Process for Producing a Gas Stream Depleted of Hydrogen Sulphide

• Main Authors: MESTERS CAROLUS MATTHIAS ANNA MARIA, VAN DEN BORN ISAAC CORNELIS
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 17.09.2009
• Subjects: PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; SEPARATION; TRANSPORTING

The invention provides a process for producing a gas stream depleted of H2S from a feed gas stream comprising H2S, the process comprising the steps of: (a) selectively oxidizing H2S by supplying the feed gas stream comprising H2S, an inert liquid medium and a molecular-oxygen comprising gas stream to a reaction zone comprising at least one catalytic zone comprising an oxidation catalyst and contacting the oxidation catalyst of each catalytic zone with the feed gas stream and/or the molecular-oxygen comprising gas stream in the presence of inert liquid medium at a temperature in the range of from 120 to 160° C. to form elemental sulphur and the gas stream depleted of H2S, under such conditions that the elemental sulphur formed is essentially in liquid form and is removed from the reaction zone with inert liquid medium to obtain a liquid stream comprising inert liquid medium and essentially liquid elemental sulphur; (b) optionally separating the liquid stream obtained in step (a) into a first liquid phase enriched in inert liquid medium and a second liquid phase enriched in liquid elemental sulphur; (c) combusting at least part of the liquid stream obtained in step (a) or at least part of the second liquid phase obtained in step (b) to form a fluid stream comprising sulphur dioxide.