# Patent

## Title
Method and apparatus for adjustably treating a sour gas

## Abstract

A feed gas comprising CO2, H2S and H2 is treated to produce an H2-enriched product and an H2S-lean, CO2 product. The feed gas is separated to provide the H2-enriched product and a stream of sour gas. The stream of sour gas is divided into two parts, one of which is processed in an H2S removal system to form one or more streams of sweetened gas, and the other of which bypasses the H2S removal system, the stream(s) of sweetened gas and the sour gas bypassing the H2S removal system then being recombined to form the H2S-lean, CO2 product gas. The division of the sour gas between being sent to and bypassing the H2S removal system is adjusted responsive to changes in the H2S content of the sour gas, so as to dampen or cancel the effects of said changes on the H2S content of the H2S-lean, CO2 product gas.

## Background
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for separating a feed gas, comprising carbon dioxide (CO2), hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and hydrogen (H2), to form an H2-enriched product gas and a sour gas depleted in H2 and enriched in CO2 and H2S relative to the feed gas, and for adjustably treating said sour gas to produce an H2S-lean, CO2 product gas. The invention has particular application to the separation and treatment of sour syngas mixtures obtained from the gasification or reformation of carbonaceous feedstock.
The production of syngas via reforming or gasifying carbonaceous feedstock is well known. Where the feedstock contains sulfur, such as is often the case for solid (e.g. coal, petcoke) or heavy liquid (e.g. asphaltene) feedstocks for gasification, such processes result in an initial syngas stream containing hydrogen (H2), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and, usually, other species such as methane (CH4), carbonyl sulfide (COS) and carbon disulfide (CS2). Commonly, the initial syngas mixture (crude syngas) is then subjected to further treatments. In particular, the initial syngas mixture may be subjected to a water-gas shift reaction, in which at least some of the CO present in the initial syngas mixture is converted to further CO2 and H2 by reaction with H2O in the presence of a suitable shift catalyst. This process can also result in further H2S being produced, via incidental conversion of other sulfur species (such as COS and CS2) in the syngas during the water-gas shift reaction.
Due to concerns over greenhouse gas emissions, there is a growing desire to remove CO2 from syngas prior to use of the remaining, H2-enriched, product (comprising predominantly either H2 or a mixture of H2 and CO) as a combustion fuel or for chemicals production or refining applications. The CO2 may be compressed, so as to be stored underground or used for enhanced oil recovery (EOR). H2S may also have to be removed from the syngas. If the H2-enriched product is to be used for chemicals production or refining then H2S, if present, could be a poison for these downstream processes. Equally, if the H2-enriched product is to be combusted in a gas turbine to production or refining then H2S, if present, could be a poison for these downstream processes. Equally, if the H2-enriched product is to be combusted in a gas turbine to generate power then H2S, if present, will be converted into SOx (SO2 and SO3), on which there are emission limits and which may, therefore, require removal from the combustion exhaust using expensive desulfurization technology. Equally, it may not be practical or permissible to store the H2S with the CO2. Therefore a solution must likewise be found for cost effective removal of H2S from the CO2 before pipeline transportation or geological storage.
The most commonly used commercial solution, currently, for capturing CO2 and H2S from sour syngas mixture uses a physical solvent (i.e. liquid solvent) absorption process, also referred to as an acid gas removal (AGR) process, such as SelexolTM or Rectisol®, to selectively separate H2S, CO2 and product H2 into different streams. The H2S-rich stream, typically containing about 20-80 mole % H2S, is further treated to produce sulfur, usually by a Claus process coupled with a tail gas treating unit (TGTU). The CO2 stream is typically compressed to meet pipeline or storage specifications, and the product H2 is either sent as fuel to a gas turbine for power generation, or can be further processed via pressure swing adsorption (PSA) to achieve a ‘spec’ purity (typically 99.99 mole % or higher) for refining applications. However, a disadvantage of such AGR processes is that they are both costly and have significant power consumption.
As mentioned above, the typical method of removing the H2S contained in the H2S-rich stream obtained from the AGR process is via conversion to elemental sulfur using the Claus process. This process, as is well known, typically involves an initial thermal step followed by one or more catalytic steps. In the thermal step the H2S-rich stream is reacted in a substoichiometric combustion at high temperatures to convert part of the H2S to SO2. The oxidant (i.e. O2) to H2S ratio during combustion is controlled so that in total one third of all H2S is converted to SO2. This provides the correct 2:1 molar ratio of H2S to SO2 for the subsequent catalytic steps. More specifically, in said subsequent catalytic steps, the 2:1 mixture of H2S to SO2 obtained from the thermal step is reacted over a suitable catalyst (e.g. activated aluminium(III) or titanium(IV) oxide) to convert the H2S and SO2 to elemental sulfur via the reaction 2H2S+SO2→3⁄8S8+2H2O. The Claus process ordinarily achieves high (e.g. 94 to 97%) but not complete levels of sulfur recovery and thus, as noted above, a TGTU is often also employed to recover and/or remove the remaining H2S from the Claus process tailgas.
The Claus process is at its most economical when greater than 20 short tons per day (tpd) sulfur (about 18000 kg/day sulfur) is to be produced, and when the H2S concentration in the feed to the process is greater than 10 mole %, and more preferably greater than 20 mole %. For production rates of less than 20 tpd (18000 kg/day) sulfur and/or for feed streams that are more dilute in H2S concentration other, more economical, means of removing sulfur are generally preferred. Typically, these are catalyst-based processes that can be of the regenerable type or the ‘once-and-done’ scavenging type and require a varying degree of process complexity and operational cost depending on the processing conditions of the gas being treated. Typically, these processes are most suited for treating feeds with H2S concentrations of less than 5%, and for processes where less than 20 tpd (18000 kg/day) is to be produced (although larger units have been designed and built). These processes are typically capable of removing 99% or more of the H2S from the feed. Industry accepted examples of such H2S disposition technologies include the LO-CAT and Stretford processes.
Specific examples of known prior art processes for separating H2S, and/or other sulfur containing compounds, from a mixture include the following.
US-A1-2007/0178035, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, describes a method of treating a gaseous mixture comprising H2, CO2 and at least one combustible gas selected from the group consisting of H2S, CO and CH4. The gaseous mixture, which may be obtained from the partial oxidation or reforming of a carbonaceous feedstock, is separated, preferably by pressure swing adsorption (PSA), to produce a separated H2 gas and a crude CO2 gas comprising the combustible gas(es). The crude CO2 gas is then combusted in the presence of O2 to produce heat and a CO2 product gas comprising the combustion product(s) of the combustible gas(es). The heat from at least a portion of the CO2 product gas is recovered by indirect heat exchange with the separated H2 gas or a gas derived therefrom. Where the combustible gas is, or includes, H2S, the combustion products will include SO2 and SO3 (SOx). In one embodiment, the SOx is then removed by washing the CO2 product gas with water to cool the gas and remove SO3, and maintaining the cooled SO3-free gas at elevated pressure in the presence of O2, water and NO to convert SO2 and NO to sulfuric acid and nitric acid, thereby obtaining an SOx-free, NOx-lean CO2 gas.
