Sulfur Recovery
Chapter 16
Based on presentation by Prof. Art Kidnay
Plant Block Schematic
Adapted from Figure 7.1,
Fundamentals of Natural Gas Processing, 2nd ed.
Kidnay, Parrish, & McCartney
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Topics
Introduction Properties of sulfur Sulfur recovery processes
▪ Claus Process ▪ Claus Tail Gas Cleanup
Sulfur storage Safety and environmental considerations
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Introduction &
Properties of Sulfur
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Sulfur Crystals
http://www.irocks.com/minerals/specimen/34046 http://www.mccullagh.org/image/10d-5/sulfur.html
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Molten Sulfur
http://www.kamgroupltd.com/En/Post/7/Basic-info-on-elemental-Sulfur(HSE)
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World Consumption of Sulfur
Primary usage of sulfur to make sulfuric acid
(90 – 95%)
▪ Other major uses are rubber processing, cosmetics, & pharmaceutical
applications
China primary market
Ref: https://ihsmarkit.com/products/sulfur-chemical-economics-handbook.html
Report published December 2017
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Sulfur Usage & Prices
Natural gas & petroleum
production accounts for the
majority of sulfur production Primary consumption is agriculture & industry
▪ 65% for farm fertilizer: sulfur → sulfuric acid → phosphoric acid → fertilizer
$50 per ton essentially disposal cost
▪ Chinese demand caused runup in 2007-2008
Ref: http://ictulsa.com/energy/
Updated December 24, 2018
“Cleaning up their act”, Gordon Cope,
Hydrocarbon Engineering, pp 24-27, March 2011
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U.S. sulfur production
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Sulfur Chemical Structure
Pure sulfur exists as SX where X = 1 to 8
▪ The dominant species are S2, S6, &
S8
May be in ring structure or open chain
Species determined by temperature
This composition greatly affects its properties!
Octasulfur, S8
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Sulfur Vapor Species
1.0
S8
0.8
S2
0.6 0.4
S6
0.2 0.0
- 200
- 400
- 600
- 800
- 1000
- 1200
- 1400
Temperature, °F
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Viscosity of Molten Sulfur
105
Pure Sulfur
104 103 102 101 100
- 400
- 600
Temperature, °C
300
- 500
- 700
- 800
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Viscosity of Molten Sulfur
105
Pure Sulfur
H2S Partial Pressure,
104
psia
0.0015
0.015
103
0.15 1.5
102
14.7
101 100
- 400
- 600
Temperature, °C
- 300
- 500
- 700
- 800
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Viscosity of liquid sulfur
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Sulfur recovery processes
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Sulfur Recovery
Typically a modified Claus process
▪ H2S rich stream burned with 1/3 stoichiometric air. Hot gases are then
passed over alumina catalyst to produce free sulfur
- Combustion:
- H2S + 1.5·O2 H2O + SO2
Claus Reaction: 2·H2S + SO2 D 2·H2O + 3·S
▪ Sulfur formation reaction mildly exothermic
▪ Sulfur conversion reactors kept above 400oF (sulfur dew point)
The Claus reaction is reversible – therefore, 100% conversion can
never be achieved
▪ Practically, Claus units are limited to about 96% recovery ▪ Tail gas units are used to provide improved conversion
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Modified Claus Process
Petroleum Refining Technology & Economics – 5th Ed.
