Increase capacity up to 200% in existing Claus sulfur recovery units, or for a more economical design of grassroots Claus sulfur recovery units.
The modified Claus reaction is carried out with direct oxygen combustion. By using a proprietary thermal reactor burner (1), levels of 80–90% net oxygen can be utilized. Combustion temperature moderation is achieved without the need for any type of gas recycle. Oxygen is combusted with the acid gas in the center of an extremely hot flame core, while air is introduced around the outside of this flame, combusting the balance of the acid gas. Considerable cracking of H2S to hydrogen and sulfur occurs in the hot flame core as thermodynamic equilibrium is approached. Carbon dioxide is also reduced to carbon monoxide. These endothermic reactions provide proven temperature moderation consistent with conventional refractory/insulating brick materials. The level of produced hydrogen then decreases in the waste-heat boiler as the hot gas is cooled, since equilibrium of the H2S-cracking reaction is favored by high temperatures. Heat generated by the exothermic reverse reaction is removed in the waste-heat boiler (2). Downstream recovery of elemental sulfur s accomplished by the conventional modified Claus process using a series of catalytic reactors (3) and sulfur condensers (4). No specialized equipment or changes to conventional design practices are required.
Ammonia-containing sour water stripper offgas can also be processed. The ammonia is combusted with air in a separate central burner muffle at near-oxidizing conditions.
Units may be operated in a base-load mode with air only. Peak shaving, as well as operation at full design capacity, is accomplished with air and oxygen.
Economics: For a reference 200-tpd sulfur recovery unit (Claus and tail gas unit) requiring 99.9% overall sulfur recovery, capital cost savings of $1.6 million to $2.5 million are achievable with oxygen enrichment as compared to an air-only design.
Based on typical pipeline oxygen costs of $35 per ton, even if oxygen enrichment were used 100% of the time, it would take over eight years for oxygen costs to equal the incremental capital savings.
Licensors: Lurgi Oel-Gas-Chemie GmbH and The Pritchard Corporation (US only)
