Method for reconditioning bacteria-contaminated hydrogen sulfide removal systems

Claim 3

The method defined in claim 1 comprising the further step of contacting particles of said elemental sulfur with a surfactant adaptable to said hydrogen sulfide removal system.

Claim 4

The method defined in claim 2 wherein said surfactant comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of: (a) a polyoxyethylene condensate represented by the following general formula: R--O--(CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --O).sub.n --H, wherein R is the residue of a fatty alcohol, acid, amide or amine having from about 10 to about 18 carbon atoms or an alkyl phenol having from about 10 to about 18 carbon atoms and where n is an integer of 1 or above; (b) a compound represented by the following general formula: ##STR9## wherein a, b and c are integers between about 1 and about 100; and (c) an ethylene oxide adduct of acetylenic glycols represented by the general formula: ##STR10## wherein R 1 and R 4 are alkyl radicals containing from about 3 to about 100 carbon atoms, R 2 and R 3 are methyl or ethyl and x and y are integers having a sum in the range of about 3 to about 60.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 wherein x is an integer from 0 to about 10.

Claim 6

The method defined in claim 4 wherein said bactericidal agent is comprised of glyoxal, succinaldehyde, hexa-2,4-dienal, methylglutaraldehyde or adipaldehyde or mixtures thereof.

Claim 7

The method defined in claim 4 wherein said bactericidal agent is glyoxal.

Claim 8

The method defined in claim 4 wherein said bactericidal agent is added to said solution in an amount providing a bacterial agent concentration level in said solution of between about 5 wppm and about 5,000 wppm.

Claim 9

The method defined in claim 4 wherein said bactericidal agent is added to said solution in an amount providing a bactericidal agent concentration level in said solution of between about 10 wppm and about 1000 wppm.

Claim 10

The method defined in claim 4 wherein said bactericidal agent is added to said solution in an amount providing a bactericidal agent concentration level in said solution of between about 100 wppm and about 300 wppm.

Claim 11

The method defined in claim 4 further comprising the step of, after said hydrogen sulfide removal system has been reconditioned, adding amounts of said bactericidal agent sufficient to prevent recontamination of said system by said sulfur-feeding bacteria.

Claim 12

The method defined in claim 10 wherein said additional bactericidal agent is added to said solution at a rate so as to maintain a concentration of said bactericidal agent in said solution of between about 10 wppm and about 1000 wppm.

Claim 13

The method defined in claim 10 wherein said bactericidal agent concentration is maintained between about 100 wppm and about 300 wppm.

Claim 14

A composition comprising: a regenerable aqueous washing solution capable of absorbing hydrogen sulfide and converting the hydrogen sulfide to elemental sulfur comprising at least one multivalent metal and at least one metal complexing agent; and an aliphatic dialdehyde of the form: ##STR11## where x is an integer.

Claim 15

A composition comprising: a regenerable aqueous washing solution capable of absorbing hydrogen sulfide and converting the hydrogen sulfide to elemental sulfur comprising at least one multivalent metal and at least one metal complexing agent; and an aliphatic dialdehyde of the form: ##STR11## where x is an integer.

Claim 16

The composition of matter defined in claim 13 wherein said integer x is an integer from 0 to about 10.

Claim 17

The composition of claim 14 wherein the multivalent metal is vanadium, iron, or combinations thereof.

Claim 18

The composition of claim 15 wherein the metal complexing agent is a water-soluble salt of 9, 10, anthraquinone disulfonic acid, a water-soluble naphthaquinone sulfonate, a water-soluble carboxylate or combination thereof.

Claim 19

The composition of matter defined in claim 16 wherein said aqueous liquid further contains a surfactant.

Claim 20

A composition of matter comprising an aqueous liquid comprising ADA, vanadium ions, carbonate ions and an aliphatic dialdehyde of the form: ##STR12## where x is an integer from 0 to about 10.

Claim 21

A composition of matter comprising an aqueous liquid comprising ADA, vanadium ions, carbonate ions and an aliphatic dialdehyde of the form: ##STR12## where x is an integer from 0 to about 10.