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Process Considerations For The Safe

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31 views

Process Considerations For The Safe

Uploaded by

david.menendez77
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Process Considerations for the Safe

Design of Sulphur Tanks and


Collection Systems

Ken Sourisseau, P. Eng.


Shell Canada Energy
Figure 1-
1- Simplified Claus Process

Reheater
Claus
Reactor

steam

Tail Gas
RF WHB steam steam steam

Air
Condenser
Acid Gas
Sulphur
Figure 2-
2- Liquid Sulphur Handling

External Degassing

Pit Degassing
Liquid Sulphur Hazards

• Severe burns
• Combustion product, SO2 is highly toxic
• Production method results in H2S and
SO2 being dissolved in liquid
– Degassing in storage creates explosive
vapours
– Degassing in storage creates toxic
atmosphere
Mitigation of Personnel Hazards

• Exposure to Toxic Vapour


– Use of sulphur seal legs
– Improvement in lookbox design
– Elimination of lookboxes
• Exposure to Molten Sulphur
– Proper tracing and steam supply
– Packing glands for rod-out connections
Figure 3
Sulphur Seal Leg

• Sulphur flow down centre pipe


• Returns up annulus
• Length of seal leg should
ensure blower deadhead
cannot blow seal
• Proper heat tracing required
on outside of return pipe
Figure 4 – Lookbox Evolution

a) Second Generation b) Newest Style


Figure 5 – Sulphur Sight Glass
Figure 6 - Inline Sulphur Site Glass
Figure 7 – Effective Heat Tracing

Courtesy of Controls Southeast Inc.


Figure 8 – Heat Tracing Large Pipe
Figure 9 – Liquid Sulphur Viscosity
Liquid Sulphur Viscosity

100.000
Viscosity (Pa s)

10.000

1.000

0.100

0.010

0.001
120 130 140 150 160 170 180
o
Temperature ( C)
Figure 10 - Steam Ingress to Sulphur
Rundown
Prevention of Explosive Atmospheres

• Sweep air required in rundown vessel


• Degas liquid sulphur in pit or in external
degas vessel
• In pit degas start-up concerns
– Increase air flow rate
– Start degassing before pit is full
Storage Tank Considerations

• Properly degassed sulphur should


provide no problems, small H2S venting
• Proper heat tracing of roof and vents
• Undegassed sulphur may create
explosive atmosphere in tank
– Proper rim and centre vents recommended
– Steam purge may create larger problem
Prevention of Pyrophoric Deposits

• Prevent formation by having oxidizing


atmospheres
• Undegassed sulphur to rundown tanks
creates a reducing atmosphere
• Steam purge creates wet conditions
more conducive to pyrophoric deposits
• Pyrophoric deposits on tank roofs easily
ignited when tank inbreathing
Prevention of Corrosion

• Keep surfaces hot to prevent water


and/or sulphur deposition
• Use stainless steel for surfaces that can
be uncovered of liquid sulphur
• Consider removal of sulphur tank
heating coil in favour of external tank
tracing

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