With Specified Procedure For Sulfur Recovery Or Specified Conditions For Producing Sulfur In More Recoverable Form Patents (Class 423/576.2)
  • Patent number: 11773486
    Abstract: Herein disclosed are systems and methods related to solid source chemical sublimator vessels and corresponding deposition modules. The solid source chemical sublimator can include a housing configured to hold solid chemical reactant therein. A lid may be disposed on a proximal portion of the housing. The lid can include a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet and define a serpentine flow path within a distal portion of the lid. The lid can be adapted to allow gas flow within the flow path. The solid source chemical sublimator can include a filter that is disposed between the serpentine flow path and the distal portion of the housing. The filter can have a porosity configured to restrict a passage of a solid chemical reactant therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Eric James Shero, Carl Louis White, Mohith E. Verghese, Kyle Fondurulia, Timothy James Sullivan
  • Patent number: 11691877
    Abstract: A process plant and a process for production of sulfur from a feedstock gas including from 15% to 100 vol % H2S and a stream of sulfuric acid, the process including a) providing a Claus reaction furnace feed stream with a substoichiometric amount of oxygen, b) directing to a Claus reaction furnace operating at elevated temperature, c) cooling to provide a cooled Claus converter feed gas, d) directing to contact a material catalytically active in the Claus reaction, e) withdrawing a Claus tail gas and elementary sulfur, f) directing a stream comprising said Claus tail gas to a Claus tail gas treatment, wherein sulfuric acid directed to said Claus reaction furnace is in the form of droplets with 90% of the mass of the droplets having a diameter below 500 ?m, with the associated benefit of such a process efficiently converting all liquid H2SO4 to gaseous H2SO4 and further to SO2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: HALDOR TOPSØE A/S
    Inventors: Morten Thellefsen, Per Aggerholm Sørensen, Martin Møllerhøj, Mads Lykke
  • Patent number: 11634812
    Abstract: Herein disclosed are systems and methods related to solid source chemical sublimator vessels and corresponding deposition modules. The solid source chemical sublimator can include a housing configured to hold solid chemical reactant therein. A lid may be disposed on a proximal portion of the housing. The lid can include a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet and define a serpentine flow path within a distal portion of the lid. The lid can be adapted to allow gas flow within the flow path. The solid source chemical sublimator can include a filter that is disposed between the serpentine flow path and the distal portion of the housing. The filter can have a porosity configured to restrict a passage of a solid chemical reactant therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: ASM IP HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Eric James Shero, Carl Louis White, Mohith E. Verghese, Kyle Fondurulia, Timothy James Sullivan
  • Patent number: 11618677
    Abstract: A revamp process for modifying a sulfur abatement plant including a Claus process plant, the Claus process plant including a Claus reaction furnace and one or more Claus conversion stages, each Claus conversion stage including a conversion reactor and a means for elemental sulfur condensation, and a means of Claus tail gas oxidation configured for receiving a Claus tail gas from said Claus process plant and configured for providing an oxidized Claus tail gas, the process revamp including: a) providing a sulfuric acid producing tail gas treatment plant producing sulfuric acid, and b) providing a means for transferring an amount or all of the sulfuric acid produced in said sulfuric acid producing tail gas treatment plant to said Claus reaction furnace, wherein the moles of sulfur in the transferred sulfuric acid relative to the moles of elemental sulfur withdrawn from the Claus process plant is from 3% to 25%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: HALDOR TOPSØE A/S
    Inventors: Morten Thellefsen, Mads Lykke, Martin Møllerhøj
  • Patent number: 11440815
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are generally related to a system and method to remove hydrogen sulfide from sour water and sour oil. Particularly, hydrogen sulfide is removed from sour water and sour oil without the need for special chemicals, such as catalyst chemicals, scavenger chemicals, hydrocarbon sources, or a large-scale facility. The system and method in the present invention is particularly useful in exploratory oil and gas fields, where large facilities to remove hydrogen sulfide may be inaccessible. The present invention addresses the need for safe and cost-effective transport of the deadly neurotoxin. Particular embodiments involve a system and method that can be executed both on a small and large scale to sweeten sour water and sour oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Anschutz Exploration Corporation
    Inventors: Galen Brenize, Jeffrey Blair Morris
  • Patent number: 11413571
