PROCEDE POUR OXYDER DIRECTEMENT EN SOUFRE PAR VOIE CATALYTIQUE L'H2S CONTENU EN FAIBLE CONCENTRATION DANS UN GAZ ET CATALYSEUR POUR LA MISE EN OEUVRE DE CE PROCEDE

• Main Authors: PHILIPPE ANDRE, CROUZET CLAUDE, PHAM HUU CUONG, SAVIN PONCET SABINE, LEDOUX MARC J, NOUGAYREDE JEAN
• Format: Patent
• Language: French
• Published: 20.12.1996
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOIDCHEMISTRY; CHEMISTRY; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; INORGANIC CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY; NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; SEPARATION; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS; TRANSPORTING

PCT No. PCT/FR95/01524 Sec. 371 Date Nov. 19, 1997 Sec. 102(e) Date Nov. 19, 1997 PCT Filed Nov. 20, 1995 PCT Pub. No. WO97/19019 PCT Pub. Date May 29, 1997A process for catalytically oxidizing the H2S present at low concentration in a gas to sulphur wherein the gas together with a gas containing free oxygen in a quantity to provide and O2 to H2S mole ratio ranging from 0.05 to 10 are contacted with a catalyst for selectively oxidizing H2S to sulphur, the catalyst comprising a support based on silicon carbide associated with a catalytic active phase containing at least one transition metal such as Fe, Ni, Cr, Co, Cu, Ag, Mn, Mo, Ti, W or V, in a form of a metal compound and/or in the elemental state. Prior to treating the gas, the oxidation catalyst is subjected to an activation treatment which loads the active phase of the catalyst to provide maximum sulphurization of the metal of the catalyst. In an alternate embodiment, the oxidation of the H2S is performed below the dew point of the sulphur. In another embodiment, the oxidation is performed at a temperature above the dew point of sulphur and in particular between 200 DEG C. and 500 DEG C. Also disclosed is a catalyst for selectively oxidizing H2S to sulphur which comprises a catalytically active phase based on at least one transition metal such as indicated above in combination with a silicon carbide support.