Selective Reduction of Sulfur Trioxide by Methanol

这是一种新的均相气相化学反应的实验演示，该反应的存在通过动力学模型预测，甲醇选择性地将三氧化硫还原为二氧化硫。如果正如预测的那样，这种反应在使其在锅炉和熔炉中实际应用的条件下发生，它可能成为一种新工艺的基础，这种新工艺将大大提高热回收的效率。在目前的实践中，锅炉和炉子是在故意降低效率的情况下运行的，以避免三氧化硫引起的腐蚀问题。选择性三氧化硫还原工艺也将消除目前阻碍燃烧后氨还原的二硫酸铵污染问题。选择性地将三氧化硫还原为二氧化硫的工艺商业化将提高锅炉和炉子的效率，并促进燃烧后氮氧化物控制技术的使用。前者将减少美国对进口石油的依赖，而后者将有助于解决酸雨问题。

This is an experimental demonstration of a new homogeneous gas phase chemical reaction whose existence is predicted by kinetic modeling, a reaction in which methanol selectively reduces sulfur trioxide to sulfur dioxide. If, as predicted, this reaction occurs under conditions that would make its use practical in boilers and furnaces, it could be the basis of a new process that would significantly improve the efficiency of heat recovery. In present practice, boilers and furnaces are operated with an intentional loss of efficiency in order to avoid corrosion problems due to sulfur trioxide. A process for selective sulfur trioxide reduction would also eliminate the ammonium disulfate fouling problems which presently hamper postcombustion reduction with ammonia. Commercialization of a process for selectively reducing sulfur trioxide to sulfur dioxide will allow improved boiler and furnace efficiencies and facilitate the use of post combustion nitrogen oxides control technologies. The former would reduce America's dependence on imported oil while the latter would help solve the acid rain problem.