by James Gary, Glenn Handwerk, & Mark Kaiser, CRC Press, 2007
Converters 400 – 700oF
Burner & Reactor above 1800oF
2300-2700oF for NH3 destruction
GPSA Engineering Data Book, 13th ed.,
Fig. 22-2, 2012
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Temperature Regimes for the Claus Process
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Straight-through Claus Process
gas reheat gas reheat
450°F
gas reheat waste heat
boiler
- 420°F
- 400°F
Claus #3
HP steam
Claus #1
590°F
Claus #2 acid
gas
LP
- 453°F
- 300°F 407°F
LP steam
LP
600°F
270°F
steam
375°F
steam 350°F
110°F 8 psig
condens condenser er
- condenser
- condenser
condenser
boiler feed air
water (BFW)
BFW
BFW
sulfur
BFW reaction
furnace
- sulfur
- sulfur
- sulfur
1700 - 2400°F
tail gas
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Equilibrium Conversion of H2S to S
Temperature, o C
- 204
- 427
- 871
- 1316
- 1538
- 649
- 1093
100
80 60 40
melting point boiling point
- 0
- 400
- 800
- 1200
- 1600
- 2000
- 2400
- 2800
Temperature, °F
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Equilibrium Conversion of H2S to S
100
Claus #3
Furnace & waste heat boiler
Claus #2
- 1700 - 2400F
- Claus #1
80 60 40
melting point boiling point
- 0
- 400
- 800
- 1200
- 1600
- 2000
- 2400
- 2800
Temperature, °F
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Hydrocarbons in the Claus Process
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Claus Process
Use multiple stages to obtain highest conversion
▪ Typically three
Various flow patterns
▪ Straight-through – best, used whenever possible
▪ Split flow – best at low H2S feed concentrations (5 to 30 mol% H2S)
▪ Sulfur recycle < 5% H2S ▪ Direct oxidation < 5% H2S
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Claus Process
Claus unit feed usually contains H2S and CO2 High concentrations of noncombustible components (CO2, N2)
▪ Lower flame temperature ▪ Difficult to maintain stable combustion furnace flame temperatures below
1700oF
Solutions include
▪ Preheating air ▪ Preheating acid gas feed ▪ Enriching oxygen in air ▪ Using split-flow process
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Split-flow Claus Process
gas reheat gas reheat gas reheat
HP steam
- Claus #3
- Claus #2
- Claus #2
- Claus #1
- 2/3 flow
1/3 flow
- LP
- LP
steam
LP steam steam acid gas
condenser
BFW ccoonnddeennsseerr
- condenser
- condenser
- condenser
- condenser
air
boiler feed water (BFW)
BFW
- sulfur
- sulfur
- sulfur
reaction
furnace sulfur tail gas
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Typical Claus Configurations
Approximate
concentration of
Process variation
H2S in feed
(mol%)
55 - 100
30 - 55
15 - 30
10 - 15
5 - 10
Straight-through Straight-through + acid gas and/or air preheat
Split-flow or acid gas and/or air preheat
Split-flow with acid gas and/or air preheat Split-flow with fuel added, O2 enrichment, or with acid gas and air preheat
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Tail Gas Clean Up
Three process categories: Direct oxidation of H2S to sulfur (Superclaus)
2 H2S + O2 → 2 S + 2 H2O
Sub-dew point Claus processes (Cold Bed Adsorption) SO2 reduction and recovery of H2S (SCOT)
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Claus Tail Gas Cleanup
Conventional 3-stage Claus units recover 96 to 97.5% of sulfur
▪ Remainder was burned to SO2 and vented
▪ Adding fourth stage results in 97 to 98.5% recovery
Regulations now require 99.8 to 99.9% recovery
Meeting regulations requires modified technology
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Shell Claus Offgas Treating (SCOT)
Four step process:
▪ Mix feed with reducing gas (H2 and CO)
▪ Convert all sulfur compounds to H2S ▪ Cool the reactor gas ▪ Strip H2S using amine
To Stack
Claus Tail Gas
H2S Recycle
Reducing Gas
Catalytic Reactor
Air
Furnace
Fuel
- Low Pressure
- Low Pressure
Steam
H2O
Steam Reboiler
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SCOT Process
To Stack
Claus Tail Gas
Reducing Gas
H2S Recycle
Catalytic Reactor
Air
Furnace
Fuel
Low Pressure
Steam
Low Pressure Steam Reboiler
H2O
Mix Claus tail
gas with H2 and sulfur compounds to H2S
CO and heat in Reactions:
Catalytically convert all
Cool reactor gas
Strip H2S from gas & recycle to
(exiting at ~570oF Claus in waste heat
Typically use MDEA – can get to
SO2 + 3H2 → H2S + 2H2O
S2 + 2H2 → 2H2S COS + H2O → CO2+ H2S CS2 + 2H2O → CO2 + H2S
inline burner
exchanger and
water wash to complete cooling.
low H2S levels in Stack Gas &
slip CO2 so it doesn’t build up in
the recycle gas
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