Patent ID: 7842265

Claim:
A method for the reduction of contaminant emissions including mercury present in vaporized form from the process gases of an industrial plant utilizing a kiln to heat treat a raw material, said method comprising (i) directing plant process gases from the plant to a first air pollution control device having a process gas inlet and exit to dedust the process gases; (ii) directing the dedusted process gases from the first air pollution control device to a cooling means having a process gas inlet and outlet wherein the dedusted gases are cooled to near the condensation temperature of the contaminants; (iii) absorbing such contaminants on a first amount of sorbent that is entrained in the dedusted process gases; (iv) directing the process gases in which the first amount of sorbent with absorbed contaminants is entrained from the cooling means to a separation device wherein said sorbent with absorbed mercury is separated from the process gases; (v) contacting the process gases from which the sorbent with absorbed mercury was separated with a second amount of sorbent that entrains in the process gases and absorbs contaminants in the process gases; and (vi) directing the process gases in which the second amount of sorbent with absorbed contaminants is entrained to a second air pollution control device having a process gas inlet and exit wherein said sorbent is separated from the off gases.