Apparatus for Producing Elemental Sulfur from Highly Concentrated Hydrogen Sulfide-Containing Gases

Abstract

A device is proposed for producing sulfur, in the form of a cylindrical reactor with several catalyst blocks consisting of heat exchange elements with an internal space for the passage of the coolant; the space between the elements is filled with a granular catalyst. The device additionally contains a steam heater for hydrogen sulfide-containing gas, a section for condensing sulfur vapors (surface condenser located below the catalyst units), and a thermosyphon device for removing reaction heat from the catalyst blocks. In this case, the catalyst units are equipped with devices for distribution of oxygen-containing gas over the cross section of the apparatus. The thermosyphon device is composed of a manifold distributor of the liquid heat carrier, a manifold-collector of the vapor-liquid mixture, and a separation space, which houses a steam heater of the hydrogen sulfide-containing gas. When highly concentrated hydrogen sulfide is oxidized (up to 90 vol. %) on the experimental apparatus, the sulfur removal is 4.0–4.1 kg/hr for every 1 liter of catalyst, the sulfur yield is 99.6% and a high-potential vapor is obtained (250°C, 4.0 MPa).