Introduction 1
Introduction 1
Sulphur that is mined or recovered from oil and gas production is known as
elemental sulphur, or brimstone. Sulphur can be combined with other
elements to form various compounds. Sulphur compounds, such as sulphuric
acid, also are produced as a by-product of ferrous and non-ferrous metal
smelting. Other compounds, such as sulphur dioxide, may be emitted from
petroleum products used in cars and coal generating electricity. Plants
absorb sulphur from the soil as sulphate.
Elemental sulphur is produced all over the world. Largest production occurs
where sour (meaning sulphur-rich) gas and oil is processed and refined:
United States, Canada, the Former Soviet Union, and West Asia.
Sulfur hazards:
Physics:
1. This raw ingredient has no taste or smell, and is a yellowish-white
compound.
3. Its melting point is 115.21 degrees Celsius, and its boiling point is
444.60 degrees Celsius, with density is 2.067.
5. Its color also changes from yellow when heated to dark red, until it
reaches black at a temperature of 250 degrees Celsius.
Atomic number 16
3
Density )g/cm ) 2.07
Melting point (oc) 112.8 oc
boiling point (oc) 444.6 oc
Atomic weight )g) 32.066
Electronegativity 2.58
Electrical conductivity 2.5
Ionic energy 999
Chemical:
1. Reaction between Sulphur and Oxygen
Over 5.9 million megagrams (Mg) (6.5 million tons) of sulfur were recovered
in 1989, representing about 63 percent of the total elemental sulfur market
in the U. S. The remainder was mined or imported. The average production
rate of a sulfur recovery plant in the U. S. varies from 51 to 203 Mg (56 to 224
tons) per day.
Process Description
Hydrogen sulfide, a byproduct of crude oil and natural gas processing, is
recovered and converted to elemental sulfur by the Claus process. Figure (1)
shows a typical Claus sulfur recovery unit.
The Claus process involves burning one-third of the H2S with air in a reactor
furnace to form sulfur dioxide (SO2) according to the following reaction:
If the sulfur recovery unit is located in a natural gas processing plant, the type
of reheat employed is typically either auxiliary burners or heat exchangers,
with steam reheat being used occasionally. If the sulfur recovery unit is
located in a crude oil refinery, the typical reheat scheme uses 3536 to 4223
kPa (500 to 600 pounds per square inch guage [psig]) steam for reheating
purposes. Most plants are now built with 2 catalytic stages, although some
air quality jurisdictions require 3. From the condenser of the final catalytic
stage, the process stream passes to some form of tailgas treatment process.
The tailgas, containing H2S, SO2, sulfur vapor, and traces of other sulfur
compounds formed in the combustion section, escapes with the inert gases
from the tail end of the plant. Thus, it is frequently necessary to follow the
Claus unit with a tailgas cleanup unit to achieve higher recovery.
In addition to the oxidation of H2S to SO2 and the reaction of SO2 with H2S
in the reaction furnace, many other side reactions can and do occur in the
furnace. Several of these possible side reactions are: