The present invention relates generally to the field of emission control equipment for boilers, heaters, kilns, or other flue gas-, or combustion gas-, generating devices (e.g., those located at power plants, processing plants, etc.) and, in particular to a new and useful method and apparatus for capturing, oxidizing, lowering the concentration and/or level of, and/or eliminating mercury present in any flue gas and/or combustion gas stream. In one embodiment, the method and/or apparatus of the present invention is applied to boilers, heaters, kilns, or other flue gas-, or combustion gas-, generating devices that have connected thereto at least one type of flue gas, or combustion gas, scrubber device (i.e., a wet scrubber or a dry scrubber).

A thermal oxidizer employing an oxidation mixer, an oxidation chamber, a retention chamber and a heat dissipater forming a fluid flow path for thermal oxidation of a waste gas. In operation, the oxidation mixer facilitates a combustible mixture of the waste gas and an oxidant into an combustible waste gas stream, the oxidation chamber facilitates a primary combustion reaction of the combustible waste gas stream into an oxygenated waste gas stream, the retention chamber facilitates a secondary combustion reaction of the oxygenated waste gas stream into oxidized gases and the heat dissipator reduces the temperature of the flow of oxidized gases within the heat dissipator, which is communicated to a greenhouse gas processor that extracts greenhouse gas(es) from the vaporized oxidized gases. The greenhouse gas processor may condensate the greenhouse gas(es), acid neutralize the condensation of the greenhouse gas(es), and capture the acid neutralization of the condensation of the greenhouse gas(es).

A thermal oxidizer employing an oxidation mixer, an oxidation chamber, a retention chamber and a heat dissipater forming a fluid flow path for thermal oxidation of a waste gas. In operation, the oxidation mixer facilitates a combustible mixture of the waste gas and an oxidant into an combustible waste gas stream, the oxidation chamber facilitates a primary combustion reaction of the combustible waste gas stream into an oxygenated waste gas stream, the retention chamber facilitates a secondary combustion reaction of the oxygenated waste gas stream into oxidized gases and the heat dissipator reduces the temperature of the flow of oxidized gases within the heat dissipator, which is communicated to a greenhouse gas processor that extracts greenhouse gas(es) from the vaporized oxidized gases. The greenhouse gas processor may condensate the greenhouse gas(es), acid neutralize the condensation of the greenhouse gas(es), and capture the acid neutralization of the condensation of the greenhouse gas(es).

An apparatus for evaporating waste water and reducing flue gas acid gas emissions includes an evaporator device configured to receive a portion of flue gas emitted from a combustion unit and waste water for direct contact of the flue gas with the waste water to cool and humidify the flue gas, and to evaporate the waste water. An alkaline reagent as well as activated carbon may be mixed with the waste water prior to waste water contact with the flue gas. Solid particulates that are dried and entrained within the cooled and humidified flue gas can be separated from the flue gas via a particulate collector.

An apparatus for evaporating waste water and reducing flue gas acid gas emissions includes an evaporator device configured to receive a portion of flue gas emitted from a combustion unit and waste water for direct contact of the flue gas with the waste water to cool and humidify the flue gas, and to evaporate the waste water. An alkaline reagent as well as activated carbon may be mixed with the waste water prior to waste water contact with the flue gas. Solid particulates that are dried and entrained within the cooled and humidified flue gas can be separated from the flue gas via a particulate collector.

A method and apparatus for processing waste water generated during oilfield drilling operations with a mobile processing unit utilizing heat energy sourced from burning hydrocarbon fuel directly and/or capturing and using the exhaust heat energy generated by burning hydrocarbons in engines such as diesel engines in order to vaporize a dominant mass of the aqueous phase of the waste water while clarifying the heat source combustion gasses. The water vapor generated by the vaporization process may be discharged directly to the atmosphere or alternately condensed and captured for use as portable water. The residual waste water is thereby concentrated and the cost to dispose of the waste water is greatly reduced.

A method of capturing carbon dioxide emitted by a power plant includes providing a reactor vessel having a shell with a top and a bottom, introducing an exhaust gas stream into the reactor vessel, the exhaust gas stream containing carbon dioxide, whereby the exhaust gas stream rises toward the top of the reactor vessel. The method includes introducing an organic sorbent solution into the reactor vessel near the top of the reactor vessel so that the organic sorbent solution falls toward the bottom of the reactor vessel, mixing the rising exhaust gas stream with the falling organic sorbent solution to precipitate calcium carbonate, and removing the calcium carbonate from the bottom of the reactor vessel, whereby the calcium carbonate includes the carbon dioxide from the exhaust gas stream.

A method of capturing carbon dioxide emitted by a power plant includes providing a reactor vessel having a shell with a top and a bottom, introducing an exhaust gas stream into the reactor vessel, the exhaust gas stream containing carbon dioxide, whereby the exhaust gas stream rises toward the top of the reactor vessel. The method includes introducing an organic sorbent solution into the reactor vessel near the top of the reactor vessel so that the organic sorbent solution falls toward the bottom of the reactor vessel, mixing the rising exhaust gas stream with the falling organic sorbent solution to precipitate calcium carbonate, and removing the calcium carbonate from the bottom of the reactor vessel, whereby the calcium carbonate includes the carbon dioxide from the exhaust gas stream.

An exhaust gas treatment device includes an exhaust gas line through which a combustion exhaust gas discharged from a power generation facility flows, a waste heat recovery boiler recovering waste heat of the combustion exhaust gas, a branch exhaust gas line provided to be connected between a front stage and a downstream stage of the waste heat recovery boiler on a main exhaust gas line, a nitrogen oxide removal unit removing nitrogen oxide in an integrated combustion exhaust gas into which a combustion exhaust gas flowing through the main exhaust gas line and a combustion exhaust gas flowing through the branch exhaust gas line are integrated, an integrated waste heat recovery boiler recovering waste heat of the integrated combustion exhaust gas from which nitrogen oxide has been removed, and a CO.sub.2 recovery unit recovering CO.sub.2 in the integrated combustion exhaust gas.

The present invention relates to a process and an apparatus for utilizing fossil energy with low carbon emissions, which belongs to a technical field of clean energy and climate mitigation. The present invention is applicable for utilizing fossil, biomass and other carbon-containing fuels in coastal and marine areas to produce clean energy with low carbon emissions to atmosphere and low cost. The process comprises the main steps of carrying out the oxygen enriched combustion and using seawater to scrub the flue gas once to realize carbon capture, and the scrubbing water is recovered to a water quality in accordance with legal requirements and then is discharged into the ocean to realize carbon storage of ocean natural alkalinity, so that the resources of carbon sink and carbon pool in natural ocean are used to reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere in a safe and environment-friendly form.