Recovering sulfur from ammonia acid gas stream

A method of recovering sulfur from an ammonia acid gas stream containing hydrogen sulfide comprising the steps of:

• combusting said ammonia acid gas stream in a combustor with an excess of air or oxygen to convert the ammonia and all of the hydrogen sulfide therein to N.sub.2 and SO.sub.x, respectively, and thus forming a nitrogen and sulfur oxide enriched gas stream;
• contacting said nitrogen and sulfur oxide enriched gas stream with a solid absorbent bed for adsorbing thereon the sulfur oxides in the form of inorganic sulfates or sulfur oxides or combinations thereof, and thus forming a nitrogen bearing stream;
• contacting said absorbent bed with a hydrogen and/or hydrocarbon bearing stream to regenerate said absorbent bed by reducing said retained inorganic sulfates or sulfur oxides or combinations thereof to hydrogen sulfide optionally with sulfur dioxide, and thereby forming a hydrogen sulfide bearing stream optionally with sulfur dioxide,;
• and
• recovering sulfur from said hydrogen sulfide bearing stream in a sulfur plant.