Patent ID: 7910079

Claim:
A method for removing carbon dioxide from sulphur dioxide containing flue gases, the method comprising: washing the flue gases with washing solution in a scrubber, the washing comprising subjecting the flue gases to two sequential washing stages, the two sequential washing stages comprising a first washing stage and subsequent a second washing stage, wherein the first washing stage comprises washing sulphur dioxide from the flue gases with sodium carbonate solution, wherein in the first washing stage the sodium carbonate solution reacts with the sulphur dioxide in the flue gases and forms a sodium sulphite and sodium bisulphite containing solution that is removed from the scrubber, and wherein the second washing stage comprises washing carbon dioxide from the flue gases, from which sulphur dioxide has been removed in the first washing stage, with sodium carbonate solution, thereby forming sodium bicarbonate solution which is treated separately from the sodium sulphite and sodium bisulphite containing solution and is fed from the scrubber to a stripper where the sodium bicarbonate solution is processed to form a solution containing sodium carbonate and carbon dioxide gas.