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Title: Process for recovery of sulfur from acid gases

Abstract

Elemental sulfur is recovered from the H.sub.2 S present in gases derived from fossil fuels by heating the H.sub.2 S with CO.sub.2 in a high-temperature reactor in the presence of a catalyst selected as one which enhances the thermal dissociation of H.sub.2 S to H.sub.2 and S.sub.2. The equilibrium of the thermal decomposition of H.sub.2 S is shifted by the equilibration of the water-gas-shift reaction so as to favor elemental sulfur formation. The primary products of the overall reaction are S.sub.2, CO, H.sub.2 and H.sub.2 O. Small amounts of COS, SO.sub.2 and CS.sub.2 may also form. Rapid quenching of the reaction mixture results in a substantial increase in the efficiency of the conversion of H.sub.2 S to elemental sulfur. Plant economy is further advanced by treating the product gases to remove byproduct carbonyl sulfide by hydrolysis, which converts the COS back to CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 S. Unreacted CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 S are removed from the product gas and recycled to the reactor, leaving a gas consisting chiefly of H.sub.2 and CO, which has value either as a fuel or as a chemical feedstock and recovers the hydrogen value from the H.sub.2 S.

Inventors:
 [1];  [2]
  1. Kirkbymoorside, GB2
  2. Pleasant Hill, CA
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
869785
Patent Number(s):
US 5397556
Assignee:
Regents of Unviversity of California (Berkeley, CA)
DOE Contract Number:  
AC03-76SF00098
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
process; recovery; sulfur; acid; gases; elemental; recovered; derived; fossil; fuels; heating; high-temperature; reactor; presence; catalyst; selected; enhances; thermal; dissociation; equilibrium; decomposition; shifted; equilibration; water-gas-shift; reaction; favor; formation; primary; products; overall; amounts; cos; cs; form; rapid; quenching; mixture; results; substantial; increase; efficiency; conversion; plant; economy; advanced; treating; product; remove; byproduct; carbonyl; sulfide; hydrolysis; converts; unreacted; removed; gas; recycled; leaving; consisting; chiefly; value; fuel; chemical; feedstock; recovers; hydrogen; catalyst selected; substantial increase; product gases; thermal decomposition; product gas; elemental sulfur; reaction mixture; fossil fuel; shift reaction; acid gas; acid gases; thermal dissociation; chemical feed; chemical feedstock; rapid quenching; fossil fuels; rapid quench; gases derived; temperature reactor; /423/

Citation Formats

Towler, Gavin P, and Lynn, Scott. Process for recovery of sulfur from acid gases. United States: N. p., 1995. Web.
Towler, Gavin P, & Lynn, Scott. Process for recovery of sulfur from acid gases. United States.
Towler, Gavin P, and Lynn, Scott. 1995. "Process for recovery of sulfur from acid gases". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/869785.
@article{osti_869785,
title = {Process for recovery of sulfur from acid gases},
author = {Towler, Gavin P and Lynn, Scott},
abstractNote = {Elemental sulfur is recovered from the H.sub.2 S present in gases derived from fossil fuels by heating the H.sub.2 S with CO.sub.2 in a high-temperature reactor in the presence of a catalyst selected as one which enhances the thermal dissociation of H.sub.2 S to H.sub.2 and S.sub.2. The equilibrium of the thermal decomposition of H.sub.2 S is shifted by the equilibration of the water-gas-shift reaction so as to favor elemental sulfur formation. The primary products of the overall reaction are S.sub.2, CO, H.sub.2 and H.sub.2 O. Small amounts of COS, SO.sub.2 and CS.sub.2 may also form. Rapid quenching of the reaction mixture results in a substantial increase in the efficiency of the conversion of H.sub.2 S to elemental sulfur. Plant economy is further advanced by treating the product gases to remove byproduct carbonyl sulfide by hydrolysis, which converts the COS back to CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 S. Unreacted CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 S are removed from the product gas and recycled to the reactor, leaving a gas consisting chiefly of H.sub.2 and CO, which has value either as a fuel or as a chemical feedstock and recovers the hydrogen value from the H.sub.2 S.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/869785}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1995},
month = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1995}
}

Works referenced in this record:

Catalytic Decomposition of Hydrogen Sulfide
journal, November 1978