With Sulfur Dioxide Patents (Class 423/574.1)
  • Patent number: 11655149
    Abstract: A system and method including a sulfur recovery system (SRU) having a Claus system, reacting hydrogen sulfide and oxygen in a furnace to give sulfur dioxide, performing a Claus reaction in the furnace to give elemental sulfur, performing the Claus reaction in a Claus reactor to give elemental sulfur at a temperature greater than a dew point of the elemental sulfur, performing the Claus reaction in a Claus cycling reactor to give elemental sulfur at a temperature less than a solidification temperature of the elemental sulfur, depositing the elemental sulfur as solid elemental sulfur on catalyst in the Claus cycling reactor, and regenerating (heating) the Claus cycling reactor thereby forming elemental sulfur vapor from the solid elemental sulfur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventor: John O'Connell
  • Patent number: 11603499
    Abstract: Oxidized disulfide oil (ODSO) compounds or ODSO compounds and disulfide oil (DSO) compounds are reacted with a hydrogen addition feed in a hydroprocessing complex. The hydrogen addition process can include naphtha hydrotreatment, middle distillate hydrotreatment, vacuum gas oil hydrocracking, and vacuum gas oil hydrotreatment. The ODSO or ODSO and DSO components are converted to hydrogen sulfide, water and alkanes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Omer Refa Koseoglu, Robert Peter Hodgkins
  • Patent number: 11530131
    Abstract: Provided here are methods and systems to recover greater than 99.9% of sulfur from natural gas and from other processed gases containing hydrogen sulfide derived from refining crude oil and other industrial processes. The method and system involves a sub-dew point reactor unit with separation units for water removal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Eman Abdelhakim Aly Mohamed Tora, John Patrick O'Connell, Ismail Abdullah Alami, Faisal Al-Otaibi
  • Patent number: 11351500
    Abstract: The methods and systems are disclosed which leverage sulfur abatement resources present at most refineries or other hydrocarbon processing plants, such as natural gas processing plants to capture and treat sulfur-containing byproducts, such as SO2, generated during the regeneration of spent HDP catalysts. Thus, the disclosed methods and systems allow for converting hazardous waste spent catalyst to a salable product at it source while simultaneously capturing the sulfur oxides removed from the catalyst and converting them to a useful product instead of a resultant waste stream requiring management and/or disposal. Thus, spent sulfur bearing refinery wastes, such as HDP catalyst, can be roasted or regenerated at the refinery site to convert the hazardous sulfur-bearing wastes into one or more salable products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Evonik Operations GmbH
    Inventors: James Seamans, Terence McHugh, Brian Visioli
  • Patent number: 11266946
    Abstract: A system includes a purification unit configured to process a vapor stream including sulfur dioxide. The purification unit includes an inlet configured to allow the vapor stream to enter the purification unit. The purification unit includes a steam coil configured to circulate steam and provide a source of heat. The purification unit includes a packed bed. The purification unit includes a tray configured to accumulate sulfur. The purification unit includes an absorber section configured to remove at least a portion of the sulfur dioxide from the vapor stream. The purification unit includes an outlet configured to allow an effluent with a lower sulfur dioxide content than the vapor stream to exit the purification unit. The system includes a sulfur tank including a vent line in fluid communication with the inlet. The vent line is configured to allow vapor to flow from the sulfur tank to the purification unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Subindas M. Mohandas, Saeed A. Salah
  • Patent number: 11083994
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing a hydrocarbon gas stream including sulfurous components and carbon dioxide. The hydrocarbon gas stream is separated into a sweetened gas stream and an acid gas stream. The acid gas stream and an air stream, enriched with oxygen such that the air stream comprises between 22% and 100% oxygen, are combusted in a sulfur recovery unit to separate the acid gas stream into a liquid stream of elemental sulfur and a tail gas stream comprising acid gas impurities. The tail gas stream and an air flow are sub-stoichiometrically combusted to produce an outlet stream comprising hydrogen sulfide and carbon monoxide. The outlet stream is hydrogenated to convert sulfur species to a gaseous catalytic output stream comprising hydrogen sulfide. Water is removed from the gaseous catalytic output stream to produce a partially-dehydrated acid gas stream, which is pressurized and injected into a subsurface reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: P. Scott Northrop, Tye R. Aikins
  • Patent number: 10981788
    Abstract: A process plant including a Claus reaction furnace, a means of Claus gas cooling, a Claus conversion section, a means for Claus tail gas oxidation and a sulfuric acid section, wherein a sulfuric acid outlet of the sulfuric acid section is in fluid communication with an inlet of said Claus reaction furnace, as well as a related process. The process has the associated benefit of such a process avoiding undesired production of sulfuric acid, as well as reducing the Claus process gas volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: HALDOR TOPSØE A/S
    Inventor: Mads Lykke
