The catalytic conversion of HCN and COS is a cost effective technology to abate the harmful effects these components have in gas streams.
This hydrolysis technology has three main fields of application:
1. Syngas treatment upstream of an amine unit for coal or oil gasification processes.
2. Other syngas treatments where HCN and/or COS presence is not acceptable to downstream processing units such as gas -to-liquid processes, e.g., the Shell middle distillate synthesis process.
3. FCC dry gas treatment to avoid problems in downstream treating units.
In the gasification process, for example, syngas is produced, which is mainly comprised of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. However, contaminants such COS and HCN are also formed. A deep removal of both these contaminants is not possible using “conventional” amine treating solvents. However, catalytic HCN/COS hydrolysis technology is a cost effective alternative to avoid the harmful effects of these compounds downstream of the process.
Syngas is water scrubbed for soot removal. Consequently, the water saturated gas is heated to a desired temperature before the syngas enters a HCN/COS hydrolysis reactor. In this reactor, catalytic hydrolysis of HCN and COS takes place to produce CO, H2S, CO2 and ammonia.
After the HCN/COS reactor, the syngas is first cooled and then fed into an ammonia scrubber to remove the water-soluble components. The condensed water is sent to water treatment and the syngas is routed to downstream processing units.
Licensor: Shell Global Solutions International B.V.
