HYBRID SULFUR RECOVERY PROCESS FOR NATURAL GAS UPGRADING LAST TECHNICAL REPORT BEFORE NOVATION FROM URS CORP. TO CRYSTATECH, INC.

Srinivas, Girish ; Gebhard, Steven C. ; DeBerry, David W.

National Energy Technology Laboratory (U.S.)

关键词: Natural Gas;    Oxidation;    Testing;    Economics;    Operating Cost;   

DOI  :  10.2172/788927
RP-ID  :  FC26-99FT40725--01
RP-ID  :  FC26-99FT40725
RP-ID  :  788927

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

This project was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to test a hybrid sulfur recovery process for natural gas upgrading. The process concept represents a low cost option for direct treatment of natural gas streams to remove H{sub 2}S in quantities equivalent to 0.2-25 metric tons (LT) of sulfur per day. This process is projected to have lower capital and operating costs than the competing technologies, amine/aqueous iron liquid redox and amine/Claus/tail gas treating, and have a smaller plant footprint, making it well suited to both on-shore and offshore applications. CrystaSulf (service mark of Gas Research Institute) is a new nonaqueous sulfur recovery process that removes hydrogen sulfide (H{sub 2}S) from gas streams and converts it into elemental sulfur. CrystaSulf features high sulfur recovery similar to aqueous-iron liquid redox sulfur recovery processes, but differs from the aqueous processes in that CrystaSulf controls the location where elemental sulfur particles are formed. In the hybrid process, approximately 1/3 of the total H{sub 2}S in the natural gas is first oxidized to SO{sub 2} at low temperatures over a heterogeneous catalyst. Low temperature oxidation is done so that the H{sub 2}S can be oxidized in the presence of methane while avoiding methane oxidation. The project involved the development of a detailed plan for laboratory and bench scale-up application, laboratory/bench-scale catalyst testing, and demonstration of scale-up economic advantages. The bench-scale tests examined two different catalysts that are promoted modifications of TDA's patented partial oxidation catalyst used to make elemental sulfur. The experiments showed that catalyst TDA No.2 is superior for use with the hybrid CrystaSulf process in that much higher yields of SO{sub 2} can be obtained. Continued testing is planned.