Regeneration and recovery of spent Claus alumina catalyst

Conference · Wed Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1982 · Am. Chem. Soc., Div. Pet. Chem., Prepr.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5430837

George, Z M

Alberta, Canada recovers about seven million tons of elemental sulfur each year as a by-product of sour natural gas processing. Hydrogen sulfide is separated from the sour gas and subject to a sub-stoichiometric combustion in a reaction furnace at around 1000 degrees C, where about 60% of the sulfur present in the H/sub 2/S is recovered as sulfur. The residue, which is basically a mixture of H/sub 2/S and SO/sub 2/ in the stoichiometric ration of 2:1 together with significant quantities of water vapor and nitrogen is passed through a series of Claus adiabatic catalytic converters containing activated alumina or bauxite at around 250 degrees whereby the Claus reaction takes place: 2H/sub 2/S + SO/sub 2/ in equilibrium 2H/sub 2/O + 3/x s/sub x/ where x refers to the sulfur species at equilibrium. Employing four catalytic convertors in series, equilibrium conversions of over 98% are possible. Since the H/sub 2/S contains small quantities of heavier hydrocarbons, these undergo cracking and polymerization leading to carbon deposits on the catalyst and hence significant decrease in Claus catalytic activitiy. Presented is the results of research at the Alberta Research Council to regenerate spent Claus alumina catalysts. The process involves removal of the water soluble sulfates followed by an oxidate burn off to remove carbon and sulfur deposits. (JMT)

• Research Organization: Alberta Research Council, Edmonton, Canada
• OSTI ID: 5430837
• Report Number(s): CONF-820909-Vol.1
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Am. Chem. Soc., Div. Pet. Chem., Prepr.; (United States) Journal Volume: 27:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
030300* -- Natural Gas-- Drilling
Production
& Processing
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400105 -- Separation Procedures
ALBERTA
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
BY-PRODUCTS
CANADA
CATALYSTS
CATALYTIC CONVERTERS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CLAUS PROCESS
DESULFURIZATION
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
EQUIPMENT
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INDUSTRY
NATURAL GAS
NATURAL GAS INDUSTRY
NATURAL GAS PROCESSING PLANTS
NONMETALS
NORTH AMERICA
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT
RECOVERY
REGENERATION
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SULFUR
SULFUR CONTENT