Flue Gas Desulfurization

Abstract

Most of the total quantity of sulfur oxides (SOx) emitted to the atmosphere come from the combustion of fossil fuels, whose preponderance in the energy mix is expected to prevail in the years to come. In order to avoid the damaging consequences that this supposes, the improvement of the removal methods has been the topic of many researches. In this sense, the majority of abatement processes have always been based on wet Flue Gas Desulfurization (wFGD) technologies. In this chapter, the origin, development, deployment and enhancement of the wFGD processes is thoroughly revised. From the early studies on sulfur absorption for commercial purposes to the maturing of the technology fostered by environmental regulations, the chapter covers the aspects that have accompanied FGD research, including the reaction mechanism studies, the main types and configurations, and extending the analysis on the variables, parameters and technical aspects conditioning the process.