Wet scrubber additive for simultaneous removal of oxides and metals from a gas

1. A process for removing SO 2 and Hg 0 vapor from a gas stream, comprising contacting the gas stream with an alkaline slurry and an oxidizing agent to remove the pollutants from the gas stream, and

wherein the alkaline slurry contacts the gas stream at the same time the oxidizing agent contacts the gas.

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the gas stream is an industrial process or flue gas containing SO 2 , NO, NO 2 and Hg 0 vapor.

3. The process according to claim 2 , wherein the flue gas is flowing through a flue gas desulfurization (FGD) apparatus.

4. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the oxidizing agent is an aqueous solution selected from the group consisting of water soluble oxidizing salts, water soluble halide containing salts, NaClO 2 , NaClO 3 , H 2 O 2 , KMnO 4 , and Ca(OCl) 2 .

5. The process according to claim 4 , wherein the oxidizing agent is an aqueous solution of NaClO 2 .

6. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the alkaline slurry is an aqueous slurry of an alkaline or alkaline earth hydroxide, an alkaline earth oxide, an alkaline or alkaline earth carbonate, lime (CaO), limestone, calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ), or mixtures thereof.

7. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the oxidizing agent is an aqueous solution selected from the group consisting of water soluble oxidizing salts, water soluble halide containing salts, NaClO 2 , NaClO 3 , H 2 O 2 , KMnO 4 , and Ca(OCl) 2 , and wherein the alkaline slurry is an aqueous slurry of an alkaline or alkaline earth hydroxide, alkaline or alkaline earth hydroxide, alkaline or alkaline earth oxide, alkaline or alkaline earth carbonate, lime, limestone, calcium carbonate, or mixtures thereof.

8. The process according to claim 1 , comprising simultaneously removing the air pollutants SO 2 , NO x and Hg 0 vapor from a gas stream in a flue gas desulfurization (FGD) by contacting the gas stream with an alkaline slurry and an oxidizing agent, and

wherein x is 1 or 2.

9. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the gas stream comprises SO 2 , NO, NO 2 , and Hg 0 vapor.

10. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the gas comprises SO 2 , NO x , and Hg 0 vapor.

11. An apparatus for scrubbing a gas stream comprising SO 2 and at least one pollutant selected from the group consisting of NO x and Hg vapor, comprising:

i) a holding tank for an alkaline slurry;

ii) a holding tank for an aqueous solution of an oxidizing agent;

iii) a spray tower having one or more contact zones;

iv) one or more alkaline slurry introduction points along the spray tower; and

v) one or more oxidizing agent introduction points along the spray tower, wherein the one or more alkaline slurry introduction points and the one or more oxidizing agent introduction points are positioned along the spray tower so that the gas stream is contacted with the alkaline slurry and oxidizing agent in a contact zone to obtain a reacted gas;

vi) a forced oxidation device for treating alkaline slurry that has been in contact with the gas stream; and

vii) an exhaust downstream from the contact zone for releasing the reacted gas, wherein the reacted gas emanating from the exhaust has been scrubbed of SO 2 and at least one pollutant selected from the group consisting of NO x , and Hg 0 vapor,

and wherein x is 1 or 2.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the one or more alkaline slurry introduction points and the one or more oxidizing agent introduction points are positioned within the contact zone of the spray tower.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the one or more alkaline slurry introduction points and the one or more oxidizing agent introduction points are positioned along the spray tower at the same location so that the alkaline slurry contacts the gas stream at the same time the oxidizing agent contacts the gas.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the one or more alkaline slurry introduction points and the one or more oxidizing agent introduction points are positioned along the spray tower at different locations so that the alkaline slurry contacts the gas stream before the oxidizing agent contacts the gas stream.

15. The apparatus according to claim 11 , further comprising a pump or sprayer to deliver the alkaline slurry into the spray tower.

16. The apparatus according to claim 11 , further comprising a pump or sprayer to deliver the oxidizing agent into the spray tower.

17. The apparatus according to claim 11 , further comprising one or more pumps or sprayers to deliver the oxidizing agent and/or alkaline slurry into the spray tower, and

wherein the pump or sprayer evenly delivers the oxidizing agent and/or alkaline slurry within the spray tower.

18. The plant that produces a gas comprising at least one pollutant, comprising the apparatus according to claim 11 .

19. A plant that produces a gas comprising at least one pollutant, comprising the apparatus according to claim 14 .