Hydrogen supply for sulfur production furnace
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At present, the temperature in the hydrogenation reactor of our unit is on the high side; the temperature in the middle and lower sections is around 400 degrees, while the highest temperature in the lower section is 450 degrees. It is likely that the air supply to the sulfur production furnace is too high, resulting in an excessive amount of sulfur dioxide being produced. Therefore, some experts suggest using hydrogen for combustion in this furnace; this would allow the temperature to be maintained at 1250 degrees while reducing the air supply and thus lowering the load on the hydrogenation reactor. So I would like to ask everyone: do any of you’s sulfur plants use hydrogen? I would appreciate it if you could give some more suggestions. What precautions should be taken when using hydrogen as a fuel? What impact will it have on the entire sulfur processing plant? Thank you.
This is the first time I’ve heard of such a practice. I had heard before that it is produced using the oxygen-enriched method. Also, since you know that the air supply is excessive, why not reduce it a bit? With the air distribution adjusted properly, the amount of hydrogen required at the rear is reduced, and the problem you mentioned is also resolved. Is it still necessary to take such drastic actions?
An excessive air supply leads to an increase in the temperature of the hydrogenation reactor, and this phenomenon is quite common. However, based on the data you provided, the bed temperature reaches 450 degrees – so how much extra air flow is required? Didn’t the temperature rise during stages one and two? Are they new processes or new catalysts? For conventional catalysts, 350 degrees is already a high temperature; for low-temperature catalysts, the temperature is even lower. One question: how is the ratio controlled? As for hydrogen-assisted combustion in sulfur production furnaces, this is also a relatively common practice. The system supplies hydrogen, which is fed into the furnace via a pressure reducing valve; the amount of hydrogen used is determined based on the temperature requirements of the furnace, while the air supply is controlled according to a specific ratio. What impact does it have on operations? The complete combustion of hydrogen to form water vapor has almost no significant effect on the device. It works much better than combustion with gas injection.
In coal gasification, acidic gases contain a certain amount of hydrogen, with a concentration of around 2%. If more hydrogen is added, it will act as fuel and burn up inside the furnace, offering no benefit to the subsequent catalytic reactions; at the same time, it increases the amount of H2O vapor, thereby enhancing corrosion.
There should be no problem. We plan to make changes by supplying hydrogen at very low load levels, in order to maintain the temperature of the sulfur production furnace