An apparatus for evaporating waste water and reducing gas emissions includes an evaporator device configured to receiving a portion of flue gas emitted from a boiler unit and waste water to directly contact the flue gas with the waste water to cool and humidify the flue gas and to dry solid particulates within the waste water. In some embodiments, the waste water may be a component of a mixture formed by a mixer device prior to being contacted with the flue gas to humidify and cool the flue gas and dry solids within the waste water. An alkaline reagent as well as activated carbon can be mixed with the waste water prior to the waste water contacting the flue gas. Solid particulates that are dried within the cooled and humidified flue gas can be separated from the flue gas via a particulate collector.

The embodiments provide an acidic gas absorbent having low diffusibility, an acidic gas removal method employing the acidic gas absorbent, and also an acidic gas removal apparatus employing the absorbent. The acidic gas absorbent according to the embodiment comprises: a particular tertiary amine compound, such as, an alkyl dialkanol amine or a hydroxyalkyl piperazine; a halogen-free ionic surfactant; and an aqueous solvent. The embodiments provide not only the acidic gas absorbent but also an acidic gas removal method and apparatus employing the acidic gas absorbent.

Methods, processes, compositions, systems and uses for separating acidic gases such as carbon dioxide from a gaseous mixture containing such acidic gases, utilising a dispersion of at least one organic base and a base oil, the dispersion further comprising at least one surfactant.

A humidity control device for use in maintaining the desired humidity of a closed environment, e.g., a container, while also decreasing headspace oxygen, the device including a water vapor and oxygen permeable pouch, an aqueous salt solution containing humidity controlling salts in combination with salts of ascorbic acid or isomers thereof.

Hydrogen sulfide (H.sub.2S) and/or mercaptan scavengers are chemicals that remove H.sub.2S and/or mercaptans from gas, oil and water. Water-based formulations may be made and used employing scavenging compounds having the formulae:

##STR00001##

wherein each R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, and R.sub.4 are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, an alkyl, an alkenyl, an aryl, an acyl, a halogen, a hydroxyl, a nitro, an alkyl ester, an aryl ester, an alkyl ether, an aryl ether, a hydroxymethyl, an anhydride group, an amino, and a sulfide. In one non-limiting embodiment the compounds (A) and (B) do not contain nitrogen atoms. Water-based formulations, such as those using a protic solvent with the above compounds, work well as H.sub.2S scavengers.

A humidity control device for use in maintaining the desired humidity of a closed environment, e.g., a container, while also decreasing headspace oxygen, the device including a water vapor and oxygen permeable pouch, an aqueous salt solution containing humidity controlling salts in combination with salts of ascorbic acid or isomers thereof.

Hydrogen sulfide (H.sub.2S) and/or mercaptan scavengers are chemicals that remove H.sub.2S and/or mercaptans from gas, oil and water. Water-based formulations may be made and used employing scavenging compounds having the formulae: ##STR00001##
wherein each R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, and R.sub.4 are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, an alkyl, an alkenyl, an aryl, an acyl, a halogen, a hydroxyl, a nitro, an alkyl ester, an aryl ester, an alkyl ether, an aryl ether, a hydroxymethyl, an anhydride group, an amino, and a sulfide. In one non-limiting embodiment the compounds (A) and (B) do not contain nitrogen atoms. Water-based formulations, such as those using a protic solvent with the above compounds, work well as H.sub.2S scavengers.

The invention provides processes for cleaning carbon dioxide-containing process gases from the preparation of vinyl acetate after reaction of ethylene with acetic acid and oxygen in heterogeneously catalyzed, continuous gas phase processes, characterized in that carbon dioxide-containing process gases, for removal of carbon dioxide, are contacted with one or more scrubbing solutions, and one or more scrubbing solutions comprise one or more oxides of metals (metal oxides) selected from the group comprising vanadium, niobium, tantalum, chromium, molybdenum, manganese and arsenic.

The invention discloses methods and apparatus(es) for the removal and control of pollutants such as gases and suspended particulates in the air of an enclosed space or an outdoor environment by passing the air through absorbent media. The absorbent media includes any liquid, solid or combination of liquid and solid media that is capable of absorbing a material in which it comes in contact. In one aspect of the invention, formaldehyde is removed by air sparging through a liquid such as water, optionally containing additional scavenging agents.

A humidity control device for use in maintaining the desired humidity of a closed environment, e.g., a container, while also decreasing headspace oxygen, the device including a water vapor and oxygen permeable pouch, an aqueous salt solution containing humidity controlling salts in combination with salts of ascorbic acid or isomers thereof.