Removal sulfurous gases

The Eastman Chemicals from Coal faciUty is a series of nine complex interrelated plants. These plants include air separation, slurry preparation, gasification, acid gas removal, sulfur recovery, CO /H2 separation, methanol, methyl acetate, and acetic anhydride. A block flow diagram of the process is shown in Eigure 3. The faciUty covers an area of 2.2 x 10 (55 acres) at Eastman s main plant site in Kingsport, Teimessee. The air separation plant is... 

Sulfur Compounds. Various gas streams are treated by molecular sieves to remove sulfur contaminants. In the desulfurization of wellhead natural gas, the unit is designed to remove sulfur compounds selectively, but not carbon dioxide, which would occur in Hquid scmbbing processes. Molecular sieve treatment offers advantages over Hquid scmbbing processes in reduced equipment size because the acid gas load is smaller in production economics because there is no gas shrinkage (leaving CO2 in the residue gas) and in the fact that the gas is also fliUy dehydrated, alleviating the need for downstream dehydration. 

In magnesium casting, sulfur dioxide is employed as an inert blanketing gas. Another foundry appHcation is as a rapid curing catalyst for furfuryl resins in cores. Surprisingly, in view of the many efforts to remove sulfur dioxide from flue gases, there are situations where sulfur dioxide is deHberately introduced. In power plants burning low sulfur coal and where particulate stack emissions are a problem, a controUed amount of sulfur dioxide injection improves particulate removal. 

The formation of sulfuric acid cannot be economically retarded in the combustion process. The best method of eliminating sulfuric acid as a combustion product is to remove sulfur from the incoming fuel gas. Two separate sweetening processes are used to remove all sulfur from the fuel gas that will be burned. 

Current methods for removing sulfur from the hydrogen sulfide gas streams are typically a combination of two processes the Claus Process followed by the Beaven Process, SCOT Process, or the Wellman-Land Process. 

Developed by Allied Chemical Company, this process is selective toward removing sulfur compounds. Levels of CO2 can be reduced bv annroximately 85%. This process may be used economically when there a ligh acid-gas partial pressures and the absence of heavy ends in iJic gas., but it will not normally meet pipeline gas requirements. This proc also removes water to less than 7 Ib/MMscf. DIPA can be added to I... 

Cj s and C s include propane, propylene, normal butane, isobutane, and butylene. Propylene and butylene are used to make ethers and alkylate, which are blended to produce high-octane gasoline. Most gas plants also include treating facilities to remove sulfur from these products. 

Where low-grade coal is burned, electrostatic precipitators or fabric filters may be required for flue-gas particulate collection and a wet desulfurization system (gas scrubbers) to remove sulfur from the flue gas. 

Sulfur is widely distributed as sulfide ores, which include galena, PbS cinnabar, HgS iron pyrite, FeS, and sphalerite, ZnS (Fig. 15.11). Because these ores are so common, sulfur is a by-product of the extraction of a number of metals, especially copper. Sulfur is also found as deposits of the native element (called brimstone), which are formed by bacterial action on H,S. The low melting point of sulfur (115°C) is utilized in the Frasch process, in which superheated water is used to melt solid sulfur underground and compressed air pushes the resulting slurry to the surface. Sulfur is also commonly found in petroleum, and extracting it chemically has been made inexpensive and safe by the use of heterogeneous catalysts, particularly zeolites (see Section 13.14). One method used to remove sulfur in the form of H2S from petroleum and natural gas is the Claus process, in which some of the H2S is first oxidized to sulfur dioxide ... 

The 1970 s also brought about increased use of three-phase systems in environmental applications. A three-phase fluidized bed system, known as the Turbulent Bed Contactor, was commercially used in the 1970 s to remove sulfur dioxide and particulates from flue gas generated by coal combustion processes. This wet scrubbing process experienced several... 

Cleanair A process for pretreating gas streams before the Claus and Stretford processes for removing sulfur compounds. Developed by the J. F. Pritchard Company. 

CrystalSulf A process which uses a nonaqueous solvent/catalyst system to remove sulfuric acid from high-pressure natural gas. This project, part of the GRI Basic Research programme, has been conducted by Radian Corporation. 

Ebara [Electron beam ammonia reaction] A dry process for removing sulfur and nitrogen oxides from flue-gas. A beam of high energy electrons is injected into the gas, to which a stoichiometric quantity of ammonia has been added. The product, a mixture of ammonium sulfate and ammonium nitrate, is collected downstream by an electrostatic precipitator or a bag filter. Developed by Ebara Corporation, Japan, and piloted in Indianapolis in 1986. 

Hydromag A process for removing sulfur dioxide from industrial gas streams by absorption in magnesia. Developed in Japan by Nissan Chemical Industries. 

Hydrosulfreen A process for removing sulfur compounds from the tail gas from the Claus process. It combines the Sulfreen process with an upstream hydrolysis/oxidation stage, which improves efficiency and optimizes the emission control. Developed jointly by Lurgi and Societe National Elf Aquitaine, and installed in 1990 in the Mazovian Refining and Petrochemical Works, near Warsaw, Poland. See also Oxysulfreen. 

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