US 5,508,013 AGranted

Process for the production of sulphur from at least one sour gas containing hydrogen sulphide and a fuel effluent and thermal reactor

AssigneeElf Aquitaine Production

InventorsGeorges Kvasnikoff, Jean Nougayrede, Andre Philippe

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A process is provided for the production of sulphur from at least one sour gas containing H.sub.2 S and a gaseous or liquid fuel effluent, of the type comprising a thermal reaction step, wherein the thermal reaction step is conducted by performing the combustion of the gaseous or liquid fuel effluent in a first zone of the thermal reaction stage with a quantity of a gas containing free oxygen in excess in relation to the theoretical quantity needed for a complete combustion of the fuel effluent, the excess being smaller than the theoretical proportion of gas containing free oxygen needed to oxidize to SO.sub.2 approximately one third of the H.sub.2 S of the total flow of sour gas into the combustion fumes of the fuel effluent which are present in the first zone of the thermal reaction stage, by burning incompletely a second stream of sour gas in a second zone of the thermal reaction stage, which receives the gaseous products from the first zone, with a controlled quantity of gas containing free oxygen, such that the H.sub.2 S:SO.sub.2 molar ratio in the gases originating from the catalytic reaction step has a predetermined value, and by adjusting the flow rates of the first and second sour gas streams so that the temperature obtained during the incomplete combustion of the second sour gas stream in the second zone of the thermal reaction stage has a value higher than 850.degree. C.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A process for the production of sulphur from at least one sour gas containing H.sub.2 S and a gaseous or liquid fuel effluent, which comprises:

(i) a thermal reaction step carried out in a thermal reaction stage and consisting of carrying out a controlled oxidation of the H.sub.2 S in the sour gas and a complete combustion of the fuel effluent to produce a gas stream containing H.sub.2 S, SO.sub.2 and sulphur vapor;
(ii) a step of indirect cooling of said gas stream to separate the sulphur therefrom by condensation, and next
(iii) a catalytic reaction step carried out on the gas stream originating from the indirect cooling step;
and wherein the thermal reaction step comprises:
(a) performing the combustion of the gaseous or liquid fuel effluent containing sulfur compounds capable of being oxidized into SO.sub.2 and optionally NH.sub.3 or HCN in a first zone of the thermal reaction stage with a quantity of a gas containing free oxygen in excess in relation to the theoretical quantity needed for a complete combustion of the fuel effluent, the said excess being smaller than the theoretical proportion of gas containing free oxygen needed to oxidize to SO.sub.2 approximately one third of the H.sub.2 S of the total flow of sour gas to be treated;
(b) injecting a first stream of sour gas comprising H.sub.2 S and containing hydrocarbons into the combustion fumes comprising SO.sub.2 of the fuel effluent which are present in the said first zone of the thermal reaction stage;
(c) burning incompletely a second stream of said sour gas comprising H.sub.2 S and hydrocarbons in a second zone of the thermal reaction stage, which receives the gaseous products from the first zone, with a controlled quantity of gas containing free oxygen supplied from outside the thermal reaction stage, such that the gases originating from the catalytic reaction step contain H.sub.2 S and SO.sub.2 in a H.sub.2 S:SO.sub.2 molar ratio of approximately 2:1;
and
(d) adjusting the flow rates of the first and second sour gas streams so that the temperature obtained during the incomplete combustion of the second sour gas stream in the second zone of the thermal reaction stage has a value nigher than 850.degree. C.

6 more elements

A process for the production of sulphur from at least one sour gas containing H.sub.2 S and a gaseous or liquid fuel effluent, which comprises:

(i) a thermal reaction step carried out in a thermal reaction stage and consisting of carrying out a controlled oxidation of the H.sub.2 S in the sour gas and a complete combustion of the fuel effluent to produce a gas stream containing H.sub.2 S, SO.sub.2 and sulphur vapor;
(ii) a step of indirect cooling of said gas stream to separate the sulphur therefrom by condensation, and next
(iii) a catalytic reaction step carried out on the gas stream originating from the indirect cooling step, and wherein the H.sub.2 S:SO.sub.2 molar ratio of the gases from the catalytic reaction step is equal to approximately 2:1;
and wherein the thermal reaction step comprises:
(a) performing the combustion of the gaseous or liquid fuel effluent comprising sulfur compounds capable of being oxidized into SO.sub.2 and optionally NH.sub.3 or HCN in a first zone of the thermal reaction stage with a quantity of a gas containing free oxygen in excess in relation to the theoretical quantity needed for a complete combustion of the fuel effluent, the said excess being smaller than the theoretical proportion of gas containing tree oxygen needed to oxidize to SO.sub.2 approximately one third of the H.sub.2 S of the total flow of sour gas to be treated;
(b) injecting a first stream of sour gas containing hydrocarbons in a concentration by volume of between 0.2 and 10% and H.sub.2 S into the combustion fumes comprising SO.sub.2 of the fuel effluent which are present in the said first zone of the thermal reaction stage;
(c) burning incompletely a second stream of sour gas containing hydrocarbons in a concentration by volume of 0.2 and 10% and H.sub.2 S in a second zone of the thermal reaction stage, which receives the gaseous products from the first zone, with gas containing free oxygen supplied from outside the thermal reaction stage;
and
(d) adjusting the flow rates of the first and second sour gas streams and the gas containing oxygen so that the temperature obtained during the incomplete combustion of the second sour gas stream in the second zone of the thermal reaction stage has a value higher than 850.degree. C. and the H.sub.2 S:SO.sub.2 mole ratio is approximately 2:1.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.