Removal of hydrogen sulfide with on site generated sulfite from geothermal steam

Patent · Tue Oct 02 04:00:00 EDT 1990

OSTI ID:6347593

Bedell, S A; Kirby, L H

This patent describes a continuous process for abating hydrogen sulfide in geothermal steam. It comprises: condensing the geothermal steam with an aqueous solution of sulfites, essentially free of peroxide and polyvalent metal chelate, and containing a cationic polymeric catalyst to convert up to about one-third of the hydrogen sulfide to soluble thiosulfate and to obtain a non-condensable gas stream of reduced hydrogen sulfide content containing at least about two-thirds of the hydrogen sulfide; incinerating the non-condensable gas stream to substantially convert the hydrogen sulfide to sulfur dioxide; selectively absorbing the sulfur dioxide from the incinerated non-condensable gas stream in an aqueous alkaline solution to form sulfites of the condensation step. The absorption being at conditions effective to substantially avoid carbon dioxide absorption and formation of insoluble carbonates; and supply the sulfites from the absorption step to the condensation step.

• Assignee: Dow Chemical Co., Midland, MI (USA)
• Patent Number(s): US 4960575; A
• Application Number: PPN: US s 7-359533
• OSTI ID: 6347593
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
154000* -- Geothermal Energy-- Waste Management-- (1990-)
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DESULFURIZATION
FLUIDS
GEOTHERMAL FLUIDS
GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANTS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN SULFIDES
NATURAL STEAM
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POWER PLANTS
REMOVAL
STEAM
STEAM QUALITY
SULFIDES
SULFITES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS