The present application provides a waste water preconditioning system for limiting mercury concentrations in a waste water stream resulting from treatment of a flue gas. The waste water preconditioning system may include a wet flue gas desulfurization system for treating the flue gas with an aqueous alkaline slurry, a sulfite detector to determine the concentration of sulfite in the aqueous alkaline slurry, and to produce the waste water stream with a mercury concentration of less than about five micrograms per liter. The waste water preconditioning system also may include a waste water treatment system downstream of the wet flue gas desulfurization system.

In one embodiment, a separation membrane includes: a porous support structure, wherein the porous support structure comprises a system of continuous pores connecting an inlet of the separation membrane to an outlet of the separation membrane; and at least one alkali metal hydroxide disposed within pores of the porous support structure. Other aspects and embodiments of the disclosed inventive concepts will become apparent from the detailed description, which, when taken in conjunction with the drawings, illustrate by way of example the principles of the invention.

A method for production of ammonium phosphate from phosphate rock slurry. The method includes: introducing flue gas containing SO.sub.2 into a phosphate rock slurry, to yield an absorption solution; evaporating waste ammonia water containing 10-20 wt. % ammonia to yield ammonia gas; introducing the ammonia gas into the absorption solution at a temperature of 110-135° C. until a neutralization degree of the absorption solution reaches 1.5-1.6, thus yielding an ammonium phosphate solution and calcium sulfate; separating the calcium sulfate from the ammonium phosphate solution; and introducing the ammonium phosphate solution to a granulator for granulation to yield ammonium phosphate granules; drying and sieving the ammonium phosphate granules, thereby yielding ammonium phosphate.

A dust collecting module of a desulfurizing apparatus for removing sulfur oxides is easily installed and facilitates the application of a high voltage to discharge electrodes. The dust collecting module includes an arrangement of discharge electrodes and dust collecting electrodes alternately disposed and spaced apart from each other, the discharge electrodes configured to be charged to a predetermined voltage for generating a corona discharge between the discharge electrodes and the dust collecting electrodes; a first setting beam having a plurality of lower slots into which the discharge electrodes are securely inserted; and a lower frame extending in a stacking direction of the discharge electrodes to support the discharge electrodes, wherein the predetermined voltage is applied to the discharge electrodes through the lower frame and the first setting beam. The dust collecting module may further include an insulating connecting member from which the lower frame is suspended.

An active wet scrubbing filtration system for decontamination of a gas stream comprises components including one or more of: a) a vortexing apparatus which induces a contaminant-bearing gas into a helical flow; b) an initial scrubbing fluid spray section configured so as to project a spray of scrubbing fluid into the contaminant-bearing gas stream; c) an absorption structure; d) a condenser; and e) first and second scrubbing fluid decontamination systems that may be engaged or disengaged independently of each other. In some embodiments, the worksite comprises a clean room or one or more a semiconductor processing tools, which may include photolithography tools or photolithography tool clusters. In some embodiments, the active wet scrubbing filtration system may be useful in cleaning and recycling air or other process gasses for use in clean rooms or semiconductor processing tools.

A method of obtaining helium from a helium-containing feed gas. Helium-containing feed gas is fed to a prepurifying unit that uses a pressure swing adsorption process to remove undesirable components from the helium-containing feed gas and obtain a prepurified feed gas. The prepurified feed gas is fed to a membrane unit connected downstream of the prepurifying unit and that has at least one membrane more readily permeable to helium than to at least one further component present in the prepurified feed gas. A pressurized low-helium retentate stream that has not passed through the membrane is fed to the prepurifying unit. The pressurized low-helium retentate is used to displace helium-rich gas from an adsorber that is to be regenerated into an already regenerated adsorber.

A photovoltaic module comprising: (a) a photovoltaic laminate including: two or more electrically conducting dements extending through the photovoltaic laminate so that power is moved from one photovoltaic module towards another photovoltaic module or towards an inverter; and (b) one or more connectors connected to each of the two or more electrically conducting elements by a connection joint, each of the one or more connectors include: two or more opposing terminals that each are connected to and extend from one of the two or more electrically conducing elements; wherein a dielectric space is located between the two or more opposing terminals and the dielectric space blocks material used to form a connection joint from passing from a first terminal to a second terminal, the material from the connection joint cools before the material passes from one terminal to a second terminal, the material fails to travel from the first terminal to the second terminal, or a combination thereof.

The present invention provides processes for filtering undesired chemicals in streams of contaminated air for supply to confined areas. The processes provide (1) contacting air with a filter comprising by volume from about 5% to about 95% impregnated zirconium hydroxide, from about 5% to about 95% activated impregnated carbon, and optionally, up to about 50% ammonia removal material; and (2) supplying the contacted air to a confined area.

Dry processes, apparatus, compositions and systems are provided for reducing emissions of sulfur oxides, and sulfur dioxide in particular, and/or HCl and/or Hg in a process employing a combination of a lime-based sorbent, in particular hydrated lime and/or dolomitic hydrated lime, and a sorbent doping agent administered to achieve coverage of a three-dimensional cross section of a passage carrying SO.sub.x and/or HCl and/or Hg-containing gases with a short but effective residence time at a temperature effective to provide significant sulfur dioxide and/or HCl and/or Hg reductions with high rates of reaction and sorbent utilization. The once-through, dry process can advantageously introduce the sorbent and sorbent doping agent dry or preferably as a slurry to enable uniform treatment. Preferred sorbent doping agents include water-soluble or water-dispersible copper and/or iron compositions which can be heated to an active form in situ by the flue gases being treated.

A thermal power plant exhaust purification device, the device including a cooling substance flow channel and an exhaust flow channel; the device also includes a spacing member for spacing and exchanging heat between the cooling substance flow channel and the exhaust flow channel, the spacing member having an exhaust contact surface for collecting dust and/or mist contained in the exhaust; the cooling substance flows in the cooling substance flow channel, such that the condensate precipitated from hot exhaust uniformly adheres on the exhaust contact surface, thus forming a uniform and stable water film; on one hand, formation of the concentrated H.sub.2SO.sub.4 on a dust collecting plate is prevented, and a liquid film flows downwards under gravity, thereby cleaning the H.sub.2SO.sub.4 adhered on the dust collecting plate timely; on the other hand, the water film is very effective in intercepting droplets and capturing the dust.