Method for the recovery of elemental sulfur in liquid form from gases containing hydrogen sulfide and the conversion of the liquid sulfur into solidified flakes

Claim 1

IN THE RECOVERY OF ELEMENTAL SULPHUR IN LIQUID FORM FROM GASES CONTAINING H2S INVOLVING THE CONTACT OF A CATALYST WITH THE GAS CONTAINING H2S TO FORM SULPHUR VAPOR AND THE SUBSEQUENT CONDENSATION OF THE SULPHUR VAPOR TO FORM LIQUID SULPHUR, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES MAINTAINING AT LEAST ONE BED OF CATALYST IN EACH OF TWO ZONES; MIXING A PREDETERMINED AMOUNT OF THE GAS TO BE TREATED WITH A PREDETERMINED AMOUNT OF PORTION OF SULPHUR LIBERATING GAS AND CONTINUOUSLY DIRECTING A FLOW OF THE MIXED GASES AT AN OPTIMUM PRE-REACTION TEMPERATURE THROUGH ONE OF SAID ZONES, SO THAT THE H2S IN SAID ZONE WILL BE CONVERTED INTO SULPHUR VAPOR AND STEAM; CONTINUOUSLY DIRECTING THE FLOW OF A HOT OXIDIZING MEDIUM THROUGH THE OTHER OF SAID ZONES TO REACTIVATE THE CATALYST THEREIN; PERIODICALLY SHIFTING THE FLOWS OF THE MIXTURE OF H2S CONTAINING GAS AND OXIDANT GAS AND THE OXIDIZING MEDIUM THROUGH SAID ZONES, SO THAT EACH ZONE BECOMES, IN SUCCESSION, A REACTION ZONE AND A REACTIVATING ZONE; CONTINUOUSLY WITHDRAWING THE REACTED GASEOUS MIXTURE FROM THE ZONE IN WHICH REACTION IS TAKING PLACE AND DIRECTING ITS FLOW THROUGH A CONDENSING ZONE; AND THERE CONDENSING THE SULPHUR VAPOR TO FORM LIQUID SULPHUR.