An efficient calcium-based sorbent for flue gas dry-desulfurization: promotion roles of nitrogen oxide and oxygen

The development of sorbents for flue gas desulfurization in a dry mode is essential to control emission of sulfur dioxide. Based on the novel concept of "treating waste with waste", a low-cost and highly activated calcium-based sorbent (ACS) was prepared using coal fly ash, CaO and waste gypsum as the raw materials via the one-step incipient wetness impregnation method. Based on characterization using scanning electron microscopy and nitrogen adsorption-desorption, the ACS possessed a fibrous and netted structure with high porosity, which improved SO₂ adsorption greatly. The SO₂ adsorption capacity of ACS with coal fly ash/CaO/CaSO₄ = 1/2/1 was high, up to 44.26 mg g^-1, with 100% removal efficiency at 150 °C. In the absence of O₂, SO₂ was rapidly adsorbed on the sorbent to form CaSO₃ according to in situ DRIFTS analysis, while when O₂ was present in the flue gas, SO₂/SO₃ ^2- tended to be oxidized into SO₄ ^2- species. Moreover, the presence of NO can further enhance the SO₂ adsorption capacity of the ACS due to the formation of adsorbed NO₂ or nitrate species with strong oxidizing properties. Therefore, the ACS can be considered as a sustainable sorbent with the advantage of employing fly ash for the removal of sulfur dioxide.