  • Patent number: 10850229
    Abstract: The methods and systems are disclosed which leverage sulfur abatement resources present at most refineries or other hydrocarbon processing plants, such as natural gas processing plants to capture and treat sulfur-containing byproducts, such as SO2, generated during the regeneration of spent HDP catalysts. Thus, the disclosed methods and systems allow for converting hazardous waste spent catalyst to a salable product at it source while simultaneously capturing the sulfur oxides removed from the catalyst and converting them to a useful product instead of a resultant waste stream requiring management and/or disposal. Thus, spent sulfur bearing refinery wastes, such as HDP catalyst, can be roasted or regenerated at the refinery site to convert the hazardous sulfur-bearing wastes into one or more salable products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Porocel International, LLC
    Inventors: James Seamans, Terence McHugh, Brian Visioli
  • Patent number: 10429066
    Abstract: An apparatus for thermal exhaust gas purification includes at least one thermal reactor to which a raw gas to be purified is supplied and in which the supplied raw gas is thermally purified, and an energy recovery apparatus to which a gas purified in the thermal reactor is supplied via at least one outlet line. For improving the balance of energy, it is proposed that the energy recovery apparatus includes at least one condensation heat exchanger in which the purified gas is cooled down such that condensable substances contained in the purified gas condense, and enthalpies released thereby are transmitted to a heat exchange medium and/or the raw gas upstream of the thermal reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: DÜRR SYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Martin Schröter, Erhard Rieder
  • Patent number: 10376836
    Abstract: Provided is a high-concentration carbonyl sulfide conversion-absorption type desulfurizer for use at medium-low temperature and preparation method thereof. The desulfurizer comprises 50%-75% magnetic iron oxide red (Fe21.333O32), 5%-10% alkali metal oxide (K2O), 5-35% anatase TiO2, and 5-10% shaping binder. The method of preparing the desulfurizer comprises: uniformly mixing a metatitanic acid prepared using ferrous sulfate recycled as a by-product from titanium dioxide production with K2CO3, calcining to activate at 500° C.-700° C., mixing with the magnetic iron oxide red and binder, roll molding at room temperature to form balls which are dried at 100° C.-150° C. to obtain the desulfurizer. The desulfurizer has a hydrolysis conversion of carbonyl sulfide higher than 99%, and has a higher sulfur capacity more than 25%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: BEIJING SJ ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND NEW MATERIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Liying Li, Wenwen Song, Wenjun Mao, Zhimin Zhang, Boshu Liu, Zhenyi Liu
  • Patent number: 10272380
    Abstract: This invention relates to processes for selective removal of contaminants from effluent gases. A sulfur dioxide absorption/desorption process for selective removal and recovery of sulfur dioxide from effluent gases utilizes a buffered aqueous absorption solution comprising weak inorganic or organic acids or salts thereof, to selectively absorb sulfur dioxide from the effluent gas. Absorbed sulfur dioxide is subsequently stripped to regenerate the absorption solution and produce a sulfur dioxide-enriched gas. A process for simultaneous removal of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides (NOx) from effluent gases and recovery of sulfur dioxide utilizes a buffered aqueous absorption solution including a metal chelate to absorb sulfur dioxide and NOx from the gas and subsequently reducing absorbed NOx to form nitrogen. A process to control sulfate salt contaminant concentration in the absorption solution involves partial crystallization and removal of sulfate salt crystals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: E I DU PONT DE NEMOURS AND COMPANY
    Inventor: Ernesto Vera-Castaneda
  • Patent number: 10246329
    Abstract: A process for recovering sulfur in a sulfur recovery unit comprising the steps of reacting hydrogen sulfide and oxygen in the reaction furnace at a minimum reaction temperature to produce a reaction effluent; reducing the temperature of the reaction effluent from the minimum reaction temperature to a boiler section outlet temperature to produce a cooled effluent, the cooled effluent comprises hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, and sulfur-containing contaminants; reacting the hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, and sulfur-containing contaminants in the catalytic extension to produce a boiler catalytic effluent; reducing the boiler catalytic effluent temperature such that the elemental sulfur condenses to form liquid sulfur and a gases stream; reacting the hydrogen sulfide and sulfur-containing contaminants with the oxygen to produce an oxidizer outlet stream comprises sulfur dioxide; and separating the sulfur dioxide in the scrubbing unit to produce a recycle stream and an effluent gases, the recycle stream compr
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventor: John P. O'Connell
  • Patent number: 10195565
