Method of removing hydrogen sulfide from gases utilizing a stabilized iron chelate solution

A process for the removal of H.sub.2 S from a sour gaseous stream comprising:

• (a) contacting the sour gaseous stream in a contacting zone with an aqueous reaction solution at a temperature below the melting point of sulfur, the solution containing an effective amount of a reactant selected from the group consisting of oxidizing iron chelate compounds, and mixtures thereof, and a stabilizing amount of a composition selected from the group consisting of sodium thiocyanate, sodium dithionite, and mixtures thereof, and producing a sweet gas stream and an aqueous admixture crystalline sulfur and a reduced reactant;
• (b) regenerating the aqueous admixture in a regeneration zone to produce an aqueous admixture containing a regenerated reactant;
• (c) removing at least a portion of the crystalline sulfur from aqueous admixture from step (b) to produce an aqueous admixture having reduced sulfur content.
• (d) returning aqueous admixture having reduced sulfur content to the contacting zone.

A process for the removal of H.sub.2 S and CO.sub.2 from a sour gaseous stream comprising:

• (a) contacting the sour gaseous stream in a contacting zone at a temperature below the melting point of sulfur with a lean CO.sub.2 -selective absorbent mixture containing an effective amount of a reactant selected from the group consisting of oxidizing iron chelate compounds, and mixtures thereof, and a stabilizing amount of a composition selected from the group consisting of sodium thiocyanate, sodium dithionite, and mixtures thereof, and producing a sweet gaseous stream and an absorbent admixture containing absorbed CO.sub.2, crystalline sulfur, and reduced reactant;
• (b) removing at least a portion of the crystalline sulfur from the absorbent admixture, and leaving a solution containing absorbed CO.sub.2 and reduced reactant;
• (c) stripping the solution containing absorbed CO.sub.2 and said reduced reactant to remove CO.sub.2, and regenerating said solution, producing a lean CO.sub.2 -selective absorbent solution regenerated reactant;
• and
• (d) returning lean CO.sub.2 -selective absorbent solution containing regenerated reactant to the contacting zone.

A process for the removal of H.sub.2 S and CO.sub.2 from a sour gaseous stream comprising:

• (a) contacting the sour gaseous stream in a contacting zone at a temperature below the melting point of sulfur with a lean CO.sub.2 -selective absorbent mixture containing an effective amount of a reactant selected from the group consisting of oxidizing iron chelate compounds, and mixtures thereof, and a stabilizing amount of a composition selected from the group consisting of sodium thiocyanate, sodium dithionite, and mixtures thereof, and producing a sweet gaseous stream and an absorbent mixture containing absorbed CO.sub.2, crystalline sulfur, and reduced reactant;
• (b) stripping the absorbent mixture containing absorbed CO.sub.2, crystalline sulfur, and said reduced reactant, and regenerated said absorbent mixture, producing a lean CO.sub.2 -selective absorbent solution containing a regenerated reactant and sulfur,
• (c) removing at least a portion of the crystalline sulfur from the lean CO.sub.2 -selective absorbent solution containing the sulfur and the regenerated reactant, and leaving a lean CO.sub.2 -selective absorbent solution containing regenerated reactant, and
• (d) returning lean CO.sub.2 -selective absorbent solution containing regenerated reactant to the contacting zone.