Hydrogen sulfide removal process

Claim 1

A Stretford process for removing hydrogen sulfide from a gas stream comprising the steps of: flowing a gas stream containing a hydrogen sulfide constituent into a venturi scrubbing device; spraying a Stretford solution into cocurrent contact with the gas stream which reacts with the hydrogen sulfide constituent and generates elemental sulfur resulting in a multiphase fluid flow leaving the scrubbing device; inducing in the multiphase fluid flow downstream of the scrubbing device fluid momentum components transverse to the direction of the multiphase fluid flow leaving the scrubbing device to enhance gas/liquid contact; discharging the multiphase flow into an absorbing column; separating both Stretford liquid and the solid phase from the gaseous phase by centrifugal action in the absorber column; contacting the gaseous phase with additional Stretford solution that reacts with the hydrogen sulfide constituent in the absorber column in countercurrent relationship; gravitationally separating the additional Stretford solution from the gaseous phase in the absorber column; separating elemental sulfur from the liquid and regenerating the Stretford liquid with an oxygencontaining gas; and recirculating the regenerated Stretford liquid.