    Abstract: A process for the removal of hydrogen sulfide and sulfur recovery from a H2S-containing gas stream by catalytic direct oxidation and Claus reaction through two or more serially connected catalytic reactors, wherein a specific control of the oxygen supplement is operated. The control and improvement of the process is obtained by complementing, in each major step of the process, the H2S-containing gas stream by a suitable flow of oxygen, namely before the H2S-containing gas stream enters the Claus furnace, in the first reactor of the process and in the last reactor of the process. Especially in application in a SubDewPoint sulfur recovery process the H2S/SO2 ratio is kept constant also during switch-over of the reactors R1 and R by adding the last auxiliary oxygen containing gas directly upstream the last reactor R so that the H2S/SO2 ratio can follow the signal of the ADA within a few seconds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: PROSERNAT
    Inventors: Michael Heisel, Benoit Mares
  • Patent number: 9878910
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for recovering sulphur from a hydrogen sulphide containing gas stream are disclosed. A gas stream containing hydrogen sulphide gas is passed into an apparatus having a first thermal-reaction-region and a first catalytic region and reacting a portion of the hydrogen sulphide gas to sulphur dioxide and water and reacting a further portion to form sulphur vapor and water vapor to form a resultant-gas-mixture of water vapor, sulphur vapor, sulphur dioxide and hydrogen sulphide and passing a portion to the first catalytic-region whereby at least a portion of the hydrogen sulphide is reacted in the presence of a catalyst to form further sulphur vapor and water vapor and condensing at least a portion of sulphur vapor to form liquid sulphur and passing at least a portion of the liquid sulphur to a sulphur pit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Linde Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ian Hibbitt, Bernhard Schreiner
  • Patent number: 9701537
    Abstract: A method to recover sulfur comprising the steps of feeding an acid gas stream to a combustion furnace, condensing the cooled furnace stream to produce a first gas stream, feeding the first gas stream to a first adsorber comprises a molecular sieve, feeding the first hot dry gas stream to a first catalytic reactor, cooling the first catalytic outlet stream in a first condenser, feeding the second gas stream to a second adsorber, feeding the second hot dry gas stream to a second catalytic reactor, cooling the second catalytic outlet stream in a second condenser, introducing the third gas stream to a third adsorber, feeding the third hot dry gas stream to a third catalytic reactor to produce a third catalytic outlet stream, and cooling the third catalytic outlet stream in a third condenser to produce a third sulfur stream and a tail gas stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Cemal Ercan, Rashid M. Othman, Yuguo Wang
  • Patent number: 9181095
    Abstract: Systems and methods for pre-treatment of acid gas are presented in which ammonium is removed from the acid gas in an absorber that is operated at significantly elevated temperature using dilute phosphoric acid. While seemingly incompatible, absorbing ammonia at high heat in the absorber will allow for production of a diammonium phosphate product that is ultra-low in residual sulfurous compounds and prevent crystallization of phosphate salts due to the increased solubility of the salts in the hot diluted solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Fluor Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Ravi Ravikumar, Paul M. Mathias, Paul E. Koppel, Sanjiv Dabee
  • Patent number: 9050557
    Abstract: A process for removing sulfur dioxide from a hydrogen sulfide-containing gas utilizes a bubble tower and overcomes process control difficulties associated with known processes. Solvent is fed to the bubble tower, loaded with sulfur dioxide and maintained at desired temperature and pressure. Hydrogen sulfide-containing gas is bubbled through the solvent, causing chemical reaction between the sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide to yield water and elemental sulfur. Elemental sulfur is collected and ultimately discharged from the bottom of the bubble tower, and hydrogen sulfide-depleted gas is discharged from the top.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Gas Technology Institute
    Inventors: Dennis Leppin, Ajay Makkuni, Timothy Tamale
  • Publication number: 20150132213
    Abstract: A sulfur recovery unit for processing an acid gas feed to recover elemental sulfur, the sulfur recovery unit comprising a reaction furnace configured to burn the acid gas feed, an oxygen source, and a fuel gas to create a furnace outlet stream, the acid gas feed comprises hydrogen sulfide which is converted to elemental sulfur, a waste heat boiler configured to capture heat from the furnace outlet stream to create a cooled stream, a condenser configured to condense the cooled stream to produce a waste gas stream and a condensed stream comprising elemental sulfur, a thermal oxidizer configured to burn the waste gas stream to create a sulfur dioxide rich stream, and a sulfur dioxide scrubbing unit configured to remove the amount of sulfur dioxide from the sulfur dioxide rich stream to create an effluent stream and a recycle stream recycled to the reaction furnace.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventor: John P. O'Connell
  • Patent number: 9023310
    Abstract: A process for recovering sulfur from a hydrogen sulfide-bearing gas utilizes an aqueous reaction medium, a temperature of about 110-150° C., and a high enough pressure to maintain the aqueous reaction medium in a liquid state. The process reduces material and equipment costs and addresses the environmental disadvantages associated with known processes that rely on high boiling point organic solvents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Gas Technology Institute