    Abstract: A co-current contacting system for removing impurities from a gas stream is described herein. The co-current contacting system includes a co-current contactor configured to co-currently flow a gas stream including impurities and a liquid stream through the co-current contactor. The co-current contactor is also configured to incorporate liquid droplets formed from the liquid stream into the gas stream, such that the impurities from the gas stream are absorbed by the liquid droplets. The co-current contacting system also includes a separator configured to remove the gas stream from the liquid droplets including the impurities, generating a purified gas stream and a rich liquid stream. The co-current contacting system is configured to recycle the rich liquid stream for reuse as a portion of the liquid stream flowing into the co-current contactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: EXXONMOBIL UPSTREAM RESEARCH COMPANY
    Inventor: J. Tim Cullinane
  • Patent number: 10676356
    Abstract: A method for heat integration in a sulfur recovery unit, the method comprising the steps of reacting the acid gas stream and the air stream in the reaction furnace to produce a reaction effluent, where the reaction effluent comprises elemental sulfur, reducing the temperature of the reaction effluent in the heating extension to produce an effluent stream, reducing the temperature of the reaction effluent in the waste heat boiler to produce a cooled effluent stream, reducing the temperature of the cooled effluent in the sulfur condenser to produce a liquid sulfur stream and a cooled gases stream, where the liquid sulfur stream comprises the elemental sulfur, and increasing a temperature of the cooled gases stream to produce a hot gases stream, where the heating extension is configured to capture heat from the reaction effluent and release the heat to the cooled gases stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventor: Yazeed Safar Alshahrani
  • Patent number: 10358349
    Abstract: A method for heat integration in a sulfur recovery unit, the method comprising the steps of reacting the acid gas stream and the air stream in the reaction furnace to produce a reaction effluent, where the reaction effluent comprises elemental sulfur, reducing the temperature of the reaction effluent in the heating extension to produce an effluent stream, reducing the temperature of the reaction effluent in the waste heat boiler to produce a cooled effluent stream, reducing the temperature of the cooled effluent in the sulfur condenser to produce a liquid sulfur stream and a cooled gases stream, where the liquid sulfur stream comprises the elemental sulfur, and increasing a temperature of the cooled gases stream to produce a hot gases stream, where the heating extension is configured to capture heat from the reaction effluent and release the heat to the cooled gases stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventor: Yazeed Safar Alshahrani
  • Patent number: 10307695
    Abstract: Embodiments of a degassing system of the present invention generally include a degassing device having a sintered metal matrix component; and a process vessel having a liquid inlet and liquid outlet through which liquid flows providing a liquid level there within; wherein the degassing device, which is fluidly connected to a pressurized gas source, is disposed within the process vessel beneath the surface of the liquid, wherein pressurized gas is introduced to the degassing device and forced through the sintered metal matrix to create gas micro-bubbles which rise through the liquid to strip volatile compounds therefrom, the gaseous composition above the surface of the liquid being evacuated through the gas outlet. In one embodiment, a degassing tower having multiple degassing chambers and degassing devices is employed. In one embodiment, a metal powder is disposed within the sintered metal matrix. Embodiments of methods of using the degassing device are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Inventor: Strom W. Smith
  • Patent number: 9605194
    Abstract: An environmentally responsible iron chelating additive and method for removing hydrogen sulfide or sulfide ions from drilling and packer fluids and preventing settling of precipitates. Iron chelating agents selected from the group consisting of ferrous lactate, ferrous gluconate, ferrous bis glycinate, ferrous citrate, ferrous acetate, ferrous fumarate, ferrous succinate, ferrous sacchrate, ferrous tartarate, ferrous glycine sulfate, ferrous glutamate, ferrous ascorbate, ferrous polymaltose, or a combination thereof, may be used. When the fluids are oil based, the iron chelating agents are added to the water phase of an emulsion, and the emulsion is added to the fluid. Viscosifiers may also be added to the drilling fluid with the emulsion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: John Adrian Hall, Kushabhau D. Teke, Pramod Dadasaheb Nikam
  • Patent number: 9243200
    Abstract: A compact treatment apparatus and methodology is provided for scavenging at least H2S from an acid gas stream. The vessel is charged with a batch of an aqueous solution of H2S scavenging treatment liquid. Acid gas is discharged from a sparge bar fit with graduated openings, either graduated from small to large or from a few to many and spaced therealong, for distributed discharge into the treatment liquid. The acid gas percolates up through the liquid and into a vessel headspace, the gas being scrubbed of H2S for producing a treated discharge gas. The treatment solution can be an aqueous solution of incorporating one of several active H2S scavenger ingredients including amine-aldehyde compositions or triazines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Almont Emissions Inc.
