Abstract The invention is a method of producing a sulfur-containing product substantially wholly in the form of elemental sulfur and a substantially sulfur-free solid from a metal sulfate of formula Mx(SO4)y, where M is a metal, x and y are integers, and 2y equals the valence of M multiplied by x. The process comprises contacting a metal sulfate containing material with a reducing gas which includes carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, using in the contacting at least enough carbon monoxide to provide a mole ratio of total carbon monoxide contacted to total metal sulfate contacted of at least 3y, maintaining during the contacting a mole ratio of carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide of at least 1, maintaining during the contacting the concentration of carbon monoxide in the reducing gas at greater than .5 volume percent and substantially excluding sulfur dioxide from the feed to the reducing zone. The process is preferably carried out for a time sufficient to convert at least 90 percent of the metal sulfate to sulfur and a substantially sulfur-free solid. The preferred metal sulfate comprises calcium sulfate.
Inventors
👤 W Lind
Bibliographic Details
Application Number—
JurisdictionUS
Data Sourcegoogle_patents
Last Synchronized2026-11-05 12:49
CPC Classifications
C; C01; C01B; C01B17/00; C01B17/02; C01B17/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
28 words
A process as in claim 1, further characterized in that the concentration of carbon monoxide in the reducing gas is maintained at greater than about 5 mole percent.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process as in claim 1, further characterized in that the concentration of carbon monoxide in the reducing gas is maintained at greater than about 7 mole percent.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
A process as in claim 1, further characterized in that it is carried out for a time sufficient to convert at least 90 percent of the metAl sulfate to the sulfur-containing product substantially wholly in the form of elemental sulfur and the substantially metal sulfide-free solid.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
A process in accordance with claim 4, wherein said time is at least about 5 minutes.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
A process as in claim 1, further characterized in that the contacting is at a pressure within the range from 0 psig to about 25 psig.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process as in claim 1, wherein said metal sulfate is selected from the group consisting of the sulfates of calcium, barium, strontium, magnesium, titanium, and combinations thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
A process as in claim 7, wherein said metal sulfate comprises calcium sulfate.