The present invention relates to a method for partial reduction of SO.sub.2, wherein a SO.sub.2 stream, an oxidant and a gaseous fuel are fed to a burner and reacted in a flame reaction. The burner comprises at least one supply opening for the SO.sub.2 stream, at least one supply opening for the oxidant and at least one supply opening for the gaseous fuel, and a burner head (1) with first injection sets (7, 8) and second injection sets (9). First injection sets (7, 8) are arranged in a first section (4) of the burner head (1), and second injection sets (9) are arranged in a second section (5) of the burner head (1). The stoichiometric ratio of SO.sub.2, fuel and oxidant supplied through the first injection sets (7, 8) is different from the stoichiometric ratio of SO.sub.2, fuel and oxidant supplied through the second injection sets (9).

The present invention relates to a method for partial reduction of SO.sub.2, wherein a SO.sub.2 stream, an oxidant and a gaseous fuel are fed to a burner and reacted in a flame reaction. The burner comprises at least one supply opening for the SO.sub.2 stream, at least one supply opening for the oxidant and at least one supply opening for the gaseous fuel, and a burner head (1) with first injection sets (7, 8) and second injection sets (9). First injection sets (7, 8) are arranged in a first section (4) of the burner head (1), and second injection sets (9) are arranged in a second section (5) of the burner head (1). The stoichiometric ratio of SO.sub.2, fuel and oxidant supplied through the first injection sets (7, 8) is different from the stoichiometric ratio of SO.sub.2, fuel and oxidant supplied through the second injection sets (9).

A method for treating sulfur-containing exhaust gases is provided, comprising the following steps: step i): mixing the sulfur-containing exhaust gases, air, and a hydrocarbon fuel, and controlling a reaction between the air and the hydrocarbon fuel therein, to obtain a procedure gas stream comprising the sulfur-containing exhaust gases, hydrogen, and carbon oxides; step ii): controlling a hydrogenation reaction between the hydrogen contained in the procedure gas stream and a sulfur-containing substance in the sulfur-containing exhaust gases, to obtain hydrogenated tail gases containing hydrogen sulfide; and step iii): absorbing the hydrogen sulfide contained in the hydrogenated tail gases with an absorbing agent to obtain purified tail gases.

A process for removing sulphur dioxide from the gaseous effluent of a smelter furnace comprising the steps of: providing the gaseous effluent from a smelter; separating the sulphur dioxide from the gaseous effluent to provide concentrated sulphur dioxide and effluent for discharge into the atmosphere; mixing the concentrated sulphur dioxide with a fuel gas; heating the mixture such that the concentrated sulphur dioxide and fuel gas react to form a gaseous product mixture comprising sulphur and hydrogen sulphide; and removing the majority of preferably substantially all of the sulphur and hydrogen sulphide from the gaseous product mixture; wherein the remaining gaseous product mixture is incinerated before being vented into the atmosphere or is recycled into the smelter furnace.