675:(120–150 °C) to avoid liquid sulfur physically deactivating the catalyst. To overcome this problem, the sub dew point Clauss reactors are oriented in parallel, with one operating and one spare. When one reactor has become saturated with adsorbed sulfur, the process flow is diverted to the standby reactor. The reactor is then regenerated by sending process gas that has been heated to 300–350 °C to vaporize the sulfur. This stream is sent to a condenser to recover the sulfur.
20:
360:
Gases containing ammonia, such as the gas from the refinery's sour water stripper (SWS), or hydrocarbons are converted in the burner muffle. Sufficient air is injected into the muffle for the complete combustion of all hydrocarbons and ammonia. The air to the acid gas ratio is controlled such that in
599:
The catalytic recovery of sulfur consists of three substeps: heating, catalytic reaction and cooling plus condensation. These three steps are normally repeated a maximum of three times. Where an incineration or tail-gas treatment unit (TGTU) is added downstream of the Claus plant, only two catalytic
372:
The separation of the combustion processes ensures an accurate dosage of the required air volume needed as a function of the feed gas composition. To reduce the process gas volume or obtain higher combustion temperatures, the air requirement can also be covered by injecting pure oxygen. Several
674:
The conventional Claus process described above is limited in its conversion due to the reaction equilibrium being reached. Like all exothermic reactions, greater conversion can be achieved at lower temperatures, however as mentioned the Claus reactor must be operated above the sulfur dew point
117:
content of over 25% are suitable for the recovery of sulfur in straight-through Claus plants while alternate configurations such as a split-flow set up or feed and air preheating can be used to process leaner feeds.
968:
Rahman, Ramees K., Salisu
Ibrahim, and Abhijeet Raj. "Oxidative destruction of monocyclic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contaminants in sulfur recovery units." Chemical Engineering Science 155 (2016):
958:
Rahman, Ramees K., et al. "Reduction in natural gas consumption in sulfur recovery units through kinetic simulation using a detailed reaction mechanism." Industrial & Engineering
Chemistry Research
648:
In the sulfur condenser, the process gas coming from the catalytic reactor is cooled to between 150 and 130 °C. The condensation heat is used to generate steam at the shell side of the condenser.
627:
The typically recommended operating temperature of the first catalyst stage is 315 °C to 330 °C (bottom bed temperature). The high temperature in the first stage also helps to hydrolyze
603:
The first process step in the catalytic stage is the gas heating process. It is necessary to prevent sulfur condensation in the catalyst bed, which can lead to catalyst fouling. The required bed
176:
The vast majority of the 64,000,000 tonnes of sulfur produced worldwide in 2005 was byproduct sulfur from refineries and other hydrocarbon processing plants. Sulfur is used for manufacturing
651:
Before storage, liquid sulfur streams from the process gas cooler, the sulfur condensers and from the final sulfur separator are routed to the degassing unit, where the gases (primarily H
373:
technologies utilizing high-level and low-level oxygen enrichment are available in industry, which requires the use of a special burner in the reaction furnace for this process option.
645:
of sulfur. The operating temperatures of the subsequent catalytic stages are typically 240 °C for the second stage and 200 °C for the third stage (bottom bed temperatures).
620:
Gas/gas exchangers: whereby the cooled gas from the process gas cooler is indirectly heated from the hot gas coming out of an upstream catalytic reactor in a gas-to-gas exchanger.
383:
The main portion of the hot gas from the combustion chamber flows through the tube of the process gas cooler and is cooled down such that the sulfur formed in the reaction step
614:
Hot-gas bypass: which involves mixing the two process gas streams from the process gas cooler (cold gas) and the bypass (hot gas) from the first pass of the waste-heat boiler.
623:
Direct-fired heaters: fired reheaters utilizing acid gas or fuel gas, which is burned substoichiometrically to avoid oxygen breakthrough which can damage Claus catalyst.
738:
Huge amounts of elemental sulfur (billions of tons) are produced worldwide by the Claus process. The process has also to be applied to heavy petroleum extracted from
714:
S gas can build up in the headspace of any cooling liquid sulfur reservoir. The explanation for this anomaly is the endothermic reaction of sulfur with H
980:
903:
388:
607:
in the individual catalytic stages is achieved by heating the process gas in a reheater until the desired operating bed temperature is reached.
