Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
115 words
A method of processing a gas containing a compound of sulfur and hydrocarbon material, comprising a first step of directing the gas through a fixed bed of hot lime material whose temperature is maintained above the cracking temperature of the hydrocarbon material to simultaneously (i) react the compound of sulfur with the hot lime to produce calcium sulfide in the fixed bed and (ii) crack the hydrocarbon material while impregnating the calcium sulfide with carbon in the same fixed bed, and a second step of reacting the carbon impregnated calcium sulfide with a gas containing oxygen in order to (i) convert said calcium sulfide back to hot lime through regeneration and (ii) produce elemental sulfur.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
115 words
A method of processing a gas containing a compound of sulfur and hydrocarbon material, comprising a first step of directing the gas through a fixed bed of hot lime material whose temperature is maintained above the cracking temperature of the hydrocarbon material to simultaneously (i) react the compound of sulfur with the hot lime to produce calcium sulfide in the fixed bed and (ii) crack the hydrocarbon material while impregnating the calcium sulfide with carbon in the same fixed bed, and a second step of reacting the carbon impregnated calcium sulfide with a gas containing oxygen in order to (i) convert said calcium sulfide back to hot lime through regeneration and (ii) produce elemental sulfur.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said gas containing oxygen is further characterized as being air.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said gas containing oxygen is further characterized as being oxygen which is substantially pure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second step of reacting the carbon impregnated calcium sulfide with a gas containing oxygen in order to (i) convert said calcium sulfide back to hot lime through regeneration and (ii) produce elemental sulfur is further characterized by the step of extracting said elemental sulfur in vapor form and subsequently condensing it.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method as set forth in claim 4 wherein the step of extracting said elemental sulfur in vapor form and subsequently condensing it is further characterized by the step of separating said elemental sulfur from non-condensibles and collecting said non-condensibles.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
57 words
The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second step of reacting the carbon impregnated calcium sulfide with a gas containing oxygen is further characterized by the step of passing the gas containing oxygen in the opposite direction of the direction of the passage of said gas containing a compound of sulfur and hydrocarbon material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
116 words
The invention as set forth in claim 6 including the steps of providing at least two fixed beds of pebble lime, directing the gas containing a compound of sulfur and a hydrocarbon material through said one of the beds of hot lime to desulfurize and crack hydrocarbons in said one bed, and then directing the gas containing a compound of sulfur and a hydrocarbon material through another bed of lime and reacting said one bed with oxygen to generate elemental sulfur and to regenerate said one bed, thus allowing the reactions for desulfurization and cracking of the hydrocarbons and the reactions for regeneration and production of elemental sulfur to be alternated between said pair of beds.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said gas containing a compound of sulfur and a hydrocarbon comprises a coal gas.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said bed of lime comprises a bed of pebble lime.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said hydrocarbon material comprises a tar.