Regeneration of hydrogen sulfide sorbents
AssigneeExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
InventorsJingguang G. Chen, Leo D. Brown, William C. Baird, Jr., Gary B. McVicker, Edward S. Ellis, Michele S. Touvelle, Darryl P. Klein, David E. W. Vaughan
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Abstract
A process to regenerate metal oxide desulfurization sorbents using an oxidizing and reducing atmosphere. The sorbents may be mono- or multi-metallic in nature, and preferably comprise Cu, Ni and/or Co. If desired, secondary metals may be incorporated to increase regeneration efficiency and/or capacity. Other additives may be used to suppress hydrocarbon cracking. A sorbent containing Zn may be combined with an Fe, Co, Ni, Mo, or W catalyst or a noble metal catalyst and combinations thereof.
Claims31
A process for regenerating a hydrogen sulfide sorbent comprising:
- providing a spent hydrogen sulfide sorbent containing an effective quantity of a sorbent metal or metal oxide wherein the metal is at least one of Fe, Ni, Cu, Co, and Zn, said hydrogen sulfide sorbent having a level of sulfur defining a first cycle capacity for absorbing hydrogen sulfide provided that when the metal is Cu, it is a cracking suppressor in an amount ranging from 2 to about 6 wt %;
- and
- exposing said spent hydrogen sulfide sorbent to an oxidizing atmosphere under conditions effective to oxidize said spent hydrogen sulfide sorbent;
- and
- removing sulfur from a reducing stream in order to form a substantially sulfur-free reducing stream;
- reducing said oxidized hydrogen sulfide sorbent to the substantially sulfur-free reducing stream for a regenerating time period under conditions effective for said reducing stream to reduce and regenerate said spent hydrogen sulfide sorbent.
A desulfurization process, comprising:
- (a) contacting hydrocarbon stream containing sulfur with a catalytically effective amount of a catalyst system under catalytic hydrodesulfurization conditions, the catalyst system being comprised of:
- (i) a hydrodesulfurization catalyst containing at least one of Mo, W, Fe, Co, Ni, Pt, Pd, Ir, and Rh;
- and,
- (ii) a hydrogen sulfide sorbent containing at least one metal or oxide of the metal, the metal(s) being selected from Fe, Ni, Co, and Cu, said hydrogen sulfide sorbent having a level of sulfur defining a first cycle capacity for absorbing hydrogen sulfide, said contacting producing a desulfurized product and a spent hydrogen sulfide sorbent;
- and then
- (b) exposing said spent hydrogen sulfide sorbent to an oxidizing atmosphere under conditions effective to oxidize said spent hydrogen sulfide sorbent;
- and then
- (c) reducing said oxidized hydrogen sulfide sorbent to a substantially sulfur-free reducing stream under conditions effective for said reducing stream to reduce and regenerate said spent hydrogen sulfide sorbent, thereby producing a regenerated sorbent.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.