Problems after an emergency shutdown of the sulfur plant?
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After an emergency shutdown of the sulfur unit, it is not possible to follow the normal shutdown procedures (such as hot soaking, sulfate reduction, gas desulfurization, system purging, etc.). So how can the unit be restarted when the furnace temperature is very low? What are the things to keep in mind? Please share your experiences, thank you!
We have encountered this situation before; we just need to increase the furnace temperature by releasing gas directly and then introduce acidic gas. It is possible for the bed layer to catch fire, and this cannot be avoided. Ours is a high-temperature mixing valve; when the air flow is low, there is no heat generated. Yours are better in this regard, as it’s easy to raise the inlet of the converter, which makes operation more convenient.
Reply to 2# Zhenghe Ren: The furnace temperature is below 850 degrees, and there is a large amount of sulfur and sulfur vapor remaining in the sulfur production furnace. Aren’t you worried about an explosion when starting the furnace under such conditions? You are very lucky.
Typically, when restarting the furnace, it should first be purged with nitrogen for 5-10 minutes; otherwise, a flash explosion is likely to occur.
Reply to 4# Clauspolunit: What are the precautions to be taken when starting the furnace after purging, in situations where the furnace temperature is very low and sulfur has accumulated inside the furnace?
Reply to 5# Shandong Huaxing: Hot startup of the furnace is possible as long as the furnace temperature is maintained above 1000°C (the requirements vary among different companies). Before starting the furnace, purge it with nitrogen for 5-10 minutes using the normal purging procedure.
Reply to 6# Clauspolunit: In a situation where there is a temporary emergency shutdown and the furnace cannot be restarted immediately, the furnace temperature can drop to 850 degrees or even lower, which falls within the explosive range; in such cases, restarting the furnace indeed presents difficulties and risks.
Reply to 7# Shandong Huaxing: If the temperature drops too low, it is necessary to restart operations following the normal startup procedures. At this time, the nitrogen purging time is usually around 20 minutes. Then turn on the permanent light and the gas burner, and finally turn on the main burner. As long as you follow the procedures, there will be no problems. We have also encountered such problems frequently before.
Reply to 8# Clauspolunit: Is that also normal furnace drying? Leave the chimney? In that case, the chimney will emit thick yellow smoke when it starts operating; following the normal procedures won’t work, and it’s also difficult to control the situation. We have experienced this before as well.
Reply to 9# Shandong Huaxing: There’s no need to start the production line; following the normal procedures is sufficient. Because once the main burner is lit, the temperature rises very quickly. It will have some impact on the bed layer for a short period of time, but once the air supply is normal, there are generally no problems.
1. Ensure proper steam insulation to prevent dew point corrosion. 2. If the furnace temperature does not meet the feeding requirements, switch to gas for heating. 3. When raising the temperature, pay attention to the air distribution to prevent carbon deposition in the system due to insufficient air supply, as well as fires in the system caused by excessive air supply.