METHOD OF RECOVERING SULFUROUS COMPONENTS IN A SULFUR-RECOVERY PROCESS

摘要

H2S is removed from an H2s-rich gas (1) and sulfur (60) is produced, by aprocess in which the H2S-rich gas is reacted with SO2 (24) in a reactor (101)in the presence of an organic solvent and a catalyst. An H2S-containing off-gas (5) is removed from the reactor (101) and is combusted (104) to produce anSO2-rich combustion gas (10). Preferably, the reactor off-gas is combustedwith a substoichiometric amount of oxygen so that the combustion gas alsocontains water vapor and sulfur vapor. The combustion gas is cooled by directquench (234) or indirect heat exchange to produce an aqueous stream (31)containing primarily water, suspended solid sulfur and polythionic acids (e.g.Wackenroder's liquid), and the aqueous stream is used to provide cooling forthe H2S-SO2 reaction. Problems associated with production and handling ofWackenroder's liquids are overcome and sulfur values in these materials arerecovered.