A process for the removal of nitrous oxide from a gas stream having a contaminating concentration of nitrous oxide to provide a gas stream with a significantly reduced concentration of nitrous oxide is described. The process includes the use of a process system having multiple N.sub.2O decomposition reactors each of which contain a nitrous oxide decomposition catalyst and heat transfer units each of which contain a heat sink media that are operatively connected in a particular order and arrangement for use in the process. The gas stream is passed to the process system that is operated for a period of time in a specific operating mode followed by the stopping of such operation and reversal of the process flow. These steps may be repeatedly taken in order to provide for an enhanced energy recovery efficiency for a given nitrous oxide destruction removal efficiency.

A process for the removal of nitrous oxide from a gas stream having a contaminating concentration of nitrous oxide to provide a gas stream with a significantly reduced concentration of nitrous oxide is described. The process includes the use of a process system having multiple N.sub.2O decomposition reactors each of which contain a nitrous oxide decomposition catalyst and heat transfer units each of which contain a heat sink media that are operatively connected in a particular order and arrangement for use in the process. The gas stream is passed to the process system that is operated for a period of time in a specific operating mode followed by the stopping of such operation and reversal of the process flow. These steps may be repeatedly taken in order to provide for an enhanced energy recovery efficiency for a given nitrous oxide destruction removal efficiency.

A process for the oxidation of hydrogen sulfide to sulfur trioxide with subsequent sulfur trioxide removal comprises oxidizing hydrogen sulfide to sulfur trioxide in at least one catalyst-containing reactor and feeding the effluent from the last reactor to a candle filter unit for SO.sub.3 removal, where it is mixed with an injected alkaline sorbent slurry or powder to form an alkali sulfate and a hot clean gas. Preferably the oxidation is done in two reactors, the first oxidizing H.sub.2S to SO.sub.2 over a monolith type catalyst and the second oxidizing SO.sub.2 to SO.sub.3 over a VK type catalyst.

The invention relates to a process and apparatus for preparing nitric acid by catalytic oxidation of NH.sub.3 by means of oxygen and subsequent reaction of the NO.sub.x formed with an absorption medium in an absorption tower, which comprises a catalyst bed for N.sub.2O decomposition arranged in the process gas downstream of the catalytic NH.sub.3 oxidation and upstream of the absorption tower in the flow direction and a catalyst bed for NO.sub.x reduction and effecting a further decrease in the amount of N.sub.2O arranged in the tailgas downstream of the absorption tower in the flow direction, wherein the amount of N.sub.2O removed in the catalyst bed for N.sub.2O removal arranged in the process gas is not more than that which results in an N.sub.2O content of >100 ppmv and a molar N.sub.2O/NO.sub.x ratio of >0.25 before entry of the tailgas into the catalyst bed for NO.sub.x reduction and the catalyst bed for NO.sub.x reduction and effecting a further decrease in the amount of N.sub.2O arranged in the tailgas contains at least one iron-loaded zeolite catalyst and NH.sub.3 is added to the tailgas before entry into the catalyst bed in such an amount that an NO.sub.x concentration of <40 ppmv results at the outlet from the catalyst bed and the operating parameters are selected in such a way that an N.sub.2O concentration of <200 ppmv results.

A method and apparatus for cleaning and recycling stack gas from coal-fired power plants, from natural or propane burning heating plants, or from cement kilns by using renewable catalysts of zeolite to separate pollutants into recyclable and reusable materials. The method reduces from the stack gas carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2), nitrogen oxide (NOx), sulfur oxide (SOx) as well as halogens such as chloride and fluorides and trace metals particularly, mercury, lead, and zinc. The method and apparatus also result in production of fertilizer products by purging with gaseous or liquid nitrogen the zeolite beds through which the stack gas flows. The oxygen generated may be recycled to the burners in the plant.

A process for cleaning process gas removes sulfur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and particulate matter (PM) to produce a tail gas substantially free of these pollutants. The process oxidizes and absorbs SOx and NOx for storage as liquid acids. In some embodiments a PM removal stage and/or a SOx removal stage are provided in a close-coupled higher-pressure environment upstream from a turbocharger turbine. The process has example application in cleaning exhaust gases from industrial processes and large diesel engines such as ship engines.

A system and method of pre-purification of a feed gas stream is provided that is particularly suitable for pre-purification of a feed air stream in cryogenic air separation unit. The disclosed pre-purification systems and methods are configured to remove substantially all of the hydrogen, carbon monoxide, water, and carbon dioxide impurities from a feed air stream and is particularly suitable for use in a high purity or ultra-high purity nitrogen plant. The pre-purification systems and methods preferably employ two or more separate layers of hopcalite catalyst with the successive layers of the hopcalite separated by a zeolite adsorbent layer that removes water and carbon dioxide produced in the hopcalite layers. Alternatively, the pre-purification systems and methods employ a hopcalite catalyst layer and a noble metal catalyst layer separated by a zeolite adsorbent layer that removes water and carbon dioxide produced in the hopcalite layer.

A gas treatment system includes a first scrubber, a regenerative catalytic oxidizer (RCO) that treats gas that passes through the first scrubber, a second scrubber that treats the gas that passed through the regenerative catalytic oxidizer, and a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma reactor that treats the gas that passed through the second scrubber. The regenerative catalytic oxidizer includes a two-bed regenerative catalytic reactor.

A built-in apparatus and method for treating air including a housing with an air inlet and an air outlet. An air mover positioned near the air outlet is configured to draw the air through the air inlet. The housing encloses an air treatment zone, such as including an oxidizing zone, and an ozone removal zone positioned downstream of the air treatment zone and oxidizing zone. The air treatment zone includes UV light and/or ozone that partially oxidizes the chemical contaminants in the air treatment zone. A catalyst in the oxidizing zone oxidizes elements within the air treatment zone. The ozone removal zone includes a second, different catalyst material. A UV bulb that may or may not generate ozone is positioned within or downstream of the first and/or second catalyst materials to assist catalyst oxidation and/or self-clean the apparatus.

Method for reducing the content of nitrogen oxides NOx and nitrous oxide N2O in an input gas, comprising the steps of: treating said gas with a first amount of a NOx reducing agent in a first de-NOx catalytic bed; treating the effluent of said first de-NOx catalytic bed in at least one de-N2O catalytic bed for removal of N2O; treating the effluent of said at least one de-N2O catalytic bed with a second amount of a NOx reducing agent in a second de-NOx catalytic bed.