Process for the purification of gaseous streams

Patent · Tue Sep 15 04:00:00 EDT 1992

OSTI ID:6938071

Rozsa, I K

This patent describes a continuous process for removing hydrogen sulfide from a stream of sour natural gas. It comprises forming an aqueous solution of Cu[sup ++] ions by combining solid copper with a nitric acid solution; placing the Cu[sup ++] ion solution in a substantially gas-tight vessel having an outlet at its bottom and having a chamber adapted to receive a liquid and natural gas; flowing from a wellhead as a pressurized gas stream of about 15 to about 3000 psia a sour natural gas feedstock stream containing hydrogen sulfide into at least one pipe having a first end disposed in the chamber inside the bore of the circulation tube; forming bubbles of the sour natural gas feedstock stream by flowing the sour natural gas stream into the Cu[sup ++] ion solution in the bore of the circulation tube; and acid gas bubbles moving upwardly through the bore of the circulation tube and then, while remaining in the Cu[sup ++] ion solution; collecting from the gas space the natural gas stream from which hydrogen sulfide has been removed; removing the copper sulfide from the Cu[sup ++] ion solution; regenerating the Cu[sup ++] ion solution by treating the copper sulfide with a nitric acid solution containing approximately 45 to 65 percent by weight nitric acid in a second vessel into which an oxygen-containing gas is added; producing nitric acid by flowing the nitrogen dioxide through water and returning the nitric acid so produced to the second vessel; and isolating the elemental sulfur.

• Assignee: Linko Enterprises, Inc., Mt. Clemens, MI (United States)
• Patent Number(s): A; US 5147620
• Application Number: PPN: US 7-363631
• OSTI ID: 6938071
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
030700 -- Natural Gas-- Waste Management
030800* -- Natural Gas-- Environmental Aspects
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
294003 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Natural Gas
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
CHALCOGENIDES
CHARGED PARTICLES
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CONTROL
COPPER IONS
DESULFURIZATION
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
FLUE GAS
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASEOUS WASTES
GASES
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN SULFIDES
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
IONS
KINETICS
MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
NATURAL GAS
NATURAL GAS PROCESSING PLANTS
POLLUTANTS
POLLUTION CONTROL
REACTION KINETICS
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES