open bottom.

Abstract: A gas-liquid contacting apparatus for removing sulfur dioxide from a flue gas is provided which comprises a vessel for receiving therein a liquid aqueous absorbent in a continuous phase; gas sparger means having an opening means at one end thereof, the gas sparger means extending vertically from above the surface of the aqueous absorbent liquid and through the surface such that the opening means is positioned below the surface wherein the opening means comprises notch means formed in the side walls of the gas sparger means and an open end of the gas sparger means; air sparger means in the aqueous absorbent, below the gas sparger means; outlet means for the gas after it contacts the aqueous absorbent, the outlet means being located above the level of the aqueous absorbent; reactant inlet means into the vessel; aqueous absorbent inlet means into the vessel; and outlet means for the reaction products and spent aqueous absorbent.

Abstract: A method for removing sulfur dioxide from flue gases by simultaneous absorption and oxidation in an aqueous absorbent. An enclosed body of an aqueous liquid absorbent for the sulfur dioxide is provided and the flue gas is sparged into an upper portion of the liquid absorbent to form a first zone thereof. An oxygen-containing gas is introduced into a lower portion of the liquid absorbent to form a second zone of the liquid absorbent that is below the first zone of the liquid absorbent and which has an apparent density that is higher than that of the first zone. The oxygen-containing absorbent from the second zone is circulated to the first zone near the point of the flue gas introduction and an alkaline material reactive with the sulfur dioxide in the liquid absorbent is introduced into the body of liquid absorbent thereby fixing the sulfur dioxide in the liquid absorbent in the form of a sulfate. The sulfate is subsequently removed from the body of aqueous liquid absorbent.