Direct sulfur recovery during sorbent regeneration. Final report

Abstract

The objective of this research project was to improve the direct elemental sulfur yields that occur during the regeneration of SO{sub 2}-saturated MgO-vermiculite sorbents (MagSorbents) by examining three approaches or strategies. The three approaches were regeneration-gas recycle, high-pressure regeneration, and catalytic reduction of the SO{sub 2} gas using a new catalyst developed by Research Triangle Institute (RTI). Prior to the project, Sorbent Technologies Corporation (Sorbtech) had developed a sorbent-regeneration process that yielded directly a pure elemental sulfur product. In the process, typically about 25 to 35 percent of the liberated S0{sub 2} was converted directly to elemental sulfur. The goal of this project was to achieve a conversion rate of over 90 percent. Good success was attained in the project. About 90 percent or more conversion was achieved with two of the approaches that were examined, regeneration-gas recycle and use of the RTI catalyst. Of these approaches, regeneration-gas recycle gave the best results (essentially 100 percent conversion in some cases). In the regeneration-gas recycle approach, saturated sorbent is simply heated to about 750{degree}C in a reducing gas (methane) atmosphere. During heating, a gas containing elemental sulfur, water vapor, H{sub 2}S, S0{sub 2}, and C0{sub 2} is evolved. The elemental sulfur and water vapor in the gas stream are condensed and removed, and the remaining gas is recycled back through the sorbent bed. After several recycles, the S0{sub 2} and H{sub 2}S completely disappear from the gas stream, and the stream contains only elemental sulfur, water vapor and C0{sub 2}.