SO2 removal and CO2 capture by limestone resulting from calcination/sulfation/carbonation cycles

Experiments were conducted in a dual-environment thermogravimetric reactor to investigate the interaction between calcination, sulfation, and carbonation for a limestone that had previously been shown to sulfate primarily in an unreacted core manner. The results indicate that carbon dioxide (CO2) can reactivate partially sulfated sorbent particles, contributing to an increase in overall calcium utilization efficiency. The ability of sorbents to recapture CO2 decreases when cycles of calcination and carbonation are performed, following a pattern similar to sulfation/hydration cycling.