The process described in this document therefore presents a sulfur disposition pathway in which the H2S in the sour tailgas stream leaving the PSA is ultimately converted to sulfuric acid after being combusted to form SOx. This process presents a alternative to the conventional elemental sulfur disposition pathway and can, additionally, handle dilute H2S concentrations as well as varying total amounts of sulfur. However, market conditions could limit the economic viability of such a sulfur disposition pathway, as the acid produced from such a process may be unsalable or of sufficiently poor quality that costly neutralization and disposal may be required.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,818,194 describes a process for removing H2S from a sour gas, wherein the sour gas is fed to an absorber where the H2S is removed from the gas by a nonaqueous sorbing liquor comprising an organic solvent for elemental sulfur, dissolved elemental sulfur, an organic base which drives the reaction between H2S sorbed by the liquor and the dissolved sulfur to form a nonvolatile polysulfide which is soluble in the sorbing liquor, and a solubilizing agent which prevents the formation of polysulfide oil. The process further comprises adding SO2 to the absorber to oxidize the polysulphide to elemental sulfur, thereby producing a more complete chemical conversion of H2S by reducing the equilibrium back-pressure of H2S. The sweet gas from the absorber exits the process, and the sorbent stream is then cooled and fed to a crystallizer to crystallize enough of the sulfur to balance the amount of H2S previously absorbed.
In this process, the optimum molar ratio of H2S to SO2 in the feed stream to the absorber is the same as that for the catalytic stage of the Claus process, i.e. 2:1. In one embodiment, the process is applied to a feed stream which already contains a 2:1 mole ratio of H2S to SO2, such as where the feed stream is the tail gas of a Claus process which is operated so as to produce a tail gas with this composition. In another embodiment, the process may be applied to an H2S containing feed stream to which SO2 is first added, so as to obtain the desired 2:1 ratio prior to the stream being flowed through the absorber vessel. One exemplified way in which this may be achieved is to split the feed stream into two streams, pass one of said streams through a catalytic oxidation reactor to convert at least some of the H2S contained therein to SO2, and then recombine the streams.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,356,161 describes a process for reducing the total sulfur content of a high CO2-content feed gas stream, comprising CO2, H2S and COS. The feed gas is first passed to an absorption column where it is contacted with an a regenerable, liquid polyalkanolamine absorbent selective for H2S. The unabsorbed gas stream, comprising CO2 and COS and substantially free of H2S is then routed to a reduction step where it is combined with Claus off-gases and the COS reduced to H2S. The treated gas is then passed to a second absorption column and the unabsorbed gas is vented to the atmosphere. The H2S-rich solvent from both absorption columns is stripped in a common stripper and the H2S-rich gas is passed to a Claus unit for conversion to elemental sulfur. The absorption process described in this document is commonly referred to in the industry as an ‘acid gas enrichment’ process.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,122,351 describes a refinement to the known LO-CAT and Stretford processes of removing H2S by conversion to elemental sulfur, whereby the catalytic polyvalent metal redox solution used in said processes is recovered and re-used. This is achieved by interposing a closed loop evaporator/condenser process in the sulfur washing/filtering/recovery process so that wash water used to purify the sulfur and any polyvalent metal redox solution recovered from the sulfur melter are fed to an evaporator to concentrate the redox solution to a concentration capable of effective absorption of H2S, and the water evaporated in the evaporator is condensed as pure water for use in washing and/or filtering the recovered sulfur.
US-A1-2010/0111824 describes a process for producing H2 from a hydrocarbonaceous feed such as refinery residues, petroleum, natural gas, petroleum gas, petcoke or coal. In the exemplified embodiment, a crude syngas comprising H2, CO, CO2 and H2S, is formed by gasifying residue oils, quenching the raw syngas, and subjecting the quenched syngas to a water-gas shift reaction. The syngas is separated via PSA into an H2 product and a tail gas enriched in CO2 and containing also H2S, H2 and CO. The PSA tail gas is mixed with a Claus process tail gas and the mixture supplied to a tail gas cleaning stage that uses a liquid solvent such as MDEA or Flexsorb SE® to selectively wash out H2S from the gas mixture. H2S is then liberated from the solvent and added to the feed stream to the Claus process.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,248,321 describes a process for removing sulfur oxides from gaseous mixtures such as flue gases from power plants, smelter gases, and other gases emitted from various industrial operations. The process involves contacting the gaseous mixture with a non-functionalized polymeric sorbent which is essentially hydrophobic, such as styrenic polymers, which sorbent may be employed in a PSA system to selectively adsorb SO2. The SO2 rich desorption stream may be fed to a Claus reactor along with a suitable amount of H2S to produce elemental sulfur and water.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,306,651 describes the separation of a gas mixture comprising H2S and H2 using the combination of a PSA unit with a membrane. The PSA separates the feed stream into an H2 stream and two H2S-rich streams. One H2S-rich stream is recovered as a waste stream and the second is compressed and put through a membrane to remove the H2. The H2S is then supplied to the PSA unit at pressure for rinsing and the H2 returned to the PSA unit for purging. The gas mixture may, for example, be a stream obtained from a hydrodesulfurization process in a refinery. The H2S-rich waste stream may be fed into one of the fuel/sour gas lines of the refinery.
EP-B1-0444987 describes the separation of CO2 and H2S from a syngas stream produced by gasification of coal. The syngas stream, containing H2S, is reacted with steam in a catalytic CO-shift reactor to convert essentially all the CO in the stream to CO2. The shifted stream is sent to a PSA unit that adsorbs CO2 and H2S in preference to H2, to separate said stream into an H2 product gas and a stream containing CO2 and H2S. The stream containing CO2 and H2S is sent to a second PSA unit that adsorbs H2S in preference to CO2, to provide a CO2 product, stated to be of high purity, and a H2S containing stream, the latter being sent to a Claus unit for conversion of the H2S into elemental sulfur.
EP-A1-0633219 describes a process for removing sulfur compounds from a gas stream containing sulfur compounds, such as the off-gas from a Claus process. The process comprises the steps of: (a) converting the sulfur compounds to sulfuric acid, by combusting sulfur compounds other than SO2 to form SO2, and catalytically oxidizing SO2 to SO3, which then forms sulfuric acid in water; (b) separating the sulfuric acid from the gas stream; and (c) supplying the sulfuric acid into the thermal stage of a Claus process to allow the sulfuric acid to react with hydrogen sulfide to form elemental sulfur.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,670 describes a process for improving an oxygen-enriched Claus process by introducing a sulfuric acid stream into the reaction furnace (thermal stage of the Claus process) to moderate oxygen-induced high temperatures which allow oxygen-enrichment and attendant throughput in the Claus process to higher levels.
