Patent ID: 7569198

Claim:
A process for removing sulfur oxides and solid particulates from a gaseous effluent containing same, which process comprises: a) contacting, in a first contacting zone, the gaseous effluent with a first aqueous scrubbing solution comprised of a caustic, an effective amount of ammonia, or both, said scrubbing solution being at a pH of about 6 to about 8 which contacting is performed in a wet gas scrubber under high velocity mixing conditions thereby resulting in an admixture of a substantially solids free gaseous effluent and a liquid phase containing particulates and dissolved sulfur oxides; b) passing the resulting admixture to a separation zone wherein the liquid phase containing the particulates is separated from the substantially solids free gaseous effluent which has a reduced level of sulfur oxides; c) mixing an effective amount of vapor phase ammonia with said substantially solids free gaseous effluent; d) contacting, in a second contacting zone, said mixture of step c) above with a second aqueous scrubbing solution to produce a scrubbed gaseous effluent and a sulfur-containing aqueous solution; e) separating at least a portion of the sulfur-containing aqueous solution from the scrubbed gaseous effluent; and f) emitting said scrubbed gaseous effluent into the atmosphere, wherein the scrubbed gaseous effluent is substantially free of particulates and contains less the 25 ppmv of sulfur dioxide.