    Inventor: Arunabha Basu
  • Publication number: 20150078984
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for reducing the nitrogen content in the oxygenous oxidation gas of a Claus plant, by which control of the temperature in the combustion furnace of a Claus plant can be achieved, by combusting a sulphurous acid gas in a Claus combustion furnace so that a sulphur dioxide-containing product gas is obtained, from which a part-stream is branched off, which, as determined by a measured value, is recycled to the oxygenous oxidation gas so to avoid an undesired temperature increase in the combustion furnace, when, occasionally, an acid gas which is very rich in sulphur is fed to the combustion furnace of a Claus plant, and to at the same time achieve a reduction of the nitrogen content in the Claus tail gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: THYSSENKRUPP INDUSTRIAL SOLUTIONS AG
    Inventor: Holger Thielert
  • Patent number: 8900544
    Abstract: A method for removing sulphur from a fluid by the steps of providing a first fluid comprising a sulphur-containing compound; adsorbing the sulphur of sulphur-containing compound onto an adsorbent; regenerating the adsorbent by oxidation of the adsorbed sulphur to sulphur dioxide thereby yielding an off-gas stream comprising sulphur dioxide; providing a second fluid comprising hydrogen sulphide, using the second fluid and the off-gas stream as reactants in a Claus process for producing elemental sulphur, wherein a part of hydrogen sulphide provided by the second fluid is oxidized to sulphur dioxide and water at reaction temperature, the residual hydrogen sulphide, the resulting sulphur oxide and the sulphur oxide provided by the off-gas stream are converted to elemental sulphur, the oxygen required for the oxidation of the hydrogen sulphide provided by the second fluid is provided by an air stream, and the off-gas stream dilutes the second fluid in the Claus process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Linde Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Bernhard Schreiner
  • Patent number: 8871176
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process for reducing sulfur emission of a sulfur plant, wherein the sulfur plant includes a thermal reaction unit, a catalytic reaction unit and a tail-gas purification unit, the process is characterized in that the waste-gas from the degassing of the liquid sulfur in the liquid sulfur tank is introduced into the catalytic reaction unit, and/or the waste-gas from the degassing of the liquid sulfur in the liquid sulfur tank is introduced into the tail-gas purification unit. In present invention, the H2S in purified tail-gas can be reduced to no more than 10 ppm(v) and the SO2 emission concentration of the sulfur plant can be reduced to no more than 100 mg/m3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Aihua Liu, Yongchang Xu, Qinshu Li, Jianbang Ren, Jianli Liu, Yiling Zhang
  • Publication number: 20140294719
    Abstract: A method for removing sulphur from a fluid by the steps of providing a first fluid comprising a sulphur-containing compound; adsorbing the sulphur of sulphur-containing compound onto an adsorbent; regenerating the adsorbent by oxidation of the adsorbed sulphur to sulphur dioxide thereby yielding an off-gas stream comprising sulphur dioxide; providing a second fluid comprising hydrogen sulphide, using the second fluid and the off-gas stream as reactants in a Claus process for producing elemental sulphur, wherein a part of hydrogen sulphide provided by the second fluid is oxidized to sulphur dioxide and water at reaction temperature, the residual hydrogen sulphide, the resulting sulphur oxide and the sulphur oxide provided by the off-gas stream are converted to elemental sulphur, the oxygen required for the oxidation of the hydrogen sulphide provided by the second fluid is provided by an air stream, and the off-gas stream dilutes the second fluid in the Claus process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Inventor: Bernhard Schreiner
  • Patent number: 8815203
    Abstract: A process for removing sulfur from a gas stream is provided in which a plurality of reactor units, each comprising a condenser and reactor, are selectively operable under Claus reaction and cold bed adsorption conditions. The arrangement of reactor units within the plant is periodically changed following a front-middle-back sequencing scheme. This ensures that the final reactor unit in the series utilizes fully cooled catalyst which is most efficient for operation under cold bed adsorption conditions. In addition, the condenser of the final reactor unit in the series operates at or below the freezing point of sulfur thereby permitting even greater sulfur recovery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Black & Veatch Holding Company
    Inventor: Justin A. Lamar
  • Patent number: 8795625
    Abstract: A process for removing sulfur compounds, particularly hydrogen sulfide, from a waste gas wherein sulfur dioxide is introduced into the process gas at multiple process locations. Quantities of sulfur dioxide are introduced into the process gas stream at one or more locations preceding catalytic reaction. The process of the present invention may be practiced for Claus processes involving initial thermal reactions, and may be practiced without necessity of preliminary thermal reaction. In an embodiment of the invention, one of the injection locations of sulfur dioxide is the thermal reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Inventor: Strom W. Smith
  • Patent number: 8778297