690:
of elemental sulfur obtained in the Claus process can differ from that obtained by other processes. Sulfur is usually transported as a liquid (
227:
1068:
1037:
698:
increases rapidly at temperatures in excess of 160 °C due to the formation of polymeric sulfur chains. Another anomaly is found in the
949:
Klint, B. "Hydrocarbon
Destruction in the Claus SRU Reaction Furnace." Proceedings of the Laurance Reid Gas Conditioning Conference. 2000.
706:
S in liquid sulfur as a function of temperature. Ordinarily, the solubility of a gas increases with increasing temperature but with H
836:
192:, a German chemist working in England. A British patent was issued to him in 1883. The process was later significantly modified by
641:
The catalytic conversion is maximized at lower temperatures, but care must be taken to ensure that each bed is operated above the
855:
265:) determine the location where the feed gas is burned. Claus gases (acid gas) with no further combustible contents apart from H
369:. This ensures a stoichiometric reaction for the Claus reaction in the second catalytic step (see next section below).
1103:
211:
before he emigrated to
England in 1852. He died in London in 1900. His grave is in Margravine Cemetery, Hammersmith.
58:
and other industrial processes. The by-product gases mainly originate from physical and chemical gas treatment units (
1108:
666:
and CO) is either burned in an incineration unit or further desulfurized in a downstream tail gas treatment unit.
564:
formed during combustion in the reaction furnace in the Claus reaction, and results in gaseous, elemental sulfur.
384:
250:
at temperatures above 850 °C such that elemental sulfur precipitates in the downstream process gas cooler.
357:(Benzene, Toluene, Ethyl benzene and Xylene) destruction which otherwise would clog downstream Claus catalyst.
1118:
1113:
180:, medicine, cosmetics, fertilizers and rubber products. Elemental sulfur is used as fertilizer and pesticide.
925:
Vita of Carl
Friedrich Claus - inventor of the Claus process for production of sulfur from hydrogen sulfide
995:
896:
851:
79:
23:
Piles of sulfur produced in
Alberta by the Claus process awaiting shipment at docks in Vancouver, Canada.
604:
596:
desorb from the catalyst's active sites with simultaneous formation of stable cyclic elemental sulfur.
778:
638:, which is formed in the furnace and would not otherwise be converted in the modified Claus process.
406:
220:
189:
122:
44:
746:
687:
658:
The tail gas from the Claus process still containing combustible components and sulfur compounds (H
719:
617:
Indirect steam reheaters: the gas can also be heated with high-pressure steam in a heat exchanger.
71:
230:
Schematic flow diagram of a straight-through, 3 reactor (converter), Claus sulfur recovery unit.
1074:
1064:
1054:
1033:
832:
757:
67:
1025:
632:
628:
550:
546:
508:
482:
110:
91:
50:
The multi-step Claus process recovers sulfur from the gaseous hydrogen sulfide found in raw
40:
19:
1098:
1060:
761:
395:. The condensed sulfur is removed at the liquid outlet section of the process gas cooler.
32:
313:
that reacts away in subsequent reactions. The most important one is the Claus reaction:
866:
773:
558:
542:
310:
99:
226:
1092:
788:
691:
429:
Other chemical processes taking place in the thermal step of the Claus reaction are:
177:
1020:
Hyndman, A. W.; Liu, J. K.; Denney, D. W. (1982). "Sulfur recovery from oil sands".
353:
The temperature inside Claus furnace is often maintained above 1050°C. This ensures
940:, Bernhard Schreiner, Chemie in Unserer Zeit 2008, Vol. 42, Issue 6, Pages 378-392.
887:, Bernhard Schreiner, Chemie in Unserer Zeit 2008, Vol. 42, Issue 6, Pages 378-392.
434:
83:
75:
133:
oils, is converted to sulfur in Claus plants. The reaction proceeds in two steps:
1056:
Sulfur concrete for the construction industry: a sustainable development approach
907:
756:
Another way of storing sulfur, while reusing it as a valuable material, is as a
742:
deposits because sulfur accumulates in the heaviest fractions of hydrocarbons.
