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A fluidized reactor system for removing impurities from a gas and an associated process are provided. The system includes a fluidized absorber for contacting a feed gas with a sorbent stream to reduce the impurity content of the feed gas; a fluidized solids regenerator for contacting an impurity loa

A fluidized reactor system for removing impurities from a gas and an associated process are provided. The system includes a fluidized absorber for contacting a feed gas with a sorbent stream to reduce the impurity content of the feed gas; a fluidized solids regenerator for contacting an impurity loaded sorbent stream with a regeneration gas to reduce the impurity content of the sorbent stream; a first non-mechanical gas seal forming solids transfer device adapted to receive an impurity loaded sorbent stream from the absorber and transport the impurity loaded sorbent stream to the regenerator at a controllable flow rate in response to an aeration gas; and a second non-mechanical gas seal forming solids transfer device adapted to receive a sorbent stream of reduced impurity content from the regenerator and transfer the sorbent stream of reduced impurity content to the absorber without changing the flow rate of the sorbent stream.

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1. A process for removing impurities from a gas, comprising: (a) contacting an impurity containing feed gas stream with a solid sorbent stream in a fluidized absorber zone under conditions sufficient to reduce an impurity content of the feed gas stream and increase impurity loading of the solid sorb

1. A process for removing impurities from a gas, comprising: (a) contacting an impurity containing feed gas stream with a solid sorbent stream in a fluidized absorber zone under conditions sufficient to reduce an impurity content of the feed gas stream and increase impurity loading of the solid sorbent stream;(b) removing an impurity loaded solid sorbent stream from the absorber zone and transporting at least a portion of the impurity loaded solid sorbent stream to a first non-mechanical gas seal forming solids transfer zone, the first solids transfer zone being fluidly connected to a fluidized solids regenerator zone and adapted to transfer solids to the fluidized regenerator zone at a controllable flow rate in response to the flow of an aeration gas through the transfer zone;(c) transferring the impurity loaded solid sorbent stream from the first solids transfer zone to the fluidized solids regenerator zone and contacting the impurity loaded solid sorbent stream with a regenerator feed gas in the fluidized solids regenerator zone to thereby reduce the impurity content of the impurity loaded solid sorbent stream;(d) transferring the solid sorbent stream of reduced impurity content from the fluidized regenerator zone to a second non-mechanical gas seal forming solids transfer zone, the second solids transfer zone being fluidly connected to the regenerator and absorber zones and adapted to transfer the solid sorbent stream of reduced impurity content to the absorber zone at the same flow rate as the flow rate of the solid sorbent stream of reduced impurity into the second solids transfer zone;(e) transporting at least a portion of the impurity loaded solid sorbent stream removed from the fluidized absorber zone to a third non-mechanical gas seal forming solids transfer zone, the third solids transfer zone being fluidly connected for receiving the portion of the impurity loaded solid sorbent stream from a downstream portion of the fluidized absorber zone and for delivering the portion of the impurity loaded solid sorbent stream to an upstream portion of the fluidized absorber zone, the third solids transfer zone being adapted to transfer solids to the fluidized absorber zone at a controllable flow rate in response to the flow of an aeration gas through the transfer zone;(f) transferring the portion of the impurity loaded solid sorbent stream from the third solids transfer zone to the upstream portion of the fluidized absorber zone for contact with the impurity containing feed gas stream; and(g) recovering a purified gas stream from the absorber zone. 2. The process according to claim 1, additionally comprising: measuring the pressures of the absorber and regenerator zones;determining the pressure difference between said zones;comparing said pressure difference to at least one predetermined pressure difference value; andadjusting the pressure in at least one of said absorber and regeneration zones in response to said measuring step. 3. The process according to claim 2, wherein said predetermined pressure difference value comprises a pressure difference in the range of between about 7 kPa and about 138 kPa. 4. The process according to claim 3, wherein said predetermined pressure difference value comprises a pressure difference in the range of between about 14 kPa and about 69 kPa. 5. The process according to claim 2, wherein said adjusting step comprises adjusting the pressure of the regenerator zone. 6. The process according to claim 2, wherein said adjusting step comprises adjusting the pressure of impurity laden gases exiting the regenerator zone. 7. The process according to claim 1, additionally comprising: determining a quantitative impurity removal rate in the absorber zone;comparing said impurity removal rate to a predetermined control value; andadjusting the flow rate of the regenerator feed gas fed to said regenerator zone in response to said comparing step. 8. The process according to claim 1, additionally comprising: determining a quantitative impurity removal rate in the absorber zone;determining a quantitative