Patent ID: 8137444

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: an absorber comprising a sparging vessel, wherein the sparging vessel is configured to produce bubbles of an industrial gas within an absorbing solution such that at least 10% by weight of CO 2 in the industrial gas is transferred to the absorbing solution forming a charged solution comprising carbonates, bicarbonates, or any combination thereof; a first inlet for an original composition of the industrial gas, wherein the original composition comprises CO 2 , SOx, NOx, heavy metals, non-CO 2 acid gases, and/or fly ash, and wherein the first inlet is operably connected to the absorber; a second inlet for the absorbing solution, wherein the absorbing solution comprises an alkaline solution, and wherein the second inlet is operably connected to the absorber; a first outlet for an effluent gas, said effluent gas characterized by being depleted in CO 2 and at least one of SOx, NOx, heavy metals, non-CO 2 acid gases, and/or fly ash relative to said original composition of said industrial gas, wherein the first outlet is operably connected to said absorber; a second outlet for the charged solution that has contacted the industrial gas, wherein the second outlet is operably connected to the absorber; and a processing station operably connected to the second outlet, wherein the processing station comprises a third inlet operably connected to a source of divalent cations and a third outlet operably connected to a separation station, configured to separate solids from liquids, and wherein the processing station is configured to contact the charged solution with the divalent cations.