Industries must strike a delicate balance when selecting technologies for processing sour feeds. A successful project must minimize capital and operating cost while ensuring the chosen technologies can appropriately and robustly meet ever tightening emissions standards. The final selection of H2S disposition technology can, as discussed above, depend on the concentration at which the H2S is present in the sour gas stream that is being treated. Where CO2 is to be captured (either for underground storage or enhanced oil recovery), the presence of H2S in the CO2 product presents regulatory concerns and careful design measures must be in place to ensure product purity is upheld. This becomes an even more complex problem when one considers that the amount of H2S in the sour gas stream can vary depending on feedstock variations, and variations in the process used to produce and/or separate out the sour gas. Significant variation in the amount of H2S may, in turn, lead to the H2S removal process becoming economically disadvantageous and/or to product purity and/or emission standards being compromised.
It is an object of embodiments of the present invention to provide methods and apparatus that allow for variations in the H2S content of the sour gas while meeting air emissions standards and/or CO2 purity specifications and achieving cost advantages over conventional technologies for sour gas processing.
It is an object of embodiments of the present invention to provide methods and apparatus that are capable of processing sour gas streams from varying feedstocks with varying compositions.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for treating a feed gas, comprising CO2, H2S and H2, to produce an H2-enriched product and an H2S-lean, CO2 product, the method comprising:
separating the feed gas to form a stream of H2-enriched product gas and a stream of sour gas, the sour gas also comprising CO2, H2S and H2 but being depleted in H2 and enriched in H2S and CO2 relative to the feed gas;
dividing the stream of sour gas into two parts;
processing one part of said stream of sour gas in an H2S removal system to form one or more streams of sweetened gas, depleted in H2S and enriched in CO2 relative to the feed gas;
bypassing the H2S removal system with the other part of said stream of sour gas; and

    
    
        combining said stream(s) of sweetened gas with said sour gas bypassing the H2S removal system to form a stream of H2S-lean, CO2 product gas;
    
    


wherein the division of the sour gas between being sent to and processed in the H2S removal system bypassing said system is adjusted responsive to changes in the H2S content of the sour gas, such that the proportion of the sour gas processed in the H2S removal system, as compared to bypassing said system, is increased if the H2S content rises and decreased if the H2S content drops.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for treating a feed gas, comprising CO2, H2S and H2, to produce an H2-enriched product gas and an H2S-lean, CO2 product gas, the apparatus comprising:
a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) system for separating the feed gas to form a stream of H2-enriched product gas and a stream of sour gas, the sour gas comprising CO2, H2S and H2 but being depleted in H2 and enriched in H2S and CO2 relative to the feed gas;
an H2S removal system for processing a part of the sour gas to form one or more streams of sweetened gas, depleted in H2S and enriched in the CO2 relative to the feed gas;
conduit means for transferring a part of said sour gas into the H2S removal system and bypassing the H2S removal system with another part of said sour gas;
a valve system for adjustably controlling the division of said sour gas between being sent to the H2S removal system and bypassing said system; and
conduit means for withdrawing one or more streams of sweetened gas from the H2S removal system and combining said stream(s) with the sour gas bypassing the H2S removal system to form H2S-lean, CO2 product gas.



BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a flow sheet depicting an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a flow sheet depicting the operation of one type of H2S removal system that may be used in the present invention; and
FIG. 3 is a flow sheet depicting the operation of an alternative type of H2S removal system that may be used in the present invention.



DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for treating a feed gas, comprising CO2, H2S and H2, to produce an H2-enriched product and an H2S-lean, CO2 product. The method comprises:
separating the feed gas to form a stream of H2-enriched product gas and a stream of sour gas, the sour gas also comprising CO2, H2S and H2 but being depleted in H2 and enriched in H2S and CO2 relative to the feed gas;
dividing the stream of sour gas into two parts;
processing one part of said stream of sour gas in an H2S removal system to form one or more streams of sweetened gas, depleted in H2S and enriched in CO2 relative to the feed gas;
bypassing the H2S removal system with the other part of said stream of sour gas; and
combining said stream(s) of sweetened gas with said sour gas bypassing the H2S removal system to form a stream of H2S-lean, CO2 product gas;
wherein the division of the sour gas between being sent to and processed in the H2S removal system and bypassing said system is adjusted responsive to changes in the H2S content of the sour gas, such that the proportion of the sour gas processed in the H2S removal system, as compared to bypassing said system, is increased if the H2S content rises and decreased if the H2S content drops.
The method therefore addresses the problem of separating and treating, both economically and while still allowing for variations in composition (in particular, H2S content), a sour gas as required to meet air emissions standards and/or CO2 product purity specifications (e.g. for underground storage or EOR). This is achieved by bypassing the H2S removal system with part of the sour gas so that only part of sour gas is treated in the H2S removal system, and by adjusting the proportion of the sour gas treated in the H2S removal system responsive to variations in the H2S content of the sour gas (i.e. sending relatively more of the sour gas to the removal system and less to bypass when H2S content rises, and relatively less of the sour gas to the removal system and more to bypass when H2S content falls), so as to dampen or cancel the effect of said variations on the H2S content of the H2S-lean, CO2 product. In this way, the H2S content of the sour gas can still be reduced to a level necessary to meet air emissions standards and/or CO2 product purity specifications during times of increased H2S content, while at the same time avoiding an unnecessary or “excessive” degree of H2S removal (and associated additional operating costs) when the H2S content of the sour gas is lower. Thus, emissions standards and/or product purity specifications are maintained while at the same time achieving a cost advantage.
As noted above, variations in upstream processes which could cause the composition of the sour gas to change include, but are not limited to, changes in the feedstock (e.g. coal, petcoke, asphaltenes) from which (e.g. by gasification or reforming) the feed gas (e.g. sour syngas mixture) is obtained, mal-performance or deterioration in an upstream unit (e.g. gasifier/reformer, water-gas shift unit, pressure swing adsorber or other separation device), or other process upsets. Variations in H2S content can be monitored using standard H2S-analyzers, as will be known to one of ordinary skill in the art. H2S content may be monitored at any suitable location. For example, the H2S content of the sour gas stream may be monitored directly, by monitoring the content of this stream. Alternatively, it could be monitored indirectly, by monitoring the H2S content of the feed gas and/or H2S-lean CO2 product stream.
The term “sour”, as used herein (and as is used in the art), refers to a gas or stream comprising H2S. Likewise, the term “sweetened” or “sweet” refers to a gas or stream from which at least some of, and preferably substantially all or all of the H2S has been removed.
