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US4226839A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Activation of calcium oxide as a sorbent

Assignee: Environmental Protection Agency
•
Filing: 1978-07-21
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Granted: 1980-10-07
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Expires: 1998-07-21
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Abstract

Abstract The sorbent capacity of calcium oxide with respect to sulfur dioxide is increased by calcining limestone or dolomite in an atmosphere where the partial pressure of carbon dioxide is greater than 40 percent of the equilibrium partial pressure of carbon dioxide over calcium carbonate at the reaction temperature. Where dolomite is the starting material, it may be calcined in a two-step heating process in which the atmosphere during the first heating stage contains carbon dioxide and the temperature is maintained in the dissociation range of magnesium carbonate (MgCO3); the atmosphere of the second heating stage also contains carbon dioxide, but the temperature is maintained in the calcium carbonate (CaCO3) dissociation range. Calcium oxide so produced in such an atmosphere of carbon dioxide sufficient to delay calcination is found to have relatively large mouthed pores capable of sorbing increased amounts of sulfur.

Inventors

  • 👤 Eoin P. O'Neill
  • 👤 Dale L. Keairns

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 15:31
CPC Classifications
C; C01; C01F; C01F11/00; C01F11/46; C01F11/464; B; B01; B01D; B01D53/00; B01D53/02; B01J; B01J20/00; B01J20/02; B01J20/04; B01J20/041; B01J20/30; B01J20/3078; C01F11/02; C01F11/04; C01F11/06

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 106 words
A method for producing calcium oxide of increased sorbent capacity with respect to sulfur dioxide which comprises: heating stones of particle size 400-1000 microns containing calcium carbonate, at about 900° C. for a time sufficient to effect decomposition of the CaCO 3 to CaO, in a calcination delaying atmosphere containing carbon dioxide where the partial pressure of the carbon dioxide is greater than 40 percent and up to 85 percent the equilibrium partial pressure of carbon dioxide over calcium carbonate at the reaction temperature, to cause a back pressure of CO 2 sufficient to convert initially formed fine pores of CaO to coalesce into larger pores.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 106 words
A method for producing calcium oxide of increased sorbent capacity with respect to sulfur dioxide which comprises: heating stones of particle size 400-1000 microns containing calcium carbonate, at about 900° C. for a time sufficient to effect decomposition of the CaCO 3 to CaO, in a calcination delaying atmosphere containing carbon dioxide where the partial pressure of the carbon dioxide is greater than 40 percent and up to 85 percent the equilibrium partial pressure of carbon dioxide over calcium carbonate at the reaction temperature, to cause a back pressure of CO 2 sufficient to convert initially formed fine pores of CaO to coalesce into larger pores.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 10 words
The method of claim 1 where the stones are limestones.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 18 words
A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein calcination is carried out for 40 minutes to 4 hours.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 18 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein calcination is carried out for 80 minutes to 2 hours.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 19 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising the subsequent step of recovering the calcium oxide thus produced.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 167 words
A method of producing calcium oxide of increased sorbent capacity with respect to sulfur dioxide from stones of 400-2000 microns particle size containing calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate, which comprises: a. heating said stones at 700° up to 900° C. in an atmosphere in which the partial pressure of carbon dioxide is greater than the equilibrium partial pressure of CO 2 over CaCO 3 at the reaction temperature to calcine the magnesium fraction of the stones; and, b. additionally heating said stones in an atmosphere containing an amount sufficient of carbon dioxide to delay calcination and for a time sufficient to cause sufficient CO 2 back pressure to produce large mouthed pores, at a temperature greater than that in step (a) in the range 900°-950° C. for a time sufficient to effect decomposition of the CaCO 3 to CaO, the CO 2 partial pressure being greater than 40% but not exceeding 85% of the equilibrium partial pressure of CO 2 over CaCO 3 at the reaction temperature.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 167 words
A method of producing calcium oxide of increased sorbent capacity with respect to sulfur dioxide from stones of 400-2000 microns particle size containing calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate, which comprises: a. heating said stones at 700° up to 900° C. in an atmosphere in which the partial pressure of carbon dioxide is greater than the equilibrium partial pressure of CO 2 over CaCO 3 at the reaction temperature to calcine the magnesium fraction of the stones; and, b. additionally heating said stones in an atmosphere containing an amount sufficient of carbon dioxide to delay calcination and for a time sufficient to cause sufficient CO 2 back pressure to produce large mouthed pores, at a temperature greater than that in step (a) in the range 900°-950° C. for a time sufficient to effect decomposition of the CaCO 3 to CaO, the CO 2 partial pressure being greater than 40% but not exceeding 85% of the equilibrium partial pressure of CO 2 over CaCO 3 at the reaction temperature.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 33 words
The method of claim 6 where step (a) is performed until substantially all of the magnesium fraction is calcined and step (b) is performed until substantially all of the calcium fraction is calcined.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 37 words
The method of claim 6 where the temperature in step (a) is in the dissociation temperature range of magnesium carbonate in dolomite and the temperature in step (b) is in the dissociation temperature range of calcium carbonate.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 27 words
The method of claim 6 where the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in step (a) is about 1 atmosphere and in step (b) is about 1/2 atmosphere.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 17 words
A method in accordance with claim 6 wherein step (b) is carried out for about 1 hour.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US948045A Cited
US1495813A Cited
US2370281A Cited
US3991172A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1983-10-07 1984-04-07 1984-10-07 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1987-10-07 1988-04-07 1988-10-07 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1991-10-07 1992-04-07 1992-10-07 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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