Process for purifying geothermal steam

Patent · Mon Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1979

OSTI ID:863545

Li, Charles T ^[1]

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1. Richland, WA

Steam containing hydrogen sulfide is purified and sulfur recovered by passing the steam through a reactor packed with activated carbon in the presence of a stoichiometric amount of oxygen which oxidizes the hydrogen sulfide to elemental sulfur which is adsorbed on the bed. The carbon can be recycled after the sulfur has been recovered by vacuum distillation, inert gas entrainment or solvent extraction. The process is suitable for the purification of steam from geothermal sources which may also contain other noncondensable gases.

• Research Organization: BATTELLE MEMORIAL INSTITUTE
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4196183
• OSTI ID: 863545
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/423/
activated
activated carbon
adsorbed
amount
bed
carbon
contain
containing
containing hydrogen
distillation
elemental
elemental sulfur
entrainment
extraction
gas
gas entrainment
gases
geothermal
hydrogen
hydrogen sulfide
inert
inert gas
noncondensable
noncondensable gas
noncondensable gases
oxidizes
oxygen
packed
passing
presence
process
purification
purified
purifying
reactor
recovered
recycled
solvent
solvent extract
solvent extraction
sources
steam
steam containing
stoichiometric
stoichiometric amount
suitable
sulfide
sulfur
thermal source
vacuum
vacuum distillation