The feed gas comprises, as noted above, at least CO2, H2S and H2. The feed gas preferably comprises from about 10 to about 65 mole % CO2, more preferably from about 10 to about 45 mole % CO2. The feed gas preferably comprises up to about 3 mole %, or up to about 1.5 mole % H2S, and preferably comprises at least about 50 ppm H2S. The feed gas preferably comprises at least about 30 mole %, and more preferably at least about 50 mole % H2. The feed gas is preferably a gaseous mixture obtained from gasification or reformation of a carbonaceous feedstock, and which may have been subjected to further processes such as, for example, a water-gas shift reaction (to convert some or all of the CO, present in the initially produced crude syngas, to CO2 and H2). Preferably, the feed gas is a sour syngas mixture (which, therefore, contains also at least some CO in addition to said CO2, H2S and H2). The feed gas may, for example, also contain: other carbonaceous species, such as CH4; other sulfurous (i.e. sulfur containing) species, such as COS and CS2; inerts, such as Ar and/or N2; and/or water.
Where the feed gas contains also other sulfurous species (in addition to H2S), it is preferred that these are dealt with in the method of the present invention in the same manner as H2S. Thus, where for example a stream is indicated herein as being enriched in, depleted in, lean in or free of H2S, said stream is preferably enriched in, depleted in, lean in or free of all other sulfurous species (where present) also; and where reference is made herein to H2S being adsorbed, removed or combusted then preferably other sulfurous species (where present) are adsorbed, removed or combusted also. In addition, where reference is made herein to maximum ppm or mole % of H2S, preferably these represent also the maximum ppm or mole % of all sulfurous species (in total) in the gas or stream in question. Thus, for example, where the feed gas contains also other sulfurous species, the feed gas preferably comprises at most about 3 mole %, and more preferably at most about 1.5 mole % of sulfurous species (in total).
The H2-enriched product gas is enriched in H2 relative to the feed gas (i.e. it has a higher mole % of H2 than the feed gas). It is also depleted in H2S and CO2 relative to the feed gas (i.e. it has a lower mole % of H2S and a lower mole % of CO2 than the feed gas). It is preferably free or at least substantially free of H2S. For example, the H2-enriched product gas preferably has an H2S concentration of less than about 20 ppm, more preferably less than about 10 ppm, and most preferably less than about 5 ppm. It may also be free or at least substantially free of CO2. Where the feed gas contains also CO, the H2-enriched product gas may be enriched in CO or depleted in CO (or, indeed, neither) relative to the feed gas, depending on the desired end use of said product. It is generally preferred, however, that where the feed stream contains more than minor amounts of CO then the H2-enriched product gas is enriched in CO as well as H2. Thus, it is generally preferred that it is only where the feed gas has a CO concentration of about 5 mole % or less, more preferably of about 2 mole % or less, and most preferably of about 1 mole % or less that the H2-enriched product gas is not enriched in CO relative to the feed gas.
Preferably, the H2 recovery in the H2-enriched product gas (i.e. the percentage of the H2 present in the feed gas that is recovered in the H2-enriched product) is at least about 80%, more preferably at least about 85%, more preferably at least about 90%, and most preferably at least about 95%. Where the feed stream contains CO and it is desired that the H2-enriched product is enriched in CO as well as H2, the combined recovery of H2 and CO in the H2-enriched product (i.e. the percentage of H2 and CO (in combination) present in the feed gas that is recovered in the H2-enriched product) is preferably at least about 75%, more preferably at least about 80%, and most preferably at least about 90%. The percentage recovery in the H2-enriched product gas of a component or combination of components can be calculated from the moles of the component or components in question in the feed gas and H2-enriched product gas. Thus, if for example the feed gas were to contain 25 kmol/hr of H2 and 25 kmol/hr of CO, and the H2-enriched product gas were to comprise 23 kmol/hr of H2 and 20 kmol/hr of CO, in this case 92% of the H2 would be recovered in the H2-enriched product stream and 86% of the H2 and CO (in combination) would be recovered in the H2-enriched product stream.
Preferably, the H2-enriched product gas comprises at least about 90 mole H2 or a mixture of H2 and CO, and is free or at least substantially free of H2S. The H2-enriched product gas may, for example, comprise greater than about 90 mole % H2, as may be the case where the H2-enriched gas is intended for use as a fuel for combustion and expansion in, for example, a gas turbine to generate power. Alternatively, the H2-enriched gas may, for example, comprise greater than about 99.99 mole % H2, as for example may be the case where the H2-enriched gas is intended for use, without requiring further purification, for chemicals or refining applications. Alternatively still, the H2-enriched gas may, for example, comprise at least about 90 mole %, and more preferably 95 mole % of a mixture of H2 and CO, with a CO:H2 ratio as desired for the product's intended application, such as a CO:H2 ratio between about 1:3 and about 3:1, and more preferably from about 1:1 to about 1:2.5 (as, for example, may be desired in Fischer-Tropsch process).
The sour gas comprises, as noted above, CO2, H2S and at least some H2, although it is depleted in H2 and enriched in H2S and CO2 relative to the feed gas (i.e. has a lower mole % of H2 and higher mole % of H2S and CO2 than the feed gas). Preferably, the sour gas contains at most about 30 mole % H2, and typically will contain at least about 5 mole % H2. Preferably, the sour gas comprises at most about 6 mole %, and more preferably at most about 3 mole % or at most about 1 mole % H2S, and preferably the sour gas comprises at least about 100 ppm and more preferably at least about 0.5 mole % H2S. Preferably, the sour gas comprises at least about 80 mole % CO2. The sour gas may further comprise other carbonaceous species, such as CO and/or CH4, and/or other sulfur containing species, such as COS and/or CS2, as may have been present in the feed gas. Where CO and/or CH4 are present in sour gas stream, the stream preferably comprises at most about 15 mole % of CO, CH4 or the combination of the two.
The or each stream of sweetened gas, obtained from processing the sour gas in the H2S removal system to remove H2S therefrom, is as noted above depleted in H2S relative to the feed gas. As with the sour gas from which it or they are formed, the or each stream of sweetened gas is also enriched in CO2, and depleted in H2, relative to the feed gas. Preferably, the or each stream of sweetened gas free or substantially free of H2S. Preferably, the H2S removal system removes at least about 90%, more preferably at least about 97%, and most preferably at least about 99% of the H2S present in the sour gas being processed in said system, such that the percentage of the H2S present in the sour gas that is recovered in the stream of sweetened gas or, where more than one stream is produced, in the streams in combination is preferably at most about 10%, more preferably at most about 3%, more preferably at most about 1% (the percentage recovery of H2S likewise being calculable from the moles of H2S present in the sour gas to be processed versus the moles of H2S present in the stream or combination of streams of sweetened gas). The stream of sour gas bypassing the H2S removal system is, self-evidently, not processed to remove H2S therefrom.
The H2S-lean, CO2 product gas preferably has an H2S concentration of at most about 200 ppm, more preferably at most about 100 ppm. Preferably, the H2S-lean, CO2 product gas has an H2 concentration of at most about 4 mole %, more preferably at most about 1 mole %.
