Analysis of hypochlorite process for removal of hydrogen sulfide from geothermal gases

Technical Report · Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5653842· OSTI ID:5653842

Sodium hypochlorite reacts readily with hydrogen sulfide to convert the sulfide ion into free sulfur in a neutral or acid solution and to the sulfate ion in an alkaline solution. Sodium hypochlorite can be generated on site by processing geothermal brine in electrolytic cells. An investigation to determine if this reaction could be economically used to remove hydrogen sulfide from geothermal noncondensible gases is reported. Two processes, the LO-CAT Process and the Stretford Process, were selected for comparison with the hypochlorite process. Three geothermal reservoirs were considered for evaluation: Niland KGRA, Baca KGRA, and The Geysers KGRA. Because of the wide variation in the amount of hydrogen sulfide present at The Geysers, two different gas analyses were considered for treatment. Plants were designed to process the effluent noncondensible gases from a 10 MW/sub e/ geothermal power plant. The effluent gas from each plant was to contain a maximum hydrogen sulfide concentration of 35 ppb. Capital costs were estimated for each of the processes at each of the four sites selected. Operating costs were also calculated for each of the processes at each of the sites. The results of these studies are shown.

• Research Organization: Sheinbaum (I.) Co., Inc., Pasadena, CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-79ER10092
• OSTI ID: 5653842
• Report Number(s): DOE/ER/10092-T7
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
GEOTHERMAL FLUIDS
DESULFURIZATION
HYDROGEN SULFIDES
REMOVAL
BRINES
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COST
ELECTROLYSIS
GASEOUS WASTES
GEYSERS GEOTHERMAL FIELD
HYPOCHLOROUS ACID
KGRA
SALTON SEA GEOTHERMAL FIELD
SALTS
SCRUBBING
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
STRETFORD PROCESS
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
FLUIDS
GEOTHERMAL FIELDS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ACIDS
LYSIS
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
WASTES
Geothermal Legacy