    Abstract: A sulfur recovery unit comprising: a reaction furnace configured to carry out a high-temperature Claus reaction between hydrogen-sulfide-containing gas and oxygen-containing gas introduced to the reaction furnace; a sulfur condenser configured to cool reaction gas discharged from the reaction furnace and condense sulfur contained in the reaction gas; and a pipe that connects the reaction furnace to the sulfur condenser, wherein the reaction furnace is fixed to the ground; and the sulfur condenser and the pipe are arranged so as to be able to move relative to the reaction furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: JGC Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuo Kamisuki, Hiroyuki Kosasayama, Yasushi Yamada, Shingo Arai, Mitsuru Kida
  • Patent number: 8722003
    Abstract: A system and method of capturing carbon dioxide from a flow of raw synthesis gas generated in a gasification system are provided. The carbon capture system includes an acid gas removal subsystem configured to generate a flow of reduced acid gas content syngas, a flow of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) lean gas, and a first flow of H2S-rich gas from a stream of particulate-free raw syngas, an H2S selective membrane separator, said H2S selective membrane separator configured to separate the flow of H2S-lean gas from the AGR into a second flow of H2S-rich gas and a flow of CO2 gas, and a sulfur recovery unit (SRU) coupled in flow communication with said H2S membrane separator downstream of said membrane separator, said SRU configured to generate a flow of elemental sulfur and a flow of tail gas from the first flow of H2S-rich gas and the second flow of H2S-rich gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Aaron John Avagliano, John Saunders Stevenson
  • Patent number: 8709366
    Abstract: Sulfur oxides are removed from an oxygen-containing acid gas in configurations and methods in which oxygen is catalytically removed using hydrogen sulfide, and in which the sulfur oxides react with the hydrogen sulfide to form elemental sulfur. A first portion of the remaining sulfurous compounds is reduced to form the hydrogen sulfide for oxygen removal, while a second portion of the sulfurous compounds is further converted to elemental sulfur using a Claus reaction or catalytic direct reduction reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Fluor Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas King Chow, Vincent Wai Wong, John Gebur, Theresa Flood
  • Patent number: 8703084
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for eliminating COS and/or CS2 from a hydrocarbon-containing feed stream, and further eliminating H2S from such feed stream or converting all sulfur species in such feed stream to H2S and SO2 to allow for easy subsequent conversion of such H2S and SO2 to elemental sulfur in a Claus reaction. The method comprises: (i) injecting water so that the feed stream contains greater than 10 vol % (water equivalent); (ii) passing the feed stream through catalyst means which hydrogenates COS and/or CS2 to H2S; (iii) injecting O2 so that the stoichiometric ratio of O2 to H2S is at least 0.5:1.0; (iv) passing the stream though a reaction zone having oxidation catalyst means which oxidizes H2S to elemental sulfur or SO2 (depending on the amount of oxygen and water added); where the temperature of the reaction zone is above the elemental sulfur dew point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Archon Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Conrad Ayasse, Ahmed M. Shahin, Alan Ayasse
  • Patent number: 8663589
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for recovering sulphur from a sour gas containing hydrogen sulphide and carbon dioxide, comprising: oxidation of the sour gas, wherein a part of the hydrogen sulphide is oxidized to sulphur dioxide and water, reaction of the resulting sulphur dioxide with the residual hydrogen sulphide to elementary sulphur, and removal of elementary sulphur. According to the invention carbon dioxide and/or carbon dioxide generated by oxidation of the sour gas is compressed, and at least a part of the carbon dioxide is injected into an oil well. Furthermore, the invention relates to a plant suitable for performing the above method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Linde Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Stephen Rhys Graville
  • Patent number: 8617509
    Abstract: Processes for the thermal reduction of sulfur dioxide to elemental sulfur in a single reaction furnace are disclosed. The reaction furnace contains an alumina monolith that performs as an active catalyst. The reaction furnace is followed by a Claus conversion zone, wherein H2S and SO2 react to produce additional elemental sulfur. Three methods to eliminate soot formation and two methods to consume produced H2 and CO are described. One or combination of these methods may be employed which consists of a) adding steam (water vapor), b) adding recycled sulfur or c) adding recycled tail gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Inventors: Mahin Rameshni, Stephen L Santo
  • Patent number: 8591846
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing a sour gas rich in carbon dioxide in a Claus process, so sulfur compounds are removed by a selective solvent in a gas scrubbing process. Sulfur components and carbon dioxide, are separated into at least two sour gas fractions, wherein at least one sour gas fraction having a higher content of sulfur components is obtained, wherein the fraction having the highest hydrogen sulfide content is introduced in the thermal reaction stage of the Claus furnace with a gas containing oxygen by means of a burner. The sulfur is converted to sulfur dioxide in the thermal reaction stage of the Claus furnace and exhaust gases are discharged into the closed Claus reaction chamber behind the burner. The remaining sour gas fractions stripped of sulfur components are fed to the Claus reaction chamber and are mixed with the combustion gases leaving the burner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Thyssenkrupp UHDE GmbH