The feed gas is, in preferred embodiments, separated to form the stream of H2-enriched product gas and stream of sour gas by pressure swing adsorption (PSA). The use of pressure swing adsorption to separate out the H2-enriched product provides for both capital and operating cost savings and reduced power consumption as compared to use of liquid solvent absorption processes as used in the standard commercial arrangement (whereby, as described above, a liquid solvent absorption process is used to separate a feed into separate H2S, CO2 and H2 streams, followed by treatment of the H2S-rich stream in a Claus unit).
The PSA system in which the separation is carried out will comprise one or more types of adsorbent that selectively adsorb CO2 and H2S (i.e. that adsorb CO2 and H2S preferentially to H2). If other sulfur containing species, such as COS and/or CS2, are present in the feed gas then a PSA system is used which, preferably, comprises one or more types of adsorbent that selectively adsorb these additional sulfur containing species also. If CO and/or other carbon containing species are also present in the feed gas, then adsorbents that selectively adsorb some or all of these species may or may not be used, depending on the desired composition of the H2-enriched product gas. Exemplary adsorbents include carbons, aluminas, silica gels and molecular sieves. For example, a single layer of silica gel may be used if the product requirement is a H2/CO mixture, a single layer of silica gel or a silica gel/carbon split may be used if the required product is gas turbine grade H2, and a silica gel/carbon/5A zeolite split may be used if the required product is high purity H2. A suitable type of silica gel for use as an adsorbent is, for example, the high purity silica gel (greater than 99% SiO2) described in US-A1-2010/0011955, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The system may comprise a plurality of adsorbent beds, as is known in the art. For example, the system may comprise a plurality of beds, with the PSA cycles of the individual beds being appropriately staggered so that at any point in time there is always at least one bed undergoing adsorption and at least one bed undergoing regeneration, such that the system can continuously separate the stream fed to it. The system may comprise beds arranged in series and/or in parallel. The PSA system may comprise a single type of adsorbent, selective for all the components that are to be selectively adsorbed by said system, or more than one type of adsorbent which adsorbents in combination provide the desired selective adsorption. Where more than one type of adsorbent is present, these may be intermixed and/or arranged in separate layers/zones of a bed, or present in separate beds arranged in series, or arranged in any other manner as appropriate and known in the art.
The PSA system may be operated in the same way as known PSA systems for separating H2 from CO2 (also referred to herein as H2-PSA systems), with all known cycle options appropriate to this technology area (e.g. cycle and step timings; use, order and operation of adsorption, equalization, repressurisation, depressurization and purge steps; and so forth). The PSA cycle will, of course, typically include at least adsorption, blowdown/depressurisation and purge steps. During the adsorption step the feed gas is fed at super-atmospheric pressure to the bed(s) undergoing the adsorption step and CO2, H2S and any other species for which the adsorbent is selective are selectively adsorbed, at least a portion of the gas pushed through the bed(s) during this step forming all or at least a portion of the stream of H2-enriched product gas. During the blowdown/depressurization and purge steps the pressure in the bed(s) is reduced and a purge gas passed through the bed(s) to desorb CO2, H2S and any other species adsorbed in the previous adsorption step, thereby regenerating the bed(s) in preparation for the next adsorption step, at least a portion of the gases obtained from the blowdown and/or purge steps forming all or at least a portion of the stream of sour gas. Although, as noted above, the adsorbent used in the PSA system is selective for CO2 and H2S, due to the manner in which the PSA process operates some H2 will nevertheless also be present in the sour gas (for example as a result of some H2 also being adsorbed, being present in the void space of the bed(s), and/or being present in the gas(es) used to purge the bed(s)).
Suitable operating conditions for PSA systems are likewise known in the art. The adsorption step may, for example, be carried out by feeding the feed gas to the PSA system at a pressure of about 1-10 MPa (10-100 bar) absolute and at a temperature in the range of about 10-60° C., in which case the H2-enriched product gas will be obtained at about the same pressure. The H2-enriched product gas may, if desired, be expanded to produce power prior to said product gas being put to further use (e.g. in chemicals or refining applications).
The sour gas will typically be obtained at pressures about or slightly above atmospheric, i.e. about or slightly above 0.1 MPa (1 bar) absolute, but may for example also be obtained at pressures of up to about 0.5 MPa (5 bar) absolute or at sub-atmospheric pressures of down to about 0.01 MPa (0.1 bar) absolute (in this latter case the PSA system being a vacuum pressure swing adsorption system). Higher pressures for the blowdown and purge steps may also be employed if desired (although the performance of the PSA system will decrease where the base pressure of the PSA is higher, due to the dynamic capacity of the PSA system being decreased, the gas obtained from the blowdown and purge steps will be obtained at higher pressure, which may be beneficial where compression of these gases for further use is required). The gas used for purging can be preheated at least in part before use. If heating is used, then a typical temperature that the purge gas is raised to is in the range of about 150° C. to about 300° C.
In a preferred embodiment, the method is carried out using a fossil fuel fired gasification system integrated with a PSA system that separates the sour syngas stream produced by the gasifier (optionally after further process steps such as a water-gas shift reaction) to form the stream of H2-enriched product gas and stream of sour gas.
The method may further comprise separating the stream of H2S-lean, CO2 product gas to form an H2S-lean, H2-lean, CO2 product and a gas comprising H2. Typically, the gas comprising H2 is enriched in H2 relative to the feed gas, and therefore constitutes a second H2-enriched gas (the H2-enriched product gas being the “first” H2-enriched gas). Preferably, the H2S-lean, H2-lean, CO2 product comprises at least about 98 mole %, more preferably at least about 99 mole %, more preferably at least about 99.9 mole % CO2. Preferably, the gas comprising H2 (second H2-enriched gas) is at least about 60 mole %, more preferably at least about 70 mole % H2. The gas comprising H2 (second H2-enriched gas) may be used in any other process where it would be of value. For example, depending on its composition the gas could be: blended with the H2-enriched product gas (i.e. the “first” H2-enriched gas) obtained via separation of the feed gas; recycled back to the system used to separate the feed gas (for example, where said system is a PSA system the gas comprising H2 may be combined with the feed gas, separated in an additional adsorption step to provide a further portion of the H2-enriched product gas and sour gas, used as a rinse gas in a rinse step of the PSA cycle, or used as a repressurisation gas in a repressurisation step of the PSA cycle); and/or used in one or more additional processes. The H2S-lean, H2-lean, CO2 product may be compressed (or pumped) to sufficient pressure for sequestration or for use in EOR applications.
The H2S-lean, CO2 product gas may, for example, be separated to form the H2S-lean, H2-lean, CO2 product and gas comprising H2 (second H2-enriched gas) by partial condensation or using membrane separation.
