Process for the desulfurization of gases

Claim 1

A process for the desulfurization of a raw fuel or synthesis gas containing carbonyl sulfide and hydrogen sulfide which comprises the steps of: a. treating the gas at a temperature of 50° to 105°C with a low volatility organic solvent miscible with water and selected from the group consisting of N-substituted pyrrolidone, N-substituted piperidones, and polyethylene glycol ethers said solvent containing 15 to 50 mole% water to selectively dissolve the carbonyl sulfide and yield a gas free from carbonyl sulfide said solvent being chemically inert with respect to reaction with carbonyl sulfide in the absence of water and wherein the rate at which said solvent is contacted with said gas is selected to maintain an absorption factor of at least 1 for carbonyl sulfide in terms of the anhydrous solvent constant rate; b. hydrolyzing the carbonyl sulfide dissolved in the solvent with water combined therewith simultaneously with the treatment of step (a) to transform the solution of dissolved carbonyl sulfide to hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide and stripping the solvent laden with the hydrogen sulfide formed by the hydrolysis of the carbonyl sulfide with a further part of the raw gas simultaneously with step (a); and c. subsequently scrubbing said carbonyl sulfide-free gas to remove therefrom hydrogen sulfide.