258:
95:
54:
and from the by-product gases containing hydrogen sulfide derived from refining
51:
1029:
783:
699:
302:
247:
246:
In the thermal step, hydrogen sulfide-laden gas reacts in a substoichiometric
1078:
936:
Or between 950 and 1200 °C and even hotter near the flame, as stated in
911:
739:
695:
642:
538:
306:
193:
130:
55:
760:
for concrete, the resulting product having many desirable properties (see
817:
Gas
Processors Association Data Book, 10th Edition, Volume II, Section 22
798:
793:
235:
63:
749:, stockpiles of elemental sulfur from this process now exist throughout
234:
The Claus technology can be divided into two process steps, thermal and
750:
683:
Over 2.6 tons of steam will be generated for each ton of sulfur yield.
262:
208:
126:
103:
59:
16:
Gas desulfurizing process leading to the formation of elemental sulfur
377:
270:
200:
87:
36:
549:
oxide, and serves to boost the sulfur yield. More hydrogen sulfide (
223:
of a basic 2+1-reactor (converter) SuperClaus unit is shown below:
392:
225:
204:
18:
380:
produced in the process is obtained in the thermal process step.
257:
S content and the concentration of other combustible components (
354:
710:
S it is the opposite. This means that toxic and explosive H
938:
Der Claus-Prozess. Reich an Jahren und bedeutender denn je
927:, online document of 2015 on the platform ResearchGate.net
885:
Der Claus-Prozess. Reich an Jahren und bedeutender denn je
398:
The sulfur forms in the thermal phase as highly reactive S
1053:
Mohamed, Abdel-Mohsen Onsy; El-Gamal, Maisa M. (2010).
1024:. ACS Symposium Series. Vol. 183. pp. 69–82.
391:
evolved are utilized to produce medium or low-pressure
47:, the Claus process has become the industry standard.
610:Several methods of reheating are used in industry:
981:"How Sulphur Really Forms on The Catalyst Surface"
387:. The heat given off by the process gas and the
121:Hydrogen sulfide produced, for example, in the
1063:: J. Ross Publishing. pp. 104–105, 109.
402:diradicals which combine exclusively to the S
269:S are burned in lances surrounding a central
8:
979:Khanmamedox, T. K.; Welland, R. H. (2013).
880:
878:
876:
874:
829:Petroleum Refining Technology and Economics
376:Usually, 60 to 70% of the total amount of
90:. These by-product gases may also contain
994:(Mar–Apr). BCInsight: 62. Archived from
904:American Institute of Chemical Engineers
867:Discussion of recovered byproduct sulfur
745:Owing to the high sulfur content of the
655:S) dissolved in the sulfur are removed.
293:O (Δ
43:. First patented in 1883 by the chemist
810:
580:O (Δ
7:
831:(2nd ed.). Marcel Dekker, Inc.
537:The Claus reaction continues in the
361:total 1/3 of all hydrogen sulfide (H
273:by the following chemical reaction:
827:Gary, J.H.; Handwerk, G.E. (1984).
694:115 °C). In elemental sulfur,
207:in 1827, and studied chemistry in
14:
588:One suggested mechanism is that S
856:United States Geological Survey
309:of hydrogen sulfide generating
600:stages are usually installed.
35:process, recovering elemental
1:
923:Ralf Steudel, Lorraine West,
454: (Δ
80:natural gas processing plants
1022:Sulfur: New sources and uses
188:The process was invented by
31:is the most significant gas
670:Sub dew point Claus process
1135:
1030:10.1021/bk-1982-0183.ch005
900:Sulfur Recovery Technology