    Inventor: Bryan Campbell
  • 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
  • Patent number: 8679448
    Abstract: Sulfur emissions from liquid sulfur are reduced, or even entirely avoided by degassing the liquid sulfur at pressure in an out-of-pit vessel and by sweeping the rundown pit (or vessel) with a sweep gas that is non-poisonous for a hydrogenation catalyst. Acid gases from degassing are fed at pressure to the Claus unit, while sweep gases are fed to the tail gas treatment unit to substantially recycle the acid gases to extinction. In preferred plants and methods, motive fluids and booster eductors or compressors are not needed, and incineration of the acid gases can be avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Fluor Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Chow, Theresa Flood, Elmo Nasato, Uday Navin Parekh
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20140017162
    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: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: JGC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tatsuo Kamisuki, Hiroyuki Kosasayama, Yasushi Yamada, Shingo Arai, Mitsuru Kida
  • Patent number: 8597581
    Abstract: A system may include a sulfur recovery unit. The sulfur recovery unit may include an acid gas supply, which may supply acid gas, an oxygen supply, which may supply oxygen, a fuel supply, which may supply fuel. The fuel may have a higher heating value than the acid gas. Also, the sulfur recovery unit may include a thermal reaction zone, which may thermally recover sulfur from the acid gas by combustion of the fuel and the acid gas with the oxygen and through reaction of the acid gas with combustion products arising from the combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sachin Suhas Naphad, Ganesh Prasadh Kidambi
  • 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: 8431106
    Abstract: A method of producing micronized sulphur wherein elemental sulphur is dissolved in a solvent for sulphur to produce a sulphur-solvent solution and precipitation of the dissolved sulphur is effected or controlled by manipulation of at least one of pressure, temperature or water content in the solvent to produce the micronized sulphur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: CCR, Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventors: Raymond G. F. Abry, Todd Stephen Beasley, Richard Lyle Johnson, Richard Eugene Kuzub, Jin Kwon Tak
  • 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: 8236276
    Abstract: A sulfur recovery system for recovering sulfur from a sulfur plant feed stream including a first sulfur removal system and a second sulfur removal system. The system includes a sulfur plant feed inlet to the first sulfur removal system, the sulfur plant feed inlet being capable of providing a sulfur plant feed stream at a first pressure. One or more oxidizing gas inlets are arranged and disposed to combine at least one oxidizing gas stream with the sulfur plant feed stream to form a combustion gas for combustion in the first sulfur removal system at a second pressure. A flow restriction device is operably configured to control an operating pressure in one or both of the first sulfur removal system and the second sulfur removal system. A gas processing plant and method for recovering sulfur from a sulfur plant feed stream are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Fluor Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Xianming Jimmy Li, Elmo Nasato, Jung Soo Choe
  • Publication number: 20120076721
    Abstract: A process and system for substantially eliminating contaminants from a gas and a gas produced therefrom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Applicant: SWAPSOL CORP.
    Inventor: James A. Wasas
  • Publication number: 20120039780
    Abstract: An apparatus for treating headspace gas has a production water tank, a shource of at least one of oxygen and ozone, a diffuser, and a reaction tank. The production water tank contains a headspace gas and a headspace gas outlet. At least a portion of the headspace gas is a sulfide gas. The diffuser diffuses a mixture of the at least one of oxygen and ozone and headspace gas from the production water tank via the headspace gas outlet into a liquid solvent. The at least one of oxygen and ozone oxidizes at least a portion of the sulfide gas as they pass through the diffuser. The reaction tank for receives the liquid solvent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2011
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Applicant: SEAIR INC.
