Application: The D’GAASS Sulfur Degassing Process removes dissolved H2S and H2Sx from produced liquid sulfur. Undegassed sulfur can create odor problems and poses toxic and explosive hazards during the storage and transport of liquid sulfur.
Description: Degasification is accomplished in a pressurized vertical vessel where undegassed sulfur is efficiently contacted with pressurized process air (instrument or clean utility air). The contactor vessel may be located at any convenient location. The undegassed sulfur is pumped to the vessel and intimately contacted with air across special fixed vessel internals.
Operation at elevated pressure and a controlled temperature accelerates the oxidation of H2S and polysulfides (H2Sx ) to sulfur. The degassed sulfur can be sent to storage or directly to loading without additional pumping. Operation at elevated pressure allows the overhead vapor stream to be routed to the traditional incinerator location, or to the SRU main burner or TGTU line burner—thus eliminating the degassing unit as an SO2 emission source.
Economics: D’GAASS achieves 10 ppmw combined H2S/H2Sx in product sulfur without using catalyst. Elevated pressure results in the following benefits: low capital investment, very small footprint, low operating cost and low air requirement. Operation is simple, requiring minimal operator and maintenance time. No chemicals, catalysts, etc., are required.
Reference: US Patent 5,632,967.
Licensor: Goar, Allison & Associates, Inc., an Air Products Company.
