Process for treating flue gas with alkali injection and electron beam

Claim 1

A process for removing pollutants comprising either sulfur oxides or nitrogen oxides or both from effluent gas, the steps comprising: (a) injecting alkali reagent into the combustion zone of a combustion boiler fired by fuel selected from the group of pulverized coal, liquid hydrocarbon, or mixture thereof, some of said alkali reagent reacting with sulfur oxides in the effluent gas to form a reaction product; (b) passing said effluent gases and said unreacted alkali out of said combustion boiler and into a cooling stage and cooling said effluent gases and unreacted alkali reagent to below 200° F. such that an additional amount of said alkali reagent react with sulfur oxides in the effluent gas to form a reaction product; (c) passing the cooled effluent gas and remaining unreacted alkali reagent into an irradiation chamber; (d) irradiating the effluent gas and unreacted alkali reagent with ionizing radiation in the irradiation chamber causing said unreacted alkali reagent to convert gaseous either sulfur oxides or nitrogen oxides or both into either mist or solid particles or both; and (e) subjecting the irradiated effluent gas to particulate collection in a particulate collection device.