Patent ID: 6972120

Claim:
A method of removing metallic mercury and ionic mercury from flue gases, said method including steps of: combusting a combustible composition as a consequence of which flue gases comprising both metallic mercury and ionic mercury are created; flowing said flue gases along a flow path such that said flue gases flow past a location upstream of a separator, through said separator, and then past a location downstream of said separator; at said location downstream of said separator, diverting a partial stream of said flue gas that contains sulfur dioxide or other adequate amounts of sulfur in the form of H 2 S or COS and conducting said partial stream of said flue gas to a catalyzer; conveying a gas that contains hydrogen to said catalyzer whereat the sulfur dioxide or other adequate amounts of sulfur in the form of H 2 S or COS in said partial stream of said flue gas conducted to said catalyzer reacts with hydrogen to produce a gas G that contains elemental sulfur and hydrogen sulfide; and conveying said gas G containing elemental sulfur and hydrogen sulfide to said location upstream of said separator for contact with said flue gas thereat, wherein metallic mercury and ionic mercury in said flue gas react, respectively, with elemental sulfur and hydrogen sulfide in said gas G and are separated out in said separator as said flue gases thereafter flow through said separator.