    Inventors: Harold Kinasewich, Kyle Greene, Todd J. Webb
  • Patent number: 8062619
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for the treatment of a gas that contains hydrogen sulfide and sulfurous anhydride, in which: a) the gas (3) contacts with an organic solvent (1) containing a catalyst in a gas-liquid reactor-contactor (2) so as to recover separately liquid sulfur and; a gas effluent containing sulfur vapor; subjecting the gas effluent to a first condensation zone (7) operating at 70-100° C. to deposit the sulfur in solid form on sufficiently cold walls of the equipment in zone (7), recovering resultant purified gas containing less than 30 ppm by volume of sulfur melting the deposited solid sulfur to regenerate the equipment, and recycling resultant liquefied sulfur to the reactor contactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: IFP Energies Nouvelles
    Inventors: Julien Grandjean, Nicolas Ferrando, Abdelhakim Koudil, P-Louis Carrette
  • Publication number: 20110268650
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for recovering sulfur from acid gases. Acid gases containing relatively high amounts of carbonyl sulfide and/or one or more types of mercaptans can be treated in a sulfur recovery system employing an acid gas enrichment zone and a tail gas treatment zone, where partially-loaded sulfur absorbing solvent from the tail gas treatment zone is employed for sulfur absorption in the acid gas enrichment zone. Off-gas from the acid gas enrichment zone can be combined and hydrogenated with a sulfur recovery unit tail gas thereby increasing the total amount of sulfur recovery from the initial acid gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: Black & Veatch Corporation
    Inventor: Justin A. Lamar
  • Patent number: 8025719
    Abstract: A regenerated sulfur recovery apparatus positioned in a sulfur recovery plant, which apparatus contains a sulfur purifier that cools gaseous sulfur and condensates it, forming liquid sulfur while removing impurities contained therein; the apparatus containing a steam supplying means for melting solid sulfur deposited on an inner wall of the sulfur purifier, a molten sulfur reservoir that recovers and stores the melted sulfur, a reservoir heating means that heats the reservoir, an exhaust gas line that directs to the outside an exhaust gas formed in the reservoir when the reservoir is heated by the reservoir heating means, and an inert gas supply means that supplies an inert gas to the reservoir, such that the inert gas supplied into the reservoir flows to the outside through the exhaust gas line when molten sulfur stored in the reservoir is discharged from the reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Sumitomo Chemical Company, Limited
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Tokumasu, Kazuo Fujita, Fumio Kubo
  • Patent number: 7985397
    Abstract: A method of treating hydrogen sulfide or producing hydrogen which comprises disposing a liquid tank having a photocatalyst electrode comprising a photocatalyst and a liquid tank having a metal electrode so that the two liquid tanks are separated from each other by a cation-exchange membrane, placing a liquid containing either hydrogen sulfide or an organic substance in the liquid tank having the photocatalyst electrode, electrically connecting the photocatalyst electrode to the metal electrode, and exposing the photocatalyst to a light. The liquid to be placed in the liquid tank having the metal electrode preferably is an acidic solution. The photocatalyst preferably comprises a metal sulfide, and preferably is fine particles having a layered nanocapsule structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignees: Nittetsu Mining Co., Ltd., Tohoku University
    Inventors: Hiromichi Matsumoto, Akira Kishimoto, Kazuyuki Tohji
  • Patent number: 7927576
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and process utilizing ammonium thio sulfate solution (ATS) as the primary liquid absorption agent that is re-circulated through an SO2 Contactor/Absorber for high efficiency contacting and absorption of sulfur dioxide, SO2 from a combustion gas stream generated by incineration of a Claus Sulfur Recovery Unit (SRU) off gas stream (often referred to as a Claus tail gas stream) and also additional SO2 generated from incineration of additional sulfur containing streams. ATS is also re-circulated through a separate H2S Contactor/Absorber for absorption of and reaction with a Sour Water Stripper (SWS) off gas stream and additional H2S-Acid Gas (A.G.) streams to produce additional concentrated ATS. The process and equipment also provides the ability to readily switch between using ATS and ABS as the primary absorbent solution for SO2 absorption, depending upon the concentration of SO2 in the off gas feed streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Tessenderlo Kerley, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark P. Clarkson
  • Publication number: 20110020212
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for degasification of Claus-derived sulfur by the use of gas-liquid eductor using the liquid sulfur as the ejector motive force and ambient sweep air as the active degassing agent combined with a static mixer and packed bed for promoting the intimate contact of the air and the sulfur.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2010