    Inventor: Johannes Menzel
  • Patent number: 8574539
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process for the selective oxidation of hydrogen sulphide in a hydrogen sulphide-containing hydrocarbon and/or hydrogen feed gas to elemental sulphur in a reaction zone containing a Claus catalyst, comprising the steps of: i) reacting in the reaction zone the hydrogen sulphide in the hydrogen sulphide-containing hydrocarbon and/or hydrogen feed gas with sulphur dioxide at a pressure in the range of from 4 to 200 bar (absolute) and a temperature in the range of from 120 and 160° C., such that the elemental sulphur formed is essentially in liquid form; ii) contacting the catalyst with a reducing atmosphere at elevated temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Ronald Jan Schoonebeek, Sipke Hidde Wadman
  • Patent number: 8568676
    Abstract: A process for workup of an industrial carbon dioxide-rich gas to be freed of sulfur components, in which an industrial gas to be freed of sulfur components is purified by a gas scrubbing, and the laden solvent is freed of carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide by a regeneration to obtain at least one acid gas fraction having a relatively high content of sulfur components, and the fraction with the highest hydrogen sulfide (H2S) content is supplied to a Claus plant with downstream Claus process gas hydrogenation, and at least one carbon dioxide-laden, low-hydrogen sulfide acid gas fraction from the regeneration device, which has a reduced sulfur content compared to the fraction with the highest hydrogen sulfide (H2S) content, is combined with the hydrogenated Claus process gas to give a combined process gas stream, which is supplied to further processing or to recycling into the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Thyssenkrupp Uhde GmbH
    Inventor: Johannes Menzel
  • Patent number: 8545793
    Abstract: A device for condensing, separating, and storing sulfur in a Claus plant. having a Claus furnace, waste heat boiler, and Claus reactor. Plant parts are supported on a floor or comparable device, and an immersion chamber is provided below the Claus plant and optionally also below a device arranged upstream for gas scrubbing. The immersion chamber receives the sulfur in a siphoning manner, wherein the excess sulfur flows at least 4.00 meters deeper from the immersion chamber into a ground-level container in which the immersion chamber is arranged. The invention further relates to a method, by means of which liquid sulfur is conducted into an immersion chamber, wherein the immersion chamber is arranged at a height level below the waste heat boiler and the Claus reactor so that the liquid sulfur reaches the immersion chamber without further pumping and overcomes a height difference of at least 4.00 meters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Thyssenkrupp UHDE GmbH
    Inventor: Holger Thielert
  • Patent number: 8527071
    Abstract: Control of a process for producing free sulfur from hydrogen sulfide is accomplished by manipulating the flow rate of a feed stream containing oxygen to a furnace in such a manner that a desired proportion of the hydrogen sulfide fed to the furnace is converted to sulfur dioxide. Combustion of hydrogen sulfide is precisely controlled by the proposed system to maintain the hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide concentrations in the tail gas at acceptable levels to minimize the environmental pollution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: IMB Controls Inc.
    Inventor: Igor Boiko
  • Patent number: 8524189
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process for the selective oxidation of hydrogen sulphide contained in a hydrogen sulphide-containing hydrocarbon feed gas to elemental sulphur. The hydrogen sulphide-containing hydrocarbon feed gas and a sulphur dioxide-containing gas are supplied to a reaction zone containing a TiO2-comprising catalyst, wherein elemental sulphur and a gaseous stream depleted in hydrogen sulphide are formed. The gas feeds are contacted with the TiO2 containing catalyst at elevated pressure and at a temperature in the range of from 120 and below 160 ° C., under such conditions that the elemental sulphur formed is essentially in liquid form. At least part of the sulphur dioxide-containing gas is obtained by combusting elemental sulphur to obtain a gaseous mixture of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen and then concentrating the gaseous mixture to provide the sulphur dioxide-containing gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Arnab Chatterjee, Carolus Matthias Anna Maria Mesters, Ronald Jan Schoonebeek
  • Patent number: 8501135
    Abstract: A method of reducing sulfur compounds from an incoming gas stream, comprising flowing the gas stream over a hydrolysis catalyst to convert COS and CS2 to H2S and reduce SO2 to elemental sulfur to form an effluent stream; providing an acidic gas removal unit comprising an absorbent; flowing said effluent stream over said absorbent to produce a stream free of acidic gases; applying an acidic-gas desorption mode to said acidic-gas rich absorbent to produce an acidic gas stream; introducing oxygen to said acidic gas-rich stream; providing a direct oxidation vessel containing catalyst suitable for catalyzing the oxidation of the H2S to sulfur wherein the temperature of the vessel is at or above the sulfur dew point at the reaction pressure; and flowing said acidic gas-rich stream over said catalyst to produce a processed stream having a reduced level of sulfur compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Archon Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Alan Ayasse, Ahmed M. Shahin, Conrad Ayasse