In the case of partial condensation, the H2S-lean, CO2 product gas is cooled and separated into a condensate and a vapour, for example using one or more phase separators and/or distillation columns. The heavier components, namely CO2 and remaining H2S, are concentrated in the liquid phase, which therefore forms the H2S-lean, H2-lean, CO2 product, the gaseous phase forming the gas comprising H2 (second H2-enriched gas). Partial condensation systems that would be suitable for separating the H2S-lean, CO2 product gas are, for example, described in US-A1-2008/0173585 and US-A1-2008/0173584, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Where partial condensation is used, it is also important that water and other components that may freeze out (e.g. NH3 and trace levels of tars) are not present in the stream of H2S-lean, CO2 product gas introduced into partial condensation system or are present only in sufficiently small amounts to avoid them freezing out and blocking the condensation system heat exchanger (which is used to cool the gas as necessary for subsequent separation into condensate and vapour) or otherwise affecting the performance of the condensation system. In order to remove water a drying system, such as a temperature swing adsorption (TSA) or absorptive (e.g. gycol, glycerol) system, may be used at any point upstream of the condensation system.
Where membrane separation is used, the H2S-lean, CO2 product gas may be separated using one or more membranes having selective permeability (i.e. that are more permeable to one or more components of the stream to be separated than they are to one or more other components of said stream). For example, membranes may be used that are permeable to H2 but largely impermeable to CO2 and/or vice versa, such as are described in Journal of Membrane Science 327 (2009) 18-31, “Polymeric membranes for the hydrogen economy: Contemporary approaches and prospects for the future”, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Where, for example, a membrane is used that is permeable to H2 but is, in comparison, largely impermeable to CO2 and H2S, during the membrane separation process the H2S-lean, CO2 product gas is introduced (typically at elevated pressure) into the membrane separation system and separated by the membrane into the second H2-enriched gas (obtained at a lower pressure from the permeate side of the membrane) and the H2S-lean, H2-lean, CO2 product (obtained at elevated pressure from the upstream side of the membrane). A nitrogen ‘sweep’ stream may also be used to increase the driving force for separation, allowing the stream of H2-enriched gas leaving the membrane separation system to be obtained at a higher pressure for the same membrane surface area. Membrane separation technologies are well documented in the literature and can be broadly classified as metallic, inorganics, porous carbons, organic polymers, and hybrids or composites (see, for example, Membranes for Hydrogen Separation, Nathan W. Ockwig and, Tina M. Nenoff, Chemical Reviews 2007 107 (10), 4078-4110, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference). Polymer membranes constitute a preferred type of membrane for use in the present invention.
The H2S removal system may be a system of any type suitable for processing the sour gas to obtain the desired stream(s) of sweetened gas, and may comprise a single type of system or a combination of two or more different types of systems.
In one embodiment, the H2S removal system may, for example, comprise an adsorption system comprising one or more beds of adsorbent selective for H25, the processing of sour gas in the H2S removal system comprising passing sour gas through said beds of adsorbent to adsorb H2S therefrom and form said or one of said stream(s) of sweetened gas.
The bed or beds may comprise a single type of adsorbent or more than one type of adsorbent selective for H2S (i.e. that adsorb H2S in preference to CO2). Preferably the system also comprises one or more adsorbents selective for any other sulfur containing species present in the sour gas (which adsorbents may be the same or different from the adsorbent(s) selective for H2S, and may be present in the same or different beds of the system). The system may, for example, use adsorbent of a non-regenerable type, e.g. H2S scavengers such as iron sponge or ZnO, which are disposed of and replaced once saturated with H2S (although, in cases where the sour gas comprises greater than about 100 ppm H2S any non-regenerable adsorbents are preferably only used as a final polishing step of the H2S removal process, the H2S removal system therefore including also a regenerable adsorbent system or another type of H2S removal system that first removes the bulk of the H2S prior to removal of remaining H2S by the non-regenerable adsorbent). Use of method of the present invention in connection with such a system can reduce capital/operating costs by reducing the flow rate of sour gas that the bed(s) of regenerable adsorbent have to process and/or frequency with which the H2S scavenger has to be replaced.
In one embodiment, the H2S removal system may, for example, comprise a system that converts H2S to elemental sulfur, the processing of sour gas in the H2S removal system comprising contacting sour gas with a reagent (e.g. one or more catalysts and/or reactants) to convert H2S to elemental sulfur (which sulfur may then be removed by, for example, any suitable sulfur handling processes as are known in the art) and form said or one of said stream(s) of sweetened gas. Preferably, the H2S removal system comprises a catalyst that catalyses the conversion of H2S to elemental sulfur.
The system for converting H2S to elemental sulfur may, for example, be a system that converts the H2S to elemental sulfur by a direct oxidation or redox process (i.e., LO-CAT, Sulfa-Treat). These processes are well known in the industry and usually operate in three sections comprising a gas treating, a catalyst regeneration section, and a sulfur handling section. Use of such systems may be a preferred option where the sour gas stream typically comprises less than about 5%. Use of method of the present invention in connection with such a system can reduce costs by reducing operating costs associated with regenerating the catalyst (in the catalyst regeneration section), and also reducing the amount of sulfur that is removed thus reducing operating costs associated with the sulfur handling section.
Where the sour gas contains, in addition to H2S, one or more other sulfur containing species, the method may further comprise treating a portion or all of the sour gas to be processed in the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system to convert one or more of said sulfur containing species to H2S prior to said sour gas being processed in said conversion system. This may, in particular, be preferred where a higher H2S concentration is desirable for optimal performance of the conversion system in question. Alternatively or additionally, one or more other H2S and/or sulfur species containing gas streams, as may be available on-site or be imported from off-site, may be blended with the sour gas to be processed in the conversion system, again to increase the overall H2S concentration of said gas to be processed in the conversion system, where this may be desirable.
Other sulfur species that may be present in the sour gas include, in particular, and as described above, COS and CS2. A variety of processes for converting such species to H2S are known, and may suitably be employed. For example, COS may be converted to H2S and CO2 in the presence of alumina and/or titania catalysts via the hydrolysis reaction COS+H2O→+H2S+CO2. CS2 may be reduced to produce H2S via the reaction CS2+2H2→+2H2S+C, which is generally favored at high temperatures and can proceed over a Co—Mo—Al catalyst. The aforementioned hydrolysis reaction is also favored at high temperatures.
In one embodiment, the H2S removal system may, for example, comprise a combustion system, wherein the processing of sour gas in the H2S removal system comprises combusting sour gas in the presence of O2 to produce heat and a combustion effluent depleted in H2S and H2, relative to the feed gas, and comprising CO2, SOx and H2O, SOx being removed from said combustion effluent to form (from the resulting SOx-depleted combustion effluent) said or one of said stream(s) of sweetened gas. Use of method of the present invention in connection with such a system can reduce costs by reducing operating cost associated with the addition of a trim fuel (i.e. natural gas) which may necessarily or desirably be combusted alongside the sour gas to support combustion of the latter (in particular, where the latter is of low calorific value). The bypassing of the combustion system with part of the sour gas also allows for potential further recovery of hydrogen still present in that part of the sour gas (all or substantially all of the hydrogen sent to the combustion system typically being combusted to form water) which may likewise be of economic benefit.