impurity removal rate in the regenerator zone;comparing said impurity removal rates to a predetermined control value; andadjusting the flow rate of the regenerator feed gas fed to said regenerator zone in response to said comparing step. 9. The process according to claim 1, additionally comprising: determining impurity loading of a sample of the impurity loaded sorbent stream removed from the absorber zone;comparing said impurity loading to a predetermined control value; andadjusting the flow rate of the regenerator feed gas fed to said regenerator zone in response to said comparing step. 10. The process according to claim 1, wherein said second solids transfer zone comprises a loop seal. 11. The process according to claim 1, wherein said impurity loaded sorbent stream is contacted with oxygen in the fluidized regenerator zone. 12. The process according to claim 11, wherein said impurity loaded sorbent stream is contacted with a mixture of oxygen and at least one inert gas in the fluidized regenerator zone. 13. The process according to claim 1, wherein a cyclone separator separates said impurity loaded sorbent stream and said purified gas removed from the absorber zone. 14. The process according to claim 13, wherein said impurity loaded sorbent stream leaving the cyclone separator passes through a gas stripper. 15. The process according to claim 1, wherein the temperature of the fluidized absorber zone ranges from 316 to 649° C. 16. The process according to claim 15, wherein the temperature of the fluidized absorber zone ranges from 371 to 538° C. 17. The process according to claim 1, wherein the pressure of the impurity-containing feed gas ranges from 689 to 8,274 kPa. 18. The process according to claim 1, wherein the impurity comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of sulfur compounds, arsenic and compounds thereof, and selenium and compounds thereof. 19. The process according to claim 1, wherein the solid sorbent stream comprises at least one active metal oxide selected from the group consisting of iron oxide, zinc oxide, zinc ferrite, copper ferrite, copper oxide, vanadium oxide, and mixtures thereof. 20. The process according to claim 1, wherein the solid sorbent stream has an average particle diameter from 50 to 140 microns. 21. The process according to claim 1, wherein said impurity containing feed gas stream is contacted with said solid sorbent stream in said fluidized absorber zone for a residence time of about 3 to about 25 seconds. 22. The process according to claim 21, wherein the residence time in the fluidized absorber zone ranges from 3 to 10 seconds. 23. The process according to claim 1, wherein said impurity loaded solid sorbent stream is contacted with said regenerator feed gas in said fluidized solids regenerator zone for a residence time of from about 3 to about 25 seconds. 24. The process according to claim 1, wherein the impurity content of the impurity loaded sorbent exiting the absorber zone ranges from 10% to 90% of the impurity adsorption capacity of the sorbent. 25. The process according to claim 24, wherein the impurity content ranges from 30% to 75% of the impurity adsorption capacity of the sorbent. 26. The process according to claim 1, wherein the arsenic content of the impurity loaded sorbent exiting the absorber zone ranges from 0 to 3000 ppm. 27. The process according to claim 1, wherein the purified gas stream recovered from the fluidized absorber zone has a sulfur level of less than or equal to 50 ppm. 28. The process according to claim 27, wherein the purified gas stream has a sulfur level of less than or equal to 20 ppm. 29. The process according to claim 28, wherein the purified gas stream has a sulfur level of less than or equal to 10 ppm. 30. The process according to claim 1, wherein the temperature of the fluidized regenerator zone ranges from 482 to 788° C. 31. The process according to claim 30, wherein the temperature of the fluidized regenerator zone ranges from 649 to 788° C. 32. The process according to claim 1, further comprising heating the fluidized regenerator zone by at least one of the following: 1) adding a pyrophoric additive; 2) adding a supplementary fuel; and 3) using a dry gas preheating system. 33. The process according to claim 1, wherein said first solids transfer zone comprises a J-Leg. 34. The process according to claim 33, wherein the said first solids transfer zone comprises: (a) a descending pipe in fluid communication with a holding vessel; and(b) a transfer pipe in fluid communication with the descending pipe to transfer the impurity loaded sorbent from the descending pipe to the fluidized regenerator zone;and wherein an angle between the descending pipe and the transfer pipe is less than or equal to 90°. 35. The process according to claim 34, wherein the diameter of the transfer pipe is less than the diameter of the holding vessel. 36. The process according to claim 35, where in the descending pipe comprises a flow restrictor. 37. The process according to claim 34, wherein aeration gas is introduced into one or more of the holding vessel, the descending pipe, and the transfer pipe. 38. The process according to claim 1, wherein said third solids transfer zone comprises a J-Leg. 39. The process according to claim 38, wherein the said third solids transfer zone comprises: (a) a descending pipe in fluid communication with a holding vessel; and(b) a transfer pipe in fluid communication with the descending pipe to transfer the portion of the impurity loaded solid sorbent stream from the descending pipe to the fluidized absorber zone;and wherein an angle between the descending pipe and the transfer pipe is less than or equal to 90°. 