Process for the recovery of gaseous sulphuric compounds present in small quantities in residual gases

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR THE REMOVAL OF VESICULAR SULFUR AND GASEOUS SULFUR COMPOUNDS FROM RESIDUAL GASES CONTAINING AT MOST 5% BY VOLUME OF A MIXTURE OF THE VESICULAR SULFUR WITH A GASEOUS SULFUR COMPOUND SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF H2S, SO2 AND MIXTURES THEREOF WHICH COMPRISES; (A) CONTACTING, AT A TEMPERATURE RANGING FROM ROOM TEMPERATURE TO 150*C., THE SULFUR CONTAINING RESIDUAL GAS WITH AN ADSORBENT MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF A MIXTURE OF ACTIVATED SILICA AND ALUMINA AND ZEOLITES HAVING A PORE SIZE OF AT LEAST 5 ANGSTROMS, FOR A TIME SUFFICIENT FOR THE ADSORBENT MATERIAL TO ADSORB AND TO THEREBY SUBSTANTIALLY REMOVE THE VESICULAR SULFUR AND THE SULFUR CONTAINING COMPOUNDS FROM THE RESIDUAL GAS; AND (B) HEATING THE ADSORBENT MATERIAL AT A TEMPERATURE OF AT LEAST 150*C. IN THE PRESENCE OF AN EXCESS OF AIR SO AS TO SIMULTANEOUSLY DESORB THE SULFUR COMPOUNDS AND THE VESICULAR SULFUR ADSORBED THEREON IN THE FORM OF SO2 AND REGENERATE THE ADSORBENT MATERIAL.