906:Spring National Meeting,
333:The overall equation is:
852:Sulfur production report
897:Bibliographic Citation
231:
24:
779:Hydro-desulfurization
605:operating temperature
365:S) is converted to SO
229:
205:German State of Hesse
123:hydro-desulfurization
22:
541:step with activated
221:process flow diagram
190:Carl Friedrich Claus
88:synthesis gas plants
45:Carl Friedrich Claus
747:Athabasca Oil Sands
688:physical properties
679:Process performance
301:This is a strongly
215:Process description
1104:Chemical processes
557:) reacts with the
232:
199:Claus was born in
25:
1109:German inventions
1070:978-1-60427-005-1
1039:978-0-8412-0713-4
584:= -1165.6 kJ mol)
507:The formation of
481:The formation of
433:The formation of
389:condensation heat
305:free-flame total
1126:
1083:
1082:
1050:
1044:
1043:
1017:
1011:
1010:
1008:
1006:
1001:on 15 March 2016
1000:
985:
976:
970:
966:
960:
956:
950:
947:
941:
934:
928:
921:
915:
894:
888:
882:
869:
864:
858:
849:
843:
842:
824:
818:
815:
734:Sulfur stockpile
509:carbon disulfide
483:carbonyl sulfide
378:elemental sulfur
92:hydrogen cyanide
41:hydrogen sulfide
1134:
1133:
1129:
1128:
1127:
1125:
1124:
1123:
1119:1883 in Germany
1114:1883 in science
1089:
1088:
1087:
1086:
1071:
1061:Fort Lauderdale
1052:
1051:
1047:
1040:
1019:
1018:
1014:
1004:
1002:
998:
983:
978:
977:
973:
967:
963:
957:
953:
948:
944:
935:
931:
922:
918:
914:, April 6, 1986
895:
891:
883:
872:
865:
861:
850:
846:
839:
826:
825:
821:
816:
812:
807:
770:
762:sulfur concrete
736:
729:
725:
717:
713:
709:
705:
681:
672:
665:
661:
654:
636:
595:
591:
579:
575:
571:
562:
554:
535:
527:
523:
519:
501:
497:
493:
476:
472:
468:
464:
453:
449:
445:
427:
420:
416:
405:
401:
368:
364:
348:
344:
340:
328:
324:
320:
292:
288:
284:
280:
268:
256:
244:
217:
186:
171:
167:
163:
159:
152:
148:
144:
140:
114:
72:amine scrubbers
17:
12:
11:
5:
1132:
1130:
1122:
1121:
1116:
1111:
1106:
1101:
1091:
1090:
1085:
1084:
1069:
1045:
1038:
1012:
971:
961:
951:
942:
929:
916:
889:
870:
859:
844:
837:
819:
809:
808:
806:
803:
802:
801:
796:
791:
786:
781:
776:
774:Amine treating
769:
766:
735:
732:
727:
723:
715:
711:
707:
703:
680:
677:
671:
668:
663:
659:
652:
634:
625:
624:
621:
618:
615:
593:
589:
586:
585:
577:
573:
569:
560:
552:
534:
533:Catalytic step
531:
530:
529:
525:
521:
517:
513:
512:
504:
503:
499:
495:
491:
487:
486:
478:
477:
474:
470:
466:
462:
459:
451:
447:
443:
439:
438:
426:
425:Side reactions
423:
422:
421:
418:
414:
403:
399:
366:
362:
351:
350:
346:
342:
338:
331:
330:
326:
322:
318:
311:sulfur dioxide
299:
298:
297:= -518 kJ mol)
290:
286:
282:
278:
266:
254:
243:
240:
216:
213:
185:
182:
174:
173:
169:
165:
161:
157:
154:
150:
146:
142:
138:
112:
109:Gases with an
100:sulfur dioxide
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1131:
1120:
1117:
1115:
1112:
1110:
1107:
1105:
1102:
1100:
1097:
1096:
1094:
1080:
1076:
1072:
1066:
1062:
1058:
1057:
1049:
1046:
1041:
1035:
1031:
1027:
1023:
1016:
1013:
997:
993:
989:
982:
975:
972:
965:
962:
955:
952:
946:
943:
939:
933:
930:
926:
920:
917:
913:
909:
905:
902:, B.G. Goar,
901:
898:
893:
890:
886:
881:
879:
877:
875:
871:
868:
863:
860:
857:
853:
848:
845:
840:
838:0-8247-7150-8
834:
830:
823:
820:
814:
811:
804:
800:
797:
795:
792:
790:
789:Hydrogenation
