Process for removal of hydrogen sulfide from gas streams

A process for the conversion of hydrogen sulfide to elemental sulfur, which process comprises contacting, at a temperature between about 250.degree. and 450.degree. F., hydrogen sulfide and oxygen with a solid catalyst consisting essentially of one or more vanadium promoters selected from the group consisting of vanadium oxide and sulfides supported on a non-alkaline, porous refractory oxide, said contacting being such that a substantial proportion of said hydrogen sulfide is converted to elemental sulfur and said catalyst is utilized for at least 30 days with essentially no deactivation for the conversion of said hydrogen sulfide to elemental sulfur by reaction with oxygen.

A process for the conversion of hydrogen sulfide to elemental sulfur, which process comprises contacting hydrogen sulfide with a solid catalyst consisting essentially of one or more vanadium promoters selected from the group consisting of vanadium sulfides and oxides supported on a porous refractory oxide containing less than about 4 percent by weight of alkali metal and alkaline earth metal compounds, calculated as the oxides, said contacting being under conditions, including the presence of sufficient elemental oxygen and a temperature between about 250.degree. and about 450.degree. F., such that at least 80 percent of said hydrogen sulfide is converted to elemental sulfur by reaction with said oxygen, said contacting being carried out for at least 30 days with said catalyst maintaining substantially undiminished activity for reacting hydrogen sulfide with oxygen to produce elemental sulfur.

A process for the conversion of hydrogen sulfide to elemental sulfur, which process comprises the contacting of flowing gases containing hydrogen sulfide and elemental oxygen with a catalyst for at least 30 days under conditions, including a temperature between about 250.degree. and 450.degree. F., such that at least some of said hydrogen sulfide reacts with said elemental oxygen to produce elemental sulfur vapor, said catalyst comprising one or more vanadium promoters selected from the group consisting of vanadium oxide and sulfides supported on a non-alkaline, porous refractory oxide, and said catalyst remaining highly active for catalyzing the reaction between hydrogen sulfide and oxygen to produce elemental sulfur during said 30 days of said contacting.

A process for the conversion of hydrogen sulfide to elemental sulfur, which process comprises (1) contacting at a temperature between about 250.degree. and 450.degree. F., a feed gas comprising hydrogen sulfide and elemental oxygen with a solid catalyst comprising one or more vanadium promoters selected from the group consisting of vanadium oxides and sulfides on a support material selected from the group consisting of alumina, silica-alumina, silica, acidic metal phosphates, acidic metal arsenates, the natural and synthetic amorphous and crystalline aluminosilicate zeolites in their hydrogen forms, silica-magnesia, zirconia, silica-zirconia, titania, silica-titania, silica-zirconia-titania, and combinations thereof, said contacting being under conditions such that hydrogen sulfide and oxygen in the feed gas react to produce elemental sulfur without depositing essentially any of said elemental sulfur on said catalyst, and (2) recovering a product gas stream containing elemental sulfur vapor.

A process for the conversion of hydrogen sulfide to elemental sulfur, which process comprises (1) passing a feed gas stream containing hydrogen sulfide and oxygen through a catalyst bed under conditions, including an inlet temperature into said bed between about 250.degree. and 450.degree. F., such that hydrogen sulfide and oxygen in said feed gas stream react to produce elemental sulfur vapor, said catalyst consisting essentially of one or more vanadium promoters selected from the group consisting of vanadium oxides and sulfides on a porous refractory oxide support selected from the group consisting of alumina, silica-alumina, silica, and combinations thereof, and (2) recovering a product gas stream containing elemental sulfur vapor.

A process for the conversion of hydrogen sulfide to elemental sulfur, which process comprises (1) passing a feed gas stream containing hydrogen sulfide and oxygen through a catalyst bed under conditions, including an inlet temperature into said bed between 250.degree. and 450.degree. F., such that hydrogen sulfide and oxygen react to produce elemental sulfur vapor, said catalyst consisting essentially of one or more vanadium promoters selected from the group consisting of vanadium oxides and sulfides on a porous refractory oxide support selected from the group consisting of alumina, silica-alumina, silica, acidic metal phosphates, acidic metal arsenates, the natural and synthetic amorphous and crystalline aluminosilicate zeolites in their hydrogen forms, silica-magnesia,a zirconia, silica-zirconia, titania, silica-titania, silica-zirconia-titania, and combinations thereof, and (2) recovering a product gas stream containing elemental sulfur vapor.

A process for the conversion of hydrogen sulfide to elemental sulfur, which process comprises (1) contacting flowing gases containing hydrogen sulfide and oxygen with a solid catalyst for at least 30 days under conditions, including a temperature between about 250.degree. and 450.degree. F., sufficient to react at least 80% of said hydrogen sulfide with said oxygen to produce elemental sulfur essentially completely in the vapor state, said catalyst comprising one or more vanadium promoters selected from the group consisting of vanadium oxides and sulfides on a porous refractory oxide support selected from the group consisting of alumina and silica-alumina, and (2) recovering a product gas containing elemental sulfur vapor.

A process for the conversion of hydrogen sulfide to elemental sulfur, which process comprises (1) contacting hydrogen sulfide and elemental oxygen with a solid catalyst consisting essentially of one or more vanadium promoters selected from the group consisting of vanadium oxides and sulfides on a support material selected from the group consisting of alumina, silica-alumina, silica, and combinations thereof, said contacting being under conditions, including a temperature between about 250.degree. and 450.degree. F. and the presence of sufficient elemental oxygen, such that a substantial proportion of said hydrogen sulfide reacts with said oxygen to produce elemental sulfur with essentially none of said elemental sulfur depositing upon the catalyst and (2) recovering a product gas containing elemental sulfur vapor.

A process for the oxidation of hydrogen sulfide and the recovery of elemental sulfur, which process comprises:

• (1) contacting a feed gas stream containing hydrogen sulfide and containing less than about 10 volume percent water vapor blended with a gaseous oxidant comprising elemental oxygen in a reaction zone with a solid catalyst comprising one or more vanadium promoters selected from the group consisting of vanadium oxides and sulfides on a porous refractory oxide support containing less than about 2% by weight of alkali metal and alkaline earth metal compounds, said reaction zone being maintained at between about 250.degree. and 450.degree. F. and at a water vapor dew point between about 50.degree. and 100.degree. F. such that a substantial proportion of the oxygen blended with said feed gas stream reacts with said hydrogen sulfide to produce elemental sulfur vapor;
• and
• (2) recovering a gaseous effluent from said reaction zone containing elemental sulfur vapor and having a water vapor dew point between about 50.degree. and 100.degree. F.