Studies on the Regeneration of Sulfided Iron Oxide Sorbent with Steam-Air Mixtures. Final Technical Report

摘要

The work reported here was performed as a continuation of studies conducted previously at West Virginia University (WVU), Department of Chemical Engineering on a hot-fuel-gas desulfurization process using a regenerable iron oxide-silica sorbent. The overall process consists of two stages: the absorption or the H sub 2 S removal stage and the sorbent regeneration stage. In the absorption stage the iron oxide reacts with H sub 2 S to form iron sulfide. For regeneration of the sulfided sorbent, various schemes have been proposed. Studies at WVU have been aimed at identifying the important reactions involved in absorption and regeneration stages, elucidating their mechanisms and investigating detailed kinetics. In the first two phases of the study, reactions in H sub 2 S absorption and in sorbent regeneration by air/SO sub 2 were investigated. This report addresses regeneration of the sulfided sorbent using steam-air mixtures. Experiments were conducted in a thermo-gravimetric analyzer (TGA) apparatus. The weight changes were recorded as a function of time during the reactions of iron sulfide (in the presulfided sorbent) with nitrogen-stream and air-steam mixtures. In addition, several solid samples at different conversion levels were anlayzed by LECO sulfur anlaysis technique and by Mossbauer spectroscopy. Based on these results, a reaction mechanism has been postulated. Additional work is necessary to investigate the gas-phase reactions which may be taking place simultaneously in a fixed - or a fluidized-bed reactor, and to formulate the overall reaction scheme. 14 figures, 3 tables. (ERA citation 08:011626)