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: KPS TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING LLC
    Inventors: Mark R. Tonjes, David K. Stevens, Lindsay D. Dreitzler, Alan D. Mosher
  • Patent number: 7824652
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and process utilizing ammonium thiosulfate solution (ATS) as the primary liquid absorption agent that is re-circulated through an SO2 Contactor/Absorber for high efficiency contacting and absorption of sulfur dioxide, SO2 from a combustion gas stream generated by incineration of a Claus Sulfur Recovery Unit (SRU) off gas stream (often referred to as a Claus tail gas stream) and also additional SO2 generated from incineration of additional sulfur containing streams. ATS is also re-circulated through a separate H2S Contactor/Absorber for absorption of and reaction with a Sour Water Stripper (SWS) off gas stream and additional H2S-Acid Gas (A.G.) streams to produce additional concentrated ATS. The process and equipment also provides the ability to readily switch between using ATS and ABS as the primary absorbent solution for SO2 absorption, depending upon the concentration of SO2 in the off gas feed streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Tessenderlo Kerley, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark P. Clarkson
  • Patent number: 7811544
    Abstract: A method for recovering sulfur from a sulfur-bearing process gas stream in which a process gas stream comprising H2S and/or SO2 is contacted with a lean mixture of a lean UCSRP solution and a catalyst for promotion of a reaction between H2S and SO2 in anon-UCSRP vessel at a temperature below which H2S and SO2 react, whereby at least a portion of the H2S and/or SO2 is absorbed by the lean UCSRP solution, forming a rich mixture of a rich UCSRP solution and the catalyst. The rich mixture is introduced into a UCSRP vessel and heated to a reaction temperature greater than or equal to a melting temperature of sulfur, forming elemental sulfur and H2O.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Gas Technology Institute
    Inventors: Dennis Leppin, Howard S. Meyer
  • Patent number: 7780942
    Abstract: A catalytic method for treating an H2S/SO2 mixture for producing liquid sulphur including the following steps: a) at least one step of heating the mixture containing H2S/SO2 to a temperature Tc; b) at least one step of catalytically reacting the heated mixture obtained in a) in the presence of at least one catalyst and at least one step of recovering the exiting mixture containing gaseous sulphur; and c) at least one step of converting the gaseous sulphur contained in the exiting mixture obtained at step b) into liquid sulphur, wherein between step b) and step c), the temperature Ts of said exiting mixture and the dew point Tr of the gaseous sulphur contained in said exiting mixture are measured and in that the heating temperature Tc of step a) is adjusted so that the temperature Ts is 5° C. to 30° C. above the dew point Tr.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Total Raffinage Marketing
    Inventor: Pierre Kaplan
  • Patent number: 7776308
    Abstract: In an apparatus for continuously recovering sulfur from a gas stream containing 0.1 to 3.0 vol-% H2S, further gaseous sulfur compounds and sulfur, the gas stream first is passed over a reduction stage consisting of hydrogenation catalyst and then over a selective oxidation stage consisting of oxidation catalyst. To reduce the amount of apparatus involved, it is provided to arrange the reduction stage and the selective oxidation stage in a reaction tank and to leave a space for introducing a gaseous cooling medium into the gas stream between the two stages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: LURGI GmbH
    Inventors: Walter Boll, Wofgang Nehb, Eckhard Jüngst
  • Patent number: 7749481
    Abstract: A method for removing hydrogen sulfide from a sour gas stream comprising hydrogen sulfide by oxidizing hydrogen sulfide in a converter by contacting the sour gas stream with an aqueous catalytic solution, thereby producing a desulfurized gas stream and a liquid stream comprising reduced catalyst and elemental sulfur, introducing an oxidant and the liquid stream comprising reduced catalyst and elemental sulfur into a high shear device and producing a dispersion wherein the mean bubble diameter of the oxidant gas in the dispersion is less than about 5 ?m, introducing the dispersion into a vessel from which a sulfur-containing slurry is removed and a regenerated catalyst stream is removed, wherein the sulfur slurry comprises elemental sulfur and aqueous liquid, and recycling at least a portion of the regenerated catalyst stream to the converter. A system of apparatus for carrying out the method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: H R D Corporation
    Inventors: Abbas Hassan, Ebrahim Bagherzadeh, Rayford G. Anthony, Gregory Borsinger, Aziz Hassan
  • Patent number: 7722852
