Process for desulpherization and hydrogen recovery

A process for desulphurization and hydrogen recovery from a sour gas influent stream including an amount of methane and/or ethane and/or carbon dioxide gas and an undesirable amount of hydrogen sulfide, said process comprising:

• a gas-liquid reactor column structured to facilitate reaction of said sour gas influent stream with an amount of aqueous bromine in a hydrobromic acid and sulfuric acid solution, wherein said amount of bromine is presented to said sour gas influent stream at a temperature not to exceed 400 Celsius,
• said reactor structured to produce a gaseous effluent stream comprising substantially all of said amount of methane and/or ethane and/or carbon dioxide gas with some trace amount of bromine and/or hydrogen bromide,
• said reactor structured to produce liquid effluent stream comprising an aqueous solution of hydrobromic acid, sulfuric acid, and/or solid sulfur with some trace amount of aqueous bromine,
• a filter which is used to remove solid sulfur and/or sulfuric acid from the reactor liquid effluent stream,
• a first absorber structured to separate bromine, hydrogen bromide and/or water vapor from said methane and/or ethane and/or carbon dioxide gas in said gaseous effluent stream at a temperature and pressure less than said reactor,
• said first absorber further structured to discharge a first amount of a dilute aqueous bromine and hydrobromic acid solution,
• an electrolyzer structured to electrolytically disassociate the filtered dilute aqueous bromine, hydrobromic acid and sulfuric acid liquid effluent stream solution into an aqueous solution of more concentrated bromine and less concentrated hydrobromic acid in same sulfuric acid, and said electrolyzer further structured to produce an amount of hydrogen gas and water vapor via dissociation of said hydrobromic acid solution at a temperature not to exceed 150 Celsius and a pressure not to exceed 1000 psi,
• a second absorber structured to separate bromine and dilute hydrogen bromide from said hydrogen gas produced via dissociation of said hydrobromic acid solution at a temperature not to exceed 150 Celsius and a pressure not to exceed 1000 psi, and
• said second absorber further structured to discharge a second amount of a dilute aqueous hydrobromic acid solution.