Destination of water from sulfur recovery
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This post was last edited by Shandong Huaxing on 2010-7-6 at 18:26. The sulfur recovery process mainly involves converting hydrogen sulfide gas into elemental sulfur, with water being produced as a by-product of this reaction. Does this water exist in the exhaust gases as water vapor, or as liquid water within sulfur? If both are present, what is the ratio of each part?
This post was last edited by Shandong Huaxing on 2010-7-6 at 18:27. It is likely that the substance exists in the form of water vapor, as in normal operation the temperatures in the system are relatively low at the outlet of the sulfur condenser; temperatures elsewhere, such as at the outlet of the acidic gas combustion furnace, are higher than those at the sulfur condenser outlet. Even at the outlet of the sulfur condenser, the temperature is generally a little over 170 degrees, while the operating pressure of the system is usually below 0.1 MPa. The temperature of saturated steam at 0.3 MPa is around 143 degrees. Therefore, when hydrogen sulfide gas is converted into elemental sulfur, the water produced during the reaction should exist in the form of superheated steam; this water then enters the exhaust gases as steam.
This post was last edited by Shandong Huaxing on 2010-7-6 at 18:27. Water exists in the form of water vapor; it goes to the exhaust gas treatment section, passes through the exhaust gas quench tower, and after cooling becomes acidic water, which is then sent to the acidic water stripping unit for further treatment. If there is no exhaust gas treatment section, the exhaust gas is burned in the furnace in the form of water vapor.
This post was last edited and replied to by Shandong Huaxing on 2010-7-6 at 18:27. Reply 3#: In a state of deep relaxation, one drifts into dreams. Liquid sulfur contains a small amount of water, and some of this water participates in the hydrolysis reactions of organic sulfur; yet ultimately it ends up in the exhaust gases in the form of vapor. The vast majority is in the exhaust gases.
I think that at the temperature of liquid sulfur, there isn’t much water present; otherwise, the water content in sulfur would exceed the acceptable levels. If there is an exhaust gas treatment unit, the water is usually sent to the hydrogenation reactor used for exhaust gas treatment as a reactant in hydrolysis reactions. Additionally, the water is cooled in a quench tower and then sent to an acid water stripping unit for further processing before being reused!
In the equipment and pipelines through which hydrogen sulfide gas passes, the temperature is at least 150°C; there is no liquid water present, and the majority of it exists in the form of water vapor. In our plant, liquid sulfur first goes to the liquid sulfur seal and then to the liquid sulfur storage tank; from there, it is pumped using a liquid sulfur pump to the granulator where granulation takes place. During this process, elemental sulfur may contain water, as cooling water is sprayed onto the bottom of the steel belt to lower its temperature during granulation
Reply to 5# weihua110: We use standard Claus and Gastcott exhaust systems
Some of the incoming sulfur goes in, while most is released into the atmosphere.