Numerical Analysis of Hydrogen Sulphide Conversion to Hydrogen during Its Pyrolysis and Partial Oxidation

Abstract

Production of hydrogen during pyrolysis and partial oxidation of hydrogen sulphide is analyzed on the basis of a detailed kinetic model of H2S oxidation. It is shown that the H2 yield in the case of H2S pyrolysis in an adiabatic flow reactor with a residence time of ≈1 s is rather small. Even for the initial temperature of the mixture T0 = 1400 K, the molar fraction of H2 is only 12%, though the equilibrium value is reached within the reactor in this case. At T0 φb and low values of T0 is essentially nonequilibrium; as a result, the H2 concentration at the exit from a finite-length reactor can be higher than its equilibrium value, e.g., the relative yield of H2 can exceed the equilibrium value by 30–40% at T0 = 800 K and φ = 6–10. The reasons responsible for reaching a “superequilibrium” concentration of H2 at the flow reactor exit are determined.