  • Patent number: 8486365
    Abstract: To minimize the inhibitory effect of sulfur on the oxidation of hydrogen sulfide with oxygen in a gas stream on the solid catalysts, first, the elemental sulfur content in the gas stream is reduced to less than 3.0 mg/l, preferably 0.3 mg/l, and second, the temperature in the oxidation reactor is maintained so that the relative vapor pressure of sulfur in it remains less than 0.25, preferably less than 0.1. The removal of sulfur from the gas stream by washing it with water or aqueous solution decreases the ignition temperature of the process to 155-160° C. Because of this the initial concentration of H2S might be elevate up to about 2% for a regular adiabatic reactor and to 10% by volume for a reactor with a heat-redistributing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Inventor: Tofik Gasan Alkhazov
  • Patent number: 8465722
    Abstract: Processes for the thermal reduction of sulfur dioxide to elemental sulfur are disclosed. The processes described include three general reaction sections, including the reaction furnace portion where the SO2-containing stream is combusted, the second reaction zone where the temperature is moderated to encourage the reaction of sulfur with hydrogen to consume the hydrogen carbon monoxide and produce the H2S and CO. The temperature moderation is achieved by one or combinations of three different methods adding external waste heat boiler, followed by a vessel to provide adequate residence time for the reaction of producing H2S or to recycle the tail gas to a second zone of a 2-zone reaction furnace, using inter-stage internal cooling coil or adding a quench fluid in the second zone of a 2-zone reaction furnace. The third reaction zone is a Claus conversion portion, wherein residual H2S and SO2 are further reacted to produce additional elemental sulfur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Rameshni & Associates Technology & Engineering
    Inventors: Mahin Rameshni, Stephen L. Santo
  • Patent number: 8440160
    Abstract: This disclosure relates generally to processes for the production of elemental sulfur from Syngas, in the power plant, or Low BTU Gas fields and more particularly to processes the mixture of the 100% syngas or low BTU stream with the 100% SO2 recycle gas; with an additional stream comprising oxygen such as air, oxygen-enriched air, or substantially pure oxygen is added to the SO2 recycle stream prior entering the Claus reactor for producing elemental sulfur. The combination of innovation schemes comprises the sulfur recovery unit, the SO2 recovery unit and the gas turbines or boilers to promote a cost effective options by reducing the number of steps in an efficient manner and to achieve near 100% sulfur recovery with significant cost and energy saving. The SO2 gas is recycled from the SO2 recovery unit to the sulfur recovery unit by using one of the regenerable solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Inventors: Mahin Rameshni, Stephen L. Santo
  • Patent number: 8425874
    Abstract: The reduction of the gas stream containing sulfur dioxide to elemental sulfur is carried out by reacting a reducing gas, such as natural gas, methanol or a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, with recycled sulfur and recycled tail gas to produce a stream containing hydrogen sulfide that may be reacted with the gas stream that contains sulfur dioxide. Gas streams with a molar concentration of sulfur dioxide from 1 to 100% may be processed to achieve nearly 100% sulfur recovery efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Rameshni & Associates Technology & Engineering
    Inventors: Mahin Rameshni, Stephen L Santo
  • Patent number: 8361421
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of treating a raw syngas stream and an apparatus therefor. In the method a raw syngas stream is passed to a hydrolysis unit to provide a hydrolysed syngas stream and a condensed water stream. The hydrolysed syngas stream is passed to an acid gas removal unit to separate H2S and a part of the CO2 from the hydrolysed syngas stream to provide a treated syngas stream and an acid off-gas stream. The acid off-gas stream and a sulphur dioxide-comprising stream are passed to a catalytic zone to react H2S in the acid off-gas stream with SO2 in the sulphur dioxide-comprising stream to provide an elemental sulphur stream and a catalytic zone off-gas stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: Sandra Schreuder
  • Publication number: 20130011330
    Abstract: A device for condensing, separating, and storing sulfur in a Claus plant. having a Claus furnace, waste heat boiler, and Claus reactor. Plant parts are supported on a floor or comparable device, and an immersion chamber is provided below the Claus plant and optionally also below a device arranged upstream for gas scrubbing. The immersion chamber receives the sulfur in a siphoning manner, wherein the excess sulfur flows at least 4.00 meters deeper from the immersion chamber into a ground-level container in which the immersion chamber is arranged. The invention further relates to a method, by means of which liquid sulfur is conducted into an immersion chamber, wherein the immersion chamber is arranged at a height level below the waste heat boiler and the Claus reactor so that the liquid sulfur reaches the immersion chamber without further pumping and overcomes a height difference of at least 4.00 meters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: THYSSENKRUPP UHDE GMBH