40. The process according to claim 39, wherein the diameter of the transfer pipe is less than the diameter of the holding vessel. 41. The process according to claim 40, where in the descending pipe comprises a flow restrictor. 42. The process according to claim 39, wherein aeration gas is introduced into one or more of the holding vessel, the descending pipe, and the transfer pipe. 43. A fluidized reactor system for removing impurities from a gas, comprising: (a) a fluidized absorber adapted for contacting an impurity containing feed gas stream with a solid sorbent stream zone under conditions sufficient to reduce the impurity content of said feed gas stream and increase the impurity loading of the solid sorbent stream;(b) a fluidized solids regenerator adapted for contacting an impurity loaded solid sorbent stream with a regeneration gas under conditions sufficient to reduce the impurity content of said impurity loaded solid sorbent stream;(c) a first non-mechanical gas seal forming solids transfer device in fluid communication with said fluidized absorber, said fluidized solids regenerator, and a supply of aeration gas, said first non-mechanical gas seal forming solids transfer device being adapted and arranged to receive an impurity loaded solid sorbent stream from said absorber and to transport said impurity loaded solid sorbent stream to said fluidized regenerator at a controllable flow rate in response to said aeration gas;(d) a second non-mechanical gas seal forming solids transfer device fluidly connected to said fluidized regenerator and said fluidized absorber, and being adapted to receive a solid sorbent stream of reduced impurity content from said fluidized regenerator and to transfer said solid sorbent stream of reduced impurity content to said fluidized absorber without changing the flow rate of said solid sorbent stream of reduced impurity content; and(e) a third non-mechanical gas seal forming solids transfer device fluidly connected to a downstream portion of said fluidized absorber, an upstream portion of said fluidized absorber, and a supply of aeration gas, and being adapted and arranged to receive a portion of the impurity loaded solid sorbent stream from the downstream portion of the fluidized absorber and transfer the portion of the impurity loaded solid sorbent stream to the upstream portion of said fluidized absorber at a controllable flow rate in response to said aeration gas. 44. The system according to claim 43, wherein said third non-mechanical gas seal forming solids transfer device comprises a J-Leg. 45. The system according to claim 44, wherein said third non-mechanical gas seal forming solids transfer device comprises: (a) a descending pipe in fluid communication with a holding vessel; and(b) a transfer pipe in fluid communication with the descending pipe to transfer the portion of the impurity loaded solid sorbent stream from the descending pipe to the fluidized absorber;and wherein an angle between the descending pipe and the transfer pipe is less than or equal to 90°. 46. The system according to claim 43, wherein said first non-mechanical gas seal forming solids transfer device comprises a J-Leg. 47. The system according to claim 46, wherein said first non-mechanical gas seal forming solids transfer device comprises: (a) a descending pipe in fluid communication with a holding vessel; and(b) a transfer pipe in fluid communication with the descending pipe to transfer the impurity loaded sorbent from the descending pipe to the fluidized regenerator;and wherein an angle between the descending pipe and the transfer pipe is less than or equal to 90°. 48. The system according to claim 45, wherein the diameter of the transfer pipe is less than the diameter of the holding vessel. 49. The system according to claim 48, wherein the descending pipe comprises a flow restrictor. 50. The system according to claim 45, wherein at least one of the holding vessel, the descending pipe, and the transfer pipe is configured to receive the aeration gas. 51. The system according to claim 43, wherein said second non-mechanical gas seal forming solids transfer device comprises a loop seal. 52. The system according to claim 43, additionally comprising: one or more sensors adapted and arranged to measure the pressure of an effluent gas of the absorber and an effluent gas of the regenerator or to measure the pressure differential between the two effluent gases;a controller connected to said one or more sensors, the controller configured to receive pressure or pressure differential input measurements from said one or more sensors and to compare the pressure difference between the two effluent gases to a predetermined pressure difference value, said controller also being connected to a controllable valve adapted and arranged to adjust pressure of the effluent gas of the regenerator based on instructions received from the controller. 53. The system according to claim 43, additionally comprising: a controller configured to receive inputs enabling determination of a quantitative impurity removal rate in the absorber and configured to compare the impurity removal rate to a predetermined control value, said controller being connected to a controllable valve adapted and arranged to adjust the flow rate of the regeneration gas fed to said regenerator based on instructions received from the controller. 54. The system according to claim 43, further comprising a cyclone separator adapted and arranged to separate an effluent from the absorber into an impurity loaded sorbent stream and a purified gas. 55. The system according to claim 54, further comprising a gas stripper adapted and arranged to receive the impurity loaded sorbent stream leaving the cyclone separator.