Advanced heat integration in sulfur recovery unit—SafarClaus

A method for heat integration in a sulfur recovery unit, the method comprising the steps of:

• introducing an acid gas stream to a reaction furnace, where the acid gas stream comprises hydrogen sulfide;
• introducing an air stream to the reaction furnace, where the air stream comprises oxygen;
• reacting the acid gas stream and the air stream in the reaction furnace to produce a reaction effluent, where the reaction effluent comprises elemental sulfur, where the hydrogen sulfide and oxygen react to produce the elemental sulfur;
• introducing the reaction effluent to a heating extension;
• reducing the temperature of the reaction effluent in the heating extension to produce a cooled effluent stream;
• introducing the cooled effluent to a sulfur condenser;
• reducing the temperature of the cooled effluent in the sulfur condenser to produce a liquid sulfur stream and a cooled gases stream, where the liquid sulfur stream comprises the elemental sulfur;
• introducing the cooled gases stream to the heating extension;
• increasing a temperature of the cooled gases stream to produce a hot gases stream, where the heating extension is configured to capture heat from the reaction effluent and release the heat to the cooled gases stream;
• introducing the hot gases stream to a first catalytic converter;
• producing a first catalytic effluent in the first catalytic converter, where the first catalytic effluent comprises elemental sulfur, where the first catalytic converter comprises a catalyst;
• introducing the first catalytic effluent to a first effluent condenser;
• reducing the temperature of the first catalytic effluent in the first effluent condenser to produce a sulfur stream and a first non-condensed gases stream, where the sulfur stream comprises the elemental sulfur;
• introducing the first non-condensed gases stream to the heating extension;
• increasing a temperature of the first non-condensed gases stream to produce a first hot non-condensables stream;
• introducing the first hot non-condensables stream to a second catalytic converter;
• producing a second catalytic effluent in the second catalytic converter, where the second catalytic effluent comprises elemental sulfur, where the second catalytic converter comprises a catalyst;
• introducing the second catalytic effluent to a second effluent condenser;
• and
• reducing the temperature of the second catalytic effluent in the second effluent condenser to produce a sulfur effluent and a discharge stream, where the sulfur effluent comprises the elemental sulfur.

A method for heat integration in a sulfur recovery unit, the method comprising the steps of:

• introducing an acid gas stream to a reaction furnace, where the acid gas stream comprises hydrogen sulfide;
• introducing an air stream to the reaction furnace, where the air stream comprises oxygen;
• reacting the acid gas stream and the air stream in the reaction furnace to produce a reaction effluent, where the reaction effluent comprises elemental sulfur, where the hydrogen sulfide and oxygen react to produce the elemental sulfur;
• introducing the reaction effluent to a heating extension;
• reducing the temperature of the reaction effluent in the heating extension to produce an effluent stream;
• introducing the effluent stream to a waste heat boiler;
• reducing the temperature of the reaction effluent in the waste heat boiler to produce a cooled effluent stream;
• introducing the cooled effluent to a sulfur condenser;
• reducing the temperature of the cooled effluent in the sulfur condenser to produce a liquid sulfur stream and a cooled gases stream, where the liquid sulfur stream comprises the elemental sulfur;
• introducing the cooled gases stream to the heating extension;
• increasing a temperature of the cooled gases stream to produce a hot gases stream, where the heating extension is configured to capture heat from the reaction effluent and release the heat to the cooled gases stream;
• introducing the hot gases stream to a first catalytic converter;
• producing a first catalytic effluent in the first catalytic converter, where the first catalytic effluent comprises elemental sulfur, where the first catalytic converter comprises a catalyst;
• introducing the first catalytic effluent to a first effluent condenser;
• reducing the temperature of the first catalytic effluent in the first effluent condenser to produce a sulfur stream and a first non-condensed gases stream, where the sulfur stream comprises the elemental sulfur;
• introducing the first non-condensed gases stream to the heating extension;
• increasing a temperature of the first non-condensed gases stream to produce a first hot non-condensables stream;
• introducing the first hot non-condensables stream to a second catalytic converter;
• producing a second catalytic effluent in the second catalytic converter, where the second catalytic effluent comprises elemental sulfur, where the second catalytic converter comprises a catalyst;
• introducing the second catalytic effluent to a second effluent condenser;
• reducing the temperature of the second catalytic effluent in the second effluent condenser to produce a sulfur effluent and a second non-condensed gases stream, where the sulfur effluent comprises the elemental sulfur;
• introducing the second non-condensed gases stream to the heating extension;
• increasing a temperature of the second non-condensed gases stream to produce a second hot non-condensables stream;
• introducing the second hot non-condensables stream to a third catalytic converter;
• producing a third catalytic effluent in the third catalytic converter, where the third catalytic effluent comprises elemental sulfur, where the third catalytic converter comprises a catalyst;
• introducing the third catalytic effluent to a third effluent condenser;
• and
• reducing the temperature of the third catalytic effluent in the third effluent condenser to produce a sulfur discharge and a discharge stream, where the sulfur discharge comprises the elemental sulfur.