Refinery hydrogen sulfide emissions cut 99. 9% with chelated catalyst

Journal Article · Fri Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1986 · Chem. Process. (Chicago); (United States)

OSTI ID:7040403

Leicht, R K; Regan, J T; Toy, D A

Fletcher Oil and Refining Company is a small to medium sized refinery located in Carson, CA, producing gasoline and fuel oils for sale to the open market. In 1981, the company initiated a major plant expansion and overhaul. In addition to a new catalytic cracking unit, two 49 MM Btu/hr steam boilers, a 15 MM and a 32 MM Btu/hr process heater were added. Because of the increased capacity generated by the catalytic cracking unit and the four new combustion sources, Fletcher had to reckon with increased hydrogen sulfide (H/sub 2/S) emissions, an undesirable byproduct of petroleum refining. The research and engineering groups at Fletcher evaluated a catalytic gas sweetening process that uses an iron catalyst held in dilute solution by nontoxic, organic chelating agents. H/sub 2/S is absorbed into the catalyst solution. The chelated iron compound remains in solution throughout the H/sub 2/S removal process, but the iron ions are reduced from the ferric to ferrous state while elemental sulfur is produced. Oxidation with air regenerates the catalyst to its ferric form. Fletcher installed the new liquid phase hydrogen sulfide oxidation system to treat two sources of H/sub 2/S laden gas, sour water scrubber (SWS) off gas and sour fuel gas from the fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) unit. The system was designed to handle a maximum load of 16 tons/day of sulfur in the two systems. The catalytic sweetening process now achieves a 99.9% H/sub 2/S removal efficiency. Turndown of gas flow rates through the process presents no problem; the fuel gas remains up to spec even at low flow rates. The catalytic process employs an environmentally safe catalyst and no toxic chemicals are used or produced. The main advantage of the process is that it is a conversion process, not just an extraction process. The H/sub 2/S removed from the gas is converted to sulfur which is used for making sulfuric acid.

• Research Organization: Fletcher Oil and Refining Co., Carson, CA
• OSTI ID: 7040403
• Journal Information: Chem. Process. (Chicago); (United States), Journal Name: Chem. Process. (Chicago); (United States)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
CATALYSTS
PERFORMANCE
REGENERATION
GASOLINE
PRODUCTION
HYDROGEN SULFIDES
OXIDATION
REMOVAL
IRON COMPOUNDS
CATALYTIC EFFECTS
PETROLEUM
CATALYTIC CRACKING
REFINING
AIR POLLUTION ABATEMENT
BY-PRODUCTS
CATALYSIS
GASEOUS WASTES
TOXIC MATERIALS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CRACKING
DECOMPOSITION
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LIQUID FUELS
MATERIALS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
POLLUTION ABATEMENT
PROCESSING
PYROLYSIS
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
WASTES
020800* - Petroleum- Waste Management