    Abstract: Processes for the thermal reduction of sulfur dioxide to elemental sulfur are described and disclosed. The processes described include three general reaction sections, including the reaction furnace portion where the SO2-containing stream is combusted, the hydrogenation portion wherein the effluent from the reaction furnace is hydrogenated over an appropriate catalyst, and a Claus conversion portion, wherein residual H2S and SO2 are further reacted to produce additional elemental sulfur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: WorleyParsons Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Mahin Rameshni
  • Patent number: 7655213
    Abstract: A method for removing hydrogen sulfide to produce elemental sulfur from a synthesis gas feed stream containing hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, carbon dioxide and water using direct oxidation of hydrogen sulfide by contacting a feed stream containing synthesis gas with oxygen in the presence of a catalyst comprised of metal oxides to convert a substantial fraction of the hydrogen sulfide present in the feed stream into sulfur and water, followed by cooling the reaction products to a temperature below the dew point temperature of the water and sulfur, separating the reaction products into two streams, with the first stream containing elemental sulfur and water in liquid form and the second stream containing unreacted components from the synthesis gas, hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, carbon dioxide and water, and then recycling a portion of the unreacted components to the feed stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Duckett Winter, Raymond D. Steele
  • Patent number: 7611685
    Abstract: The inventive method for hydrogen sulphide and/or mercaptans decomposition consists in passing hydrogen sulphide and/or mercaptan-containing gas at a temperature less than 200° C. through a hard material layer (catalyst) which decomposes said hydrogen sulphide or mercaptans in such a way that hydrogen or hydrocarbons are released and sulphur-containing compounds are formed on a material surface. Said hard material is placed in a liquid medium layer. Said invention makes it possible to use a hard material (catalyst) without a periodical regeneration thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Institu Kataliza Imeni G. K. Boreskova Sibirskogo Otdeleniya Rossiiskoi Akademii Nauk
    Inventors: Anatolii Nikolaevich Startsev, Anastasia Viktorovna Pashigreva, Olga Valeryevna Voroshina, Ivan Ivanovich Zakharov, Valentin Nikolaevich Parmon
  • Publication number: 20090226364
    Abstract: A process for treating acid gases comprising hydrogen sulfide comprises introducing a first acid gas and a first oxygen-containing gas into a reducing furnace to produce a first oxidized gas stream, cooling the first oxidized gas stream in a first heat recovery system, introducing the cooled gas stream into a sulfur condenser to produce a sulfur-stripped gas, introducing the sulfur-stripped gas and a second oxygen-containing gas into an oxidizing furnace to produce a second oxidized gas stream and cooling the second oxidized gas stream in a second heat recovery system. The first acid gas can be acid gas comprising hydrogen sulfide produced in refineries. The spent acid can be spent sulfuric acid from a sulfuric acid alkylation process. The cooled second oxidized gas stream can be further treated in a spent acid recovery plant or a sulfur recovery unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2008
    Publication date: September 10, 2009
    Applicant: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Zeru Berhane Tekie, Luis Alberto Chu, Eugene F. Hartstein
  • Patent number: 7560088
    Abstract: A compact sulfur recovery system is disclosed which includes an upflow orientation for the gases through a primary structure including a catalytic partial oxidation reaction zone, a first temperature-control zone, a first Claus catalytic reaction zone, a second temperature-control zone, a first liquid sulfur outlet, and a first effluent gas outlet. The upward flow of the gases puts the hottest gases in contact with the tubes and tube sheet in the waste heat boiler where there is greater confidence in having liquid water in most continuous therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventors: Alfred E. Keller, Sriram Ramani, Nathan A. Hatcher, Joe D. Allison, Steven E. Lusk, Larry D. Swinney, Kerri J. Kirkendall, Gilbert E. Torres, Paul D. Stewart, Terry D. Pruitt
  • Patent number: 7550132
    Abstract: Process for the production of sulfur, obtained in pure form, and possibly easily disposable even at ambient temperature, starting from hydrogen sulphide contained in natural gas, which includes: a) oxidizing a portion of hydrogen sulphide to sulfur dioxide; b) dissolving in water the sulfur dioxide obtained in step (a); c) carrying out the reaction (I): 2H2S+SO2?3S+2H2O (I) making the remaining hydrogen sulphide to react with the solution prepared in step (b); and d) using the thus obtained sulfur suspension for the production sulfur or, alternatively, to use it for the disposal of the sulfur itself in a site reserved for such purpose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: ENI S.p.A.