The combustion system is preferably an oxy-fuel combustion system, whereby the sour gas is combusted via oxy-fuel combustion. As used herein, the term “oxy-fuel combustion” refers to combustion where the oxidant stream, that is mixed with the sour gas (constituting the fuel to be combusted) to provide the O2 for combustion, comprises greater than 21 mole % oxygen. More preferably, the oxidant stream is at least about 90 mole % oxygen, and most preferably at least about 95 mole % oxygen. The oxidant stream may be oxygen enriched air, oxygen enriched recycled flue gas, or substantially pure or pure oxygen. Preferably all or at least substantially all of the H2S, H2 and any other combustible components present in the sour gas are combusted to form their combustion products (SOx and H2O in the case of H2Sx and H2O in the case of H2). Preferably, therefore, the amount of O2 provided by the oxidant stream is in excess of the stoichiometric amount theoretically required for complete combustion of all combustible components present in the sour gas to be combusted.
In this embodiment, the method preferably further comprises passing the combustion effluent through a heat exchanger to recover heat therefrom via indirect heat exchange. The recovered heat may be put to various uses. For example, the recovered heat may be used to generate steam (which may, for example, be used in turn in a steam turbine to generate power), supplied to other processes, and/or exchanged with other process streams.
Preferably, SOx is removed from said combustion effluent by cooling the combustion effluent to condense out water and convert SO3 to sulfuric acid (typically, this will be carried out in a heat exchanger separate from any heat exchanger initially used to recover useful heat from the combustion effluent in the manner discussed above), and maintaining the cooled combustion effluent at elevated pressure(s), in the presence of O2, water and optionally NOx, for a sufficient time to convert SO2 to sulfurous acid and/or SO2 to sulfuric acid and NOx to nitric acid.
This process by which SOx is removed may, in particular, be a process as described in US-A1-2007/0178035, preferred features of this process being, therefore, as described in this document. In particular, at least substantially all (and usually all) of the SOx and the bulk, usually about 90%, of any NOx is preferably removed. The combustion effluent is usually produced at a pressure of from about 0.1 MPa (1 bar) to about 0.7 MPa (7 bar), and more typically from about 0.1 MPa (1 bar) to about 0.2 MPa (2 bar), depending at least in part on the pressure at which the sour gas stream is introduced into the combustion system, and may be compressed to the elevated pressure. The elevated pressure is usually at least about 0.3 MPa (3 bar) and preferably from about 1 MPa (10 bar) to about 5 MPa (50 bar). Contact time (or “hold-up”) between the gaseous components and the liquid water after elevation of the pressure affects the degree of conversion of SO2 to H2SO4 and NOx to HNO3, a total “hold-up” time of no more than 60 seconds usually being sufficient for maximum conversion of SO2/NOx. Counter current gas/liquid contact devices such as columns or scrub towers allow intimate mixing of water with the gaseous components for continuous removal of SO2 and NOx, and thus constitute suitable devices for providing the required contact time for the conversion(s). The O2 required for the conversions may be added although an amount of O2 may be present in the combustion effluent, for example where a stoichiometric excess of O2 was used during combustion. Water is present in the combustion effluent as one of the combustion products, but further water may be added if required. Likewise, NOx may already be present in the combustion effluent, and/or may be added as required.
In one embodiment, the H2S removal system may, for example, comprise both a combustion system and a system that converts H2S to elemental sulfur via reaction with SO2, sulfuric acid and/or sulfurous acid. The sour gas to be processed in the H2S removal system is, in this case, divided into two streams, and said processing comprises:
contacting, in the H2S to elemental sulfur system, a stream of sour gas with the SO2, sulfuric acid and/or sulfurous acid to convert H2S to elemental sulfur (which sulfur may then be removed by, for example, any suitable sulfur handling processes as are known in the art) and form said stream or one of said stream(s) of sweetened gas; and
combusting, in the combustion system, another stream of sour gas in the presence of O2 to produce heat and a combustion effluent depleted in H2S and H2) relative to the feed gas, and comprising CO2, SOx and H2O, and: (i) introducing at least a portion of the combustion effluent, or an SO2-enriched stream separated from the combustion effluent, into the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system to provide at least a portion of said SO2 for the reaction with H2S; and/or (ii) converting SOx in the combustion effluent to sulfuric and/or sulfurous acid, and introducing at least a portion of said acid into the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system to provide at least a portion of said acid for the reaction with H2S.
The method according to this embodiment therefore has the further advantage, over the method described in US-A1-2007/0178035, that at least a portion of the SOx formed from combustion of H2S in the combustion system is disposed of either by conversion into elemental sulfur rather than by conversion to sulfuric acid, or by at least a portion of the sulfuric and/or sulfurous acid that is formed from the SOx being further converted to elemental sulfur.
As described above in connection with other embodiments where the H2S removal system comprises an H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system, where the sour gas contains in addition to H2S one or more other sulfur containing species the method may further comprise treating a portion or all of said stream of sour gas to be processed in said conversion system to convert one or more of said sulfur containing species to H2S prior to said stream being processed in the conversion system. Alternatively or additionally, one or more other H2S and/or sulfur species containing gas streams, as may be available on-site or be imported from off-site, may be blended with the sour gas stream to be processed in the conversion system, again to increase the overall H2S concentration of said gas to be processed in the conversion system.
As described above, in connection with other embodiments where the H2S removal system comprises a combustion system, the combustion system may preferably be an oxy-fuel combustion system, whereby the sour gas is combusted via oxy-fuel combustion. The method may preferably further comprise passing the combustion effluent through a heat exchanger to recover heat therefrom via indirect heat exchange. The recovered heat may be used to generate steam, supplied to other processes, and/or exchanged with other process streams. The recovered heat may, for example, be used to supply some or all of the thermal load that may be necessary for optimal conversion of H2S in the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system and/or for optimal prior treatment of the sour gas feed to said conversion system to convert additional sulfur species to H2S (where such prior treatment takes place).
Where the H2S to elemental sulfur system converts H2S to elemental sulfur via reaction with SO2, and a portion of the combustion effluent is introduced into said conversion system to provide at least a portion of said SO2 for reaction with H2S, the combustion effluent may be divided into at least two thereof, one of which is introduced into the conversion system to provide at least a portion of said SO2 for the reaction with H2S, and the other of which forms a second of said streams of sweetened gas.