787:
785:
782:
780:
777:
775:
772:
771:
767:
765:
763:
759:
754:
752:
748:
743:
741:
733:
731:
721:
702:of residual H
701:
697:
693:
692:melting point
689:
684:
678:
676:
669:
667:
656:
649:
646:
644:
639:
637:
630:
622:
619:
616:
613:
612:
611:
608:
606:
601:
597:
583:
567:
566:
565:
563:
556:
548:
544:
543:aluminum(III)
540:
532:
524:→ S=C=S + 2 H
515:
514:
510:
506:
505:
489:
488:
484:
480:
479:
460:
457:
441:
440:
436:
432:
431:
430:
424:
412:
411:
410:
408:
396:
394:
390:
386:
381:
379:
374:
370:
358:
356:
345:→ 2 S + 2 H
336:
335:
334:
316:
315:
314:
312:
308:
304:
296:
276:
275:
274:
272:
264:
260:
251:
249:
241:
239:
237:
228:
224:
222:
214:
212:
210:
206:
202:
197:
195:
191:
183:
181:
179:
178:sulfuric acid
155:
136:
135:
134:
132:
128:
124:
119:
116:
107:
105:
101:
97:
93:
89:
85:
81:
77:
73:
69:
65:
61:
57:
53:
48:
46:
42:
39:from gaseous
38:
34:
33:desulfurizing
30:
29:Claus process
21:
1055:
1048:
1021:
1015:
1003:. Retrieved
996:the original
991:
987:
974:
964:
954:
945:
937:
932:
924:
919:
899:
892:
884:
862:
847:
828:
822:
813:
755:
744:
737:
720:polysulfanes
685:
682:
673:
657:
650:
647:
640:
626:
609:
602:
598:
587:
581:
547:titanium(IV)
536:
455:
435:hydrogen gas
428:
397:
382:
375:
371:
359:
352:
332:
300:
294:
259:hydrocarbons
252:
245:
242:Thermal step
233:
219:A schematic
218:
198:
187:
175:
125:of refinery
120:
108:
96:hydrocarbons
84:gasification
49:
28:
26:
908:New Orleans
576:→ 3 S + 2 H
498:→ S=C=O + H
325:→ 3 S + 2 H
52:natural gas
1093:Categories
805:References
784:Crystasulf
753:, Canada.
700:solubility
303:exothermic
248:combustion
168:+ 4 H
164:→ 3 S
149:+ 2 H
129:and other
76:refineries
1079:531718953
912:Louisiana
740:oil sands
696:viscosity
643:dew point
539:catalytic
407:allotrope
385:condenses
307:oxidation
236:catalytic
194:IG Farben
131:petroleum
56:crude oil
969:348-365.
799:Sour gas
794:Acid gas
768:See also
160:S + 2 SO
156:4 H
137:2 H
127:naphthas
64:Rectisol
1005:4 March
988:Sulphur
959:(2018).
854:by the
751:Alberta
458:> 0)
281:S + 3 O
263:ammonia
209:Marburg
203:in the
184:History
141:S + 3 O
104:ammonia
68:Purisol
60:Selexol
1099:Sulfur
1077:
1067:
1036:
835:
758:binder
572:S + SO
494:S + CO
469:O → CO
446:S → S
341:S + O
321:S + SO
285:→ 2 SO
271:muffle
201:Kassel
145:→ 2 SO
37:sulfur
999:(PDF)
984:(PDF)
718:S to
592:and S
520:+ 2 S
473:+ 4 H
465:+ 2 H
450:+ 2 H
393:steam
289:+ 2 H
253:The H
74:) in
1075:OCLC
1065:ISBN
1034:ISBN
1007:2016
992:2013
833:ISBN
686:The
662:S, H
631:and
417:→ S
355:BTEX
82:and
70:and
27:The
1026:doi
764:).
629:COS
568:2 H
545:or
442:2 H
413:4 S
337:2 H
317:2 H
277:2 H
261:or
102:or
86:or
1095::
1073:.
1059:.
1032:.
990:.
986:.
910:,
873:^
730:.
633:CS
559:SO
516:CH
461:CH
409::
238:.
196:.
106:.
98:,
94:,
78:,
66:,
62:,
1081:.
1042:.
1028::
1009:.
841:.
728:x
726:S
724:2
722:H
716:2
712:2
708:2
704:2
664:2
660:2
653:2
635:2
594:8
590:6
582:H
578:2
574:2
570:2
561:2
555:S
553:2
551:H
528:S
526:2
522:2
518:4
511::
502:O
500:2
496:2
492:2
490:H
485::
475:2
471:2
467:2
463:4
456:H
452:2
448:2
444:2
437::
419:8
415:2
404:8
400:2
367:2
363:2
349:O
347:2
343:2
339:2
329:O
327:2
323:2
319:2
295:H
291:2
287:2
283:2
279:2
267:2
255:2
172:O
170:2
166:2
162:2
158:2
153:O
151:2
147:2
143:2
139:2
115:S
113:2
111:H
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