Process employing molecular sieve material for the production of free sulphur from afluid containing hydrogen sulfide

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF FREE SULFUR FROM HYDROGEN SULFIDE, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES CONTACTING A FLUID CONTAINING HYDROGEN SULFIDE WITH A FIXED BED OF A MOLECULAR SIEVE MATERIAL AT TEMPERATURES RANGING FROM ABOUT 60*F. TO ABOUT 300*F., SAID MATERIAL BEING CAPABLE OF CATALYZING THE OXIDATION OF HYDROGEN SULFIDE TO FREE SULFUR, WHEREBY SAID HYDROGEN SULFIDE IS REMOVED FROM SAID FLUID BY SAID MATERIAL, THEREAFTER INJECTING A SUBSTANTIALLY INERT GAS INTO SAID BED HAVING A TEMPERATURE OF FROM ABOUT 400* TO ABOUT 500*F. AT SPACED INTERVALS ALONG SAID BED TO PRODUCE A SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM TEMPERATURE THEREIN OF FROM ABOUT 375* TO ABOUT 450*F., INTRODUCING AN OXYGEN-CONTAINING GAS INTO THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID BED UNTIL SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETE REMOVAL OF SAID HYDROGEN SULFIDE FROM SAID MATERIAL HAS BEEN EFFECTED AS EVIDENCED BY A SUBSTANTIAL DROP IN TEMPERATURE OF THE EFFLUENT FROM SAID BED, SAID OXYGEN-CONTAINING GAS BEING IN AN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO OXIDIZE SAID HYDROGEN SULFIDE TO FREE SULFUR, NEXT COOLING THE THUS REGENERATED MATERIAL TO A TEMPERATURE RANGING FROM ABOUT 60*F. TO ABOUT 300*F., AND REPEATING THE ABOVE CYCLE.