A process for recovering nitric acid or salts thereof, comprising: contacting, in the presence of water, an water-immiscible ionic liquid of the formula [A.sup.+][X.sup.−], wherein [A.sup.+] represents a phosphonium or ammonium cation and [X.sup.−] represents a counter anion which is NO.sub.3.sup.−, an halide anion displaceable by NO.sub.3.sup.−, or both, with a fluid which contains HNO.sub.3 and at least one more mineral acid, or precursors of said acids, and partition, under mixing, said acids between aqueous and organic phases and form nitrate-loaded ionic liquid of the formula [A.sup.+][NO.sub.3.sup.−].sub.z>0.25 where Z indicates a molar amount of nitrate held in the ionic liquid beyond the positions occupied by the nitrate counter ions; separating the so-formed mixture into an organic phase comprising a nitrate-loaded ionic liquid of the formula [A.sup.+][NO.sub.3.sup.−].sub.z>0.25 and an aqueous phase consisting of a nitrate-depleted aqueous solution that contains the other mineral acid(s); stripping the nitric acid from said nitrate-loaded ionic liquid to create an aqueous nitrate solution and regenerate ionic liquid of the formula [A.sup.+][NO.sub.3.sup.−].sub.z≥0 with reduced nitrate loading, or unloaded [A.sup.+][NO.sub.3.sup.−].sub.z=0 ionic liquid.

Various embodiments disclosed relate to sorbents for the oxidation and removal of mercury. The present invention includes removing mercury from a mercury-containing gas using a halide-promoted and optionally ammonium-protected sorbent that can include carbon sorbent, non-carbon sorbent, or a combination thereof.

One aspect of the invention relates to a method comprising a single-stage conversion of an atmospheric pollutant, such as NO, NO.sub.2 and/or SO.sub.x in a first stream to one or more mineral acids and/or salts thereof by reacting with nonionic gas phase chlorine dioxide (ClO.sub.2.sup.0), wherein the reaction is carried out in the gas phase. Another aspect of the invention relates to a method comprising first adjusting the atmospheric pollutant concentrations in a first stream to a molar ratio of about 1:1, and then reacting with an aqueous metal hydroxide solution (MOH). Another aspect of the invention relates to an apparatus that can be used to carry out the methods disclosed herein. The methods disclosed herein are unexpectedly efficient and cost effective, and can be applied to a stream comprising high concentration and large volume of atmospheric pollutants.

Methods for the manufacture of sorbent compositions, sorbent compositions and methods for using the sorbent compositions. The methods include the utilization of an acidic halogen solution as a source of a halogen species that is dispersed on a solid sorbent. The use of the acidic halogen solution results in a highly active halogen species that demonstrates improved efficacy for the removal of heavy metal(s) from a flue gas. The sorbent composition includes a substantially amorphous halogen species associated with a solid sorbent such as powdered activated carbon (PAC).

The present disclosure is directed to the use of elemental or speciated iodine and bromine to control total mercury emissions.

A process for removing hydrogen sulfide from a sour gas stream is presented. The method oxidizes hydrogen sulfide to sulfuric acid by reducing aqueous bromine to hydrobromic acid in solution. The aqueous bromine solution does not react with hydrocarbon components common to natural gas including methane and ethane. This allows the process to both sweeten sour gas and convert its hydrogen sulfide content to sulfuric acid in a single step. In the present process, sulfuric acid is concentrated to eliminate its bromine content prior to being removed from the system, while the remaining hydrobromic acid solution is electrolyzed to regenerate aqueous bromine and produce hydrogen. Hydrobromic acid electrolysis requires less than half the energy required by water electrolysis and is an inherently flexible load that can shed or absorb excess power to balance supply and demand.

A method for removing a halogen fluoride in a mixed gas by reacting the mixed gas containing a halogen fluoride including bromine or iodine with a removing agent, wherein the removing agent is a chloride, bromide or iodide of potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium and barium. Also disclosed is a quantitative analysis method as well as a quantitative analyzer for a gas component contained in a hydrogen fluoride mixed gas, the method characterized by reacting a mixed gas containing a halogen fluoride and another gas component with a removing agent, thereby removing the halogen fluoride in the mixed gas, further removing produced by-products, and quantitatively analyzing a residual gas by a gas chromatograph.

An oxidation-reduction desulfurization system includes a reactor vessel with sour gas inlet at the bottom and a gas outlet at the top. A primary stage phase separator includes a vertically-oriented pipe with an inlet located inside the reactor vessel. The ratio of the reactor vessel diameter to the pipe inlet diameter is in a range of 2:1 to 5:1. Surface foam and non-gaseous multi-phase mixture including emulsion flow into a partially gas-filled upper section of the vertically-oriented pipe and freefall to a lower level, thereby facilitating mechanical breaking of the foam and the emulsion. A secondary stage phase separator connected to the gas outlet separates non-gaseous surge from sweet gas. Valves and a controller automatically maintain target levels of the non-gaseous multi-phase mixture and non-gaseous surge.

The present disclosure provides systems and methods useful in capture of one more moieties (e.g., carbon dioxide) from a gas stream (i.e., direct air capture). In various embodiments, the systems and methods can utilize at least a scrubbing unit, a regeneration unit, and an electrolysis unit whereby an alkali solution can be used to strip the moiety (e.g., carbon dioxide) from the gas stream, the removed moiety can be regenerated and optionally purified for capture or other use, and a formed salt can be subjected to electrolysis to recycle the alkali solution back to the scrubber for re-use with simultaneous production of one or more further chemicals.

Various embodiments disclosed relate to sorbents for the oxidation and removal of mercury. The present invention includes removing mercury from a mercury-containing gas using a halide-promoted and optionally ammonium-protected sorbent that can include carbon sorbent, non-carbon sorbent, or a combination thereof.