    Inventors: Alberto De Angelis, Mauro Palazzina, Paolo Pollesel, Sandra Cobianco, Thomas Paul Lockhart
  • Patent number: 7531135
    Abstract: In a process and system for recovering sulfur from a process gas stream initially comprising a hydrogen sulfide containing gas and an oxygen containing gas, a control process and system respectively are provided. The sulfur recovery process includes a thermal step having a beginning followed by a catalytic step having an end. The control process includes first analyzing a composition of the process gas stream at a first location between the beginning of the thermal step and the end of the catalytic step, first controlling the oxygen containing gas having regard to that first composition, second analyzing the composition of the process gas stream at a second location downstream of the end of the catalytic step, and second controlling the oxygen containing gas having regard to that second composition. The sulfur recovery system and control system therefor are provided for performing the steps of the sulfur recovery process and control process respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Inventors: Paul E. d'Haêne, Peter S. Schermann
  • Patent number: 7531159
    Abstract: This invention teaches a process that includes extraction of gas in which the presence of foam results in the carry over in the outlet gas stream of excessive liquids and/or solids, including the steps of injecting the foam laden gas stream tangentially into a cyclonic separator having an axial gas outlet and a liquid outlet, under conditions in which the inlet stream is subjected to at least about 150 G's, the outlet gas being substantially liquids/solids free and the outlet liquid stream being conveyed for disposal or further processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: National Tank Company
    Inventors: Robert A. Lanning, F. Stephen Brusso, Gary W. Sams
  • Patent number: 7501111
    Abstract: Claus sulfur recovery plants that include one or more single-stage or multi-stage compact tubular Claus catalytic reactor-heat exchanger units are disclosed. In some instances, these new or improved Claus plants additionally include one or more compact heat exchanger containing cooling tubes that are filled with a heat transfer enhancement medium. The new compact tubular Claus catalytic reactor-heat exchanger units and HTEM-containing heat exchangers are also disclosed. A process for recovering sulfur from a hydrogen sulfide-containing gas stream, employing the new tubular Claus catalytic reactor-heat exchanger unit, and in some instances a HTEM-containing heat exchanger, are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Conoco Phillips Company
    Inventors: Alfred E. Keller, Sriram Ramani, Joe D. Allison, Steven E. Lusk, Nathan A. Hatcher, Larry D. Swinney, Rebecca S. Shaver
  • Publication number: 20080311030
    Abstract: In an apparatus for continuously recovering sulfur from a gas stream containing 0.1 to 3.0 vol-% H2S, further gaseous sulfur compounds and sulfur, the gas stream first is passed over a reduction stage consisting of hydrogenation catalyst and then over a selective oxidation stage consisting of oxidation catalyst. To reduce the amount of apparatus involved, it is provided to arrange the reduction stage and the selective oxidation stage in a reaction tank and to leave a space for introducing a gaseous cooling medium into the gas stream between the two stages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2006
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Applicant: LURGI AG
    Inventors: Walter Boll, Wolfgang Nehb, Eckhard Jungst
  • Patent number: 7419652
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for removing hydrogen sulfide and recovering sulfur from a gas stream, comprising the steps of: contacting said gas stream with an aqueous catalyst solution of a polyvalent metal redox catalyst in a contacting zone to absorb said hydrogen sulfide and form a reduced catalyst solution comprising reduced polyvalent metal redox catalyst and sulfur particles; oxidizing said reduced catalyst solution while removing sulfur particles to form said oxidized aqueous catalyst solution comprising polyvalent metal redox catalyst in an oxidized state with sulfur particles removed; and recovering sulfur by transferring at least one of said sulfur particles and foam to a separation zone; wherein a coagulating reagent is added to a feed of said separation zone prior to entering said separation zone to promote settlement of sulfur particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Research Institute of Petroleum Industry (RIPI)
    Inventors: Mohammad Reza Khattaty, Khaled Forsat, Reza Hashemi, Manafi Varkiani Hossein
  • Patent number: 7374742
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for removing sulfur species from a gas stream without the use of a sulfur species removal process, such as an amine scrub. The sulfur species are removed by directly subjecting the gas stream to a sulfur recovery process, such as a Claus or sub-dewpoint Claus process at high pressure and moderate temperatures, wherein the sulfur recovery process comprises a catalyst which does not comprise activated carbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Bechtel Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Geosits, Charles Kimtantas
