“Amine” in refinery and gas processing applications usually refers to a mixture of alkanolamines in water. The solution is basic and will absorb acidic compounds like H2S and CO2 and has been used extensively for H2S and CO2 removal in both liquid and gas process streams. H2S and CO2 absorbed in an amine solution can […]
The most common SRU configuration is the Modified Claus Process. One-third of the H2S in the incoming feed is combusted to SO2 in a Thermal Reactor with temperatures usually ranging from 1800-2400°F. The remaining two-thirds of the H2S combines with the SO2 in the Thermal Reactor and 50-60% is converted to sulfur (S). Thermal Reactor […]
The phonic spelling ‘Sulfur’ is the common spelling in North American English, while British English uses the ‘ph’ – Sulphur spelling. The French “soufre” entered English in the late 14th century, and both spellings have been used for many centuries. The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) addressed this issue as late as […]
The Claus process was first patented in 1883 by the German chemist Carl Friedrich Claus. His discovery, the Claus Reaction, is the basis for what has become the industry standard for sulfur recovery. This basic chemistry occurs in both the Thermal Reactor (thermal process) and across multiple catalytic reactors (catalytic process) of a traditional Sulfur […]
Carbonyl Sulfide (COS) and Carbon Disulfide (CS2) are produced by side reactions in the Thermal Reactor of a Sulfur Recovery Unit. COS and CS2 exist in relatively low concentrations in the process gas but can have a significant impact on sulfur recovery efficiency since they do not take part in the Claus reaction. However, most […]
Thermal Oxidizers are air pollution control systems used in many processes to oxidize and decompose hazardous, flammable, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) contained in the exhaust of many manufacturing and processing plants. Oxidizing and decomposing these compounds at high temperatures before they are released into the environment helps reduce smog and air pollution and, in […]
Debottlenecking means improving the efficiency and / or throughput of a chemical process by identifying the limiting factors and eliminating them. Sulfur Recovery Unit capacity is often limited by waste heat boilers and condensers. These are the most expensive pieces of equipment in a Sulfur Recovery Unit and are normally designed at maximum expected throughput. […]
Sour water is any water stream that contains H2S, CO2, or NH3 (ammonia). Gas plants typically don’t require sour water treatment because the volumes are small enough to be discharged to a plant sewer or removed by a tank truck. Refineries are a whole different story. Sources of sour water in refineries include dissolved water […]
Sulfur is primarily used to produce Sulfuric Acid (H2SO4), a precursor for many other manufacturing processes and fertilizer production. It is used to manufacture cellophane, batteries, as a vulcanizing agent for rubber, as a bleaching agent in paper production, and is a common element in pharmaceutical production. It is also an elemental macronutrient for all […]
Sulfur is a nonmetallic chemical element with an atomic number of 16 and is a solid at ambient temperatures. Historically called brimstone, is estimated to be the tenth (10th) most abundant element in the universe and the fifth (5th) most abundant element on earth. The earth’s crust contains approximately 0.03 to 0.1% sulfur by weight. […]
Tail Gas, or SRU Tail Gas, is the final gas stream leaving a Sulfur Recovery Unit after most of the Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) has been removed. A typical SRU operating at design conditions can remove between 95-97% of the incoming sulfur in the feed stream. Overall recovery efficiency depends on a variety of factors. The […]