    Inventor: Holger Thielert
  • Publication number: 20120308456
    Abstract: A cyclic process for selectively separating hydrogen sulfide from a gas mixture including CO2 is operated by contacting the gas mixture under sorption conditions with a non-aqueous sorbent comprising a basic non-protogenic nitrogenous compound to react the H2S with the basic compound so that the H2S can be sorbed by the compound. The compound containing the sorbed H2S can then be subjected to desorption conditions by which the H2S is desorbed and the sorbent readied for another sorption step in the cycle. The basic nitrogenous compound can be carried on a porous solid sorbent, e.g., a solid oxide such as alumina, silica, silica-alumina, zeolites, or a mesoporous and/or macroporous solid oxide. The process may be operated using a pressure swing, temperature swing, partial pressure swing, purge displacement, or a combination thereof between the sorption and desorption portions of the cycle, preferably in a rapid cycle operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2012
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: EXXONMOBIL RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
    Inventors: Daniel P. Leta, Preeti Kamakoti, Jack W. Johnson, Peter I. Ravikovitch, Harry Deckman
  • Publication number: 20120308474
    Abstract: The reduction of the gas stream containing sulfur dioxide to elemental sulfur is carried out by reacting a reducing gas, such as natural gas, methanol or a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, with recycled sulfur and recycled tail gas to produce a stream containing hydrogen sulfide that may be reacted with the gas stream that contains sulfur dioxide. Gas streams with a molar concentration of sulfur dioxide from 1 to 100% may be processed to achieve nearly 100% sulfur recovery efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Inventors: Mahin Rameshni, Stephen L. Santo
  • Patent number: 8298505
    Abstract: A process for treating a gas stream comprising hydrogen sulphide, the process comprising the steps of: (i) mixing a first gas stream comprising hydrogen sulphide with a second stream comprising sulphur dioxide to produce a combined stream, whereby elemental sulphur is produced by a reaction between the hydrogen sulphide and the sulphur dioxide; (ii) removing elemental sulphur, and optionally water, from the combined stream; and (iii) oxidizing at least some of the elemental sulphur to form sulphur dioxide for use in the second stream, wherein, the reaction is conducted at a temperature of from 15 to 155° C. and a pressure of at least 3 MPa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Foster Wheeler Energy Limited
    Inventors: Suling Zhai, John Foster, Stephen Ward, Malcolm Harrison
  • Publication number: 20120251436
    Abstract: To minimize the inhibitory effect of sulfur on the oxidation of hydrogen sulfide with oxygen in a gas stream on the solid catalysts, first, the elemental sulfur content in the gas stream is reduced to less than 3.0 mg/l, preferably 0.3 mg/l, and second, the temperature in the oxidation reactor is maintained so that the relative vapor pressure of sulfur in it remains less than 0.25, preferably less than 0.1. The removal of sulfur from the gas stream by washing it with water or aqueous solution decreases the ignition temperature of the process to 155-160° C. Because of this the initial concentration of H2S might be elevate up to about 2% for a regular adiabatic reactor and to 10% by volume for a reactor with a heat-redistributing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Inventor: Tofik Gasan Alkhazov
  • Patent number: 8273323
    Abstract: In a process for producing hydrocarbonaceous educts, the starting material is autothermally gasified by non-catalytic partial oxidation by adding oxygen-containing gas and hydrogen at temperatures of 1200 to 1500° C. and pressures of 15 to 100 barabs to obtain a raw gas containing H2 and CO as main components as well as the components CO2, H2O, CH4 and traces of H2S, COS, CnHm, N2 and Ar, and subsequently the CO contained in the raw gas is converted to CO2 and further H2 by adding steam. An improvement of the process consists in that in a pressure-swing absorption process the converted raw synthesis gas is separated directly, i.e. without passing through a wash for removing CO2 and H2S, into high-purity H2 and into a gas mixture containing H2S, CO2, H2, CO, CH4, Ar and N2, the gas mixture is supplied to the tail gas wash of a Claus process, the H2S separated is introduced into the feed gas of the Claus process, and the waste gas of the tail gas wash, mixed with the tail gas of the Claus process, is burnt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Lurgi GmbH
    Inventors: Holger Schlichting, Thomas Tork
  • Publication number: 20120237438
    Abstract: Control of a process for producing free sulfur from hydrogen sulfide is accomplished by manipulating the flow rate of a feed stream containing oxygen to a furnace in such a manner that a desired proportion of the hydrogen sulfide fed to the furnace is converted to sulfur dioxide. Combustion of hydrogen sulfide is precisely controlled by the proposed system to maintain the hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide concentrations in the tail gas at acceptable levels to minimize the environmental pollution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: IMB CONTROLS INC.
    Inventor: Igor Boiko