  • Patent number: 7335253
    Abstract: The invention provides a process for preparing a sulphur cement product comprising the following steps: (a) selectively oxidising hydrogen sulphide to elemental sulphur by contacting, in a reaction zone, a hydrogen sulphide containing feed gas and a molecular-oxygen containing gas with a particulate oxidation catalyst under selective oxidation conditions; (b) discharging a stream comprising liquid and/or solid elemental sulphur and particulate oxidation catalyst from the reaction zone; (c) admixing the stream comprising elemental sulphur and particulate oxidation catalyst with at least any one of elemental sulphur, a sulphur cement filler, a sulphur cement modifier, or aggregate at a temperature at which sulphur is molten; (d) solidifying the mixture obtained in step (c) by cooling it to a temperature below the melting temperature of sulphur to obtain the sulphur cement product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Carolus Matthias Anna Maria Mesters, Marinus Johannes Reynhout, Guy Lode Magda Maria Verbist
  • Patent number: 7326397
    Abstract: A process for purifying a light hydrocarbon stream containing H2S is disclosed in which the selective catalytic partial oxidation of the H2S component is carried out while the hydrocarbon components slip through substantially unconverted. A catalyst that favors the partial oxidation of H2S over conversion of the hydrocarbon component of a gaseous H2S-light hydrocarbon mixture is employed. Apparatus for selectively cleaning up light hydrocarbon streams containing low concentrations (e.g., less than 25 vol. %), and apparatus for selectively cleaning up light hydrocarbon streams having higher concentrations (e.g., greater than 25 vol. %) of H2S are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventors: Sriram Ramani, Alfred E. Keller, Devadas Panjala
  • Patent number: 7311891
    Abstract: Recovering sulfur from a gas stream containing hydrogen sulfide by oxidizing the gas stream to convert the hydrogen sulfide in the gas stream to sulfur oxide, and thus form a sulfur oxide enriched gas stream. The sulfur oxide enriched gas stream is contacted with a solid, sulfation resistant adsorbent bed at relatively low temperatures to extract the sulfur oxides and retain them as sulfur compounds, thus forming a sulfur oxide depleted gas stream. The adsorbent bed is then contacted with an inert or reducing gas stream to reduce the retained sulfur compounds to sulfur and/or sulfur dioxide and thereby form an enriched sulfur and/or sulfur dioxide bearing stream. The elemental sulfur is recovered and/or the sulfur dioxide bearing stream may be recycled to the Claus unit for further conversion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: BASF Catalysts LLC
    Inventors: William Bachop Dolan, John Warren Byrne, Michael John Mitariten, Kenneth Butwell, Alfonse Maglio
  • Patent number: 7297651
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for removing sulfur particles from an aqueous catalyst solution used to remove hydrogen sulfide from a gas stream (1, 5), comprising the steps of directing a flow of a suspension (12) comprising reduced catalyst solution and sulfur particles to an oxidizer zone (20), where the catalyst solution is regenerated by contacting said suspension with a gas (22) containing oxygen; and removing sulfur from said suspension at least by gravity sedimentation at a bottom (21) of said oxidizer zone (20). According to the invention a flow deflecting means (34) is disposed at least at an outlet (35) for the oxidized catalyst solution leaving said oxidizer zone (20) such as to prevent any turbulent state caused at least by a stream of oxidized catalyst solution leaving said oxidizer zone (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Research Institute of Petroleum Industry
    Inventors: Mohammad Reza Khattaty, Khaled Forsat, Reza Hashemi, Hossein Manafi Varkiani
  • Patent number: 7291320
    Abstract: A process for the selective oxidation of hydrogen sulphide in a hydrogen sulphide containing feed gas to elemental sulphur, wherein the hydrogen sulphide containing feed gas (3), an inert liquid medium (5), and a molecular-oxygen containing gas (4) are supplied to a reaction zone (1) comprising at least one catalytic zone (2) comprising an oxidation catalyst to form elemental sulphur and a gaseous stream depleted in hydrogen sulphide (8), in which process the oxidation catalyst of each catalytic zone (2) is contacted with hydrogen sulphide and/or molecular-oxygen in the presence of inert liquid medium at a temperature in the range of from 120 to 160° C., under such conditions that the elemental sulphur formed is essentially in liquid form and is removed from the reaction zone with the inert liquid medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: John Wilhelm Geus, Carolus Matthias Anna Maria Mesters, Ronald Jan Schoonebeek