Sulfur removal from molten media

Abstract

Abstract SULFUR IS RECOVERED FROM A MOLTEN SALT MIXTURE CONTAINING METAL SULFIDES BY CONTACTING THE METAL SULFIDES WITH STEAM IN A MOLTEN SALT MIXTURE CONTAINING A GLASS FORMING OXIDE IN COMBINATION WITH AN ALKALI OR ALKALINE EARTH METAL OXIDE OR HYDROXIDE, INCLUDING MIXTURES THEREOF, AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE OF FROM ABOVE ABOUT THE MELTING POINT OF SAID MOLTEN SALT MEDIA TO ABOUT 2000*F. THE SULFUR IS RECOVERED FROM THE MOLTEN MEDIA AS AN ESSENTIALLY DRY, HIGHLY CONCENTRATED, HYDROGEN SULFIDE STREAM. PREFERABLY, THE MOLE RATIO OF THE ALKALI AND/OR ALKALINE EARTH METAL OXIDE AND/OR HYDROXIDE EXPRESSED AS THE OXIDE THEREOF TO THE GLASS-FORMING OXIDE IS MAINTAINED IN THE RANGE OF BELOW ABOUT 3 IN ORDER TO SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE THE RATE OF DESULFURIZATION OF THE MOLTEN MEDIA. IN A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT, THE ALKALI OR ALKALINE EARTH METAL SULFIDES ARE PRESENT IN THE MOLTEN MEDIA DUE TO CONTACTING A CARBONACEOUS MATERIA WITH A GASEOUS STREAM CON TAINING OXYGEN AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURES IN ORDER TO GASIFY THE CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS TO CARBON OXIDES AND TO CONVERT THE SULFUR PRESENT IN THE CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS TO ALKALI OR ALKALINE EARTH METAL SULFUR OXIDES. THE SULFUR OXIDES PREDOMINANTLY IN THE MOLTEN MEDIA IN THE FORM OF ALKALI OR ALKALINE EARTH METAL SULFATES AND SULFITES ARE THEN REDUCED, FOR EXAMPLE, BY CARBON TO THEIR ALKALI OR ALKALINE EARTH METAL SULFITE FORM. THE CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS SUCH AS COKE OR COAL MAY BE INTRODUCED INTO THE MOLTEN-MEDIA OR FORMED IN SITU DURING THE CRACKING OF A HYDROCARBON FEEDSTOCK IN THE MOLTEN MEDIA.

Inventors

• 👤 J Dugan
• 👤 K Yao

Bibliographic Details