Where the H2S to elemental sulfur system converts H2S to elemental sulfur via reaction with SO2, the combustion effluent is separated to form an SO2-enriched stream (i.e. stream enriched in SO2 relative to the combustion effluent) and an SO2-depleted stream (i.e. a stream depleted in SO2 relative to the combustion effluent), and the SO2-enriched stream is introduced into said conversion system to provide at least a portion of said SO2 for reaction with H2S, the SO2-depleted stream may form a second of said streams of sweetened gas. The combustion effluent may be separated to form an SO2-enriched stream and an SO2-depleted stream via any suitable means. For example, the combustion effluent may be separated using suitable adsorbents (such as for example described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,248,321, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference) or via distillation (for example using a system as described in EP-A-0798032, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference).
By introducing into the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system a separated SO2-enriched stream, or only that amount of the combustion effluent required to provide the necessary amount of SO2 for reaction with H2S, and taking the SO2-depleted stream or the remainder of the combustion effluent as an additional stream of sweetened gas, the amount of sour gas to be combusted in the combustion system relative to the amount treated in the conversion system can be increased without affecting the reaction stoichiometry in the conversion system. This, in turn, may allow additional useful heat to be generated by and recovered from the combustion reaction. However, in this case care should be taken to ensure that the amount of combustion effluent, or amount of any residual SOx in the SO2-depleted stream, taken as an additional stream of sweetened gas is not such that the SOx content of the H2S-lean, CO2 product gas exceeds acceptable limits. Where, for example, the combustion effluent is being divided and a portion thereof taken as an additional stream of sweetened gas, it is therefore preferable that both the division of sour gas between the stream sent to the conversion system and the stream sent to the combustion system, and the division of the combustion effluent between being sent to the conversion system and being taken as an additional sweetened gas, are adjusted as necessary responsive to changes in the H2S content of the sour gas, such that both the reaction stoichiometry within the conversion system and the SOx content of the H2S-lean, CO2 product gas are maintained within desired limits.
Where the H2S to elemental sulfur system converts H2S to elemental sulfur via reaction with SO2, the H2S to elemental sulfur system preferably comprises a catalyst that catalyses the conversion of H2S to elemental sulfur via reaction with SO2. Suitable catalysts include, for example, catalysts as used in the catalytic step(s) of the Claus process.
Where the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system converts H2S to elemental sulfur via reaction with sulfuric and/or sulfurous acid, SOx in the combustion effluent is converted to sulfuric and/or sulfurous acid, and at least a portion of said acid is introduced into the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system to provide at least a portion of said acid for the reaction with H2S, the SOx-depleted combustion effluent (obtained following removal of the acid) may form a second of said streams of sweetened gas. Prior to being introduced in the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system, the sulfuric and/or sulfurous acid stream may be heated to drive off excess water, thereby concentrating the acid before it is added to the conversion system. Such evaporation of water is preferably carried out at atmospheric pressure or under vacuum.
The SOx in the combustion effluent may be converted to sulfuric acid or sulfuric and sulfurous acid by cooling the combustion effluent to condense out water and convert SO3 to sulfuric acid, and maintaining the cooled combustion effluent at elevated pressure(s), in the presence of O2, water and optionally NOx, for a sufficient time to convert SO2 to sulfurous acid and/or SO2 to sulfuric acid and NOx to nitric acid. The process by which SOx is converted to sulfuric acid may, in particular, be a process as described in US-A1-2007/0178035, preferred features of this process being, therefore, as described in this document and/or as described above in relation to other embodiments of the present invention where SOx in the combustion effluent is converted to sulfuric acid.
The conversion of H2S to elemental sulfur via reaction with sulfuric acid may proceed according to the reaction 3H2S+H2SO4→4S+4H2O, wherein aqueous H2SO4 is reacted with gaseous H2S. Similarly, the conversion of H2S to elemental sulfur via reaction with sulfurous acid may proceed according to the reaction 2H2S+H2SO3→3S+3H2O, wherein aqueous H2SO3 is reacted with gaseous H2S. Further details regarding the reaction between H2S and sulfuric acid are, for example, given in: Reactions between Hydrogen Sulfide and Sulfuric Acid: A Novel Process for Sulfur Removal and Recovery, Qinglin Zhang, Ivo G. Dalla Lana, Karl T. Chuang,† and, Hui Wang, Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research 2000 39 (7), 2505-2509; Kinetics of Reaction between Hydrogen Sulfide and Sulfur Dioxide in Sulfuric Acid Solutions, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 2002, 41, 4707-4713; Thermodynamics and Stoichiometry of Reactions between Hydrogen Sulfide and Concentration Sulfuric Acid, The Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering, Volume 81, February 2003; and Mass-Transfer Characteristics for Gas-Liquid Reaction of H2S and Sulfuric Acid in a Packed Column Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 2004, 43, 5846-5853; the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
In any of the above embodiments, the method may further comprise processing one or more additional H2S containing streams in the H2S removal system alongside said part of said stream of sour gas to be processed in the H2S removal system. These additional streams may be derived from processes within the plant, or may be obtained from off-site. For example, where the feed gas is separated by pressure swing adsorption, the PSA system may produce two separate streams of sour gas (of, for example, different composition), with one of said streams being divided into two parts, one of which is sent to the H2S removal system and the other of which bypasses said system (as described above), and the other of said streams being processed, in its entirety, in the H2S removal system (alongside said part of said first mentioned stream). Where the two streams of sour gas are of different composition (as may be the case where, for example, one is formed from gas obtained during the blowdown step of the PSA process and the other is formed from gas obtained during the purge step), it may in particular be preferable to process all of the stream of higher H2S content (e.g. formed from the blowdown step) in the H2S removal system, and divide the stream of lower H2S content (e.g. formed from the purge step) into one part for processing in the H2S removal system and another part for bypassing said system.
Apparatus of the present invention are suitable for carrying out the above described method. The apparatus comprises:
a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) system for separating the feed gas to form a stream of H2-enriched product gas and a stream of sour gas, the sour gas comprising CO2, H2S and H2 but being depleted in H2 and enriched in H2S and CO2 relative to the feed gas;
an H2S removal system for processing a part of the sour gas to form one or more streams of sweetened gas, depleted in H2S and enriched in CO2 relative to the feed gas;
conduit means for transferring a part of said sour gas into the H2S removal system and bypassing the H2S removal system with another part of said sour gas;
a valve system for adjustably controlling the division of said sour gas between being sent to the H2S removal system and bypassing said system; and
conduit means for withdrawing one or more streams of sweetened gas from the H2S removal system and combining said stream(s) with the sour gas bypassing the H2S removal system to form H2S-lean, CO2 product gas.
The apparatus may further comprise a separation system for receiving the H2S-lean, CO2 product gas and separating said gas to form an H2S-lean, H2-lean, CO2 product and a gas comprising H2 (preferably, a second H2-enriched gas).
In one embodiment:
the H2S removal system comprises (i) a combustion system, for combusting sour gas in the presence of O2 to produce heat and a combustion effluent depleted in H2S and H2 and comprising CO2, SOx and H2O, (ii) a system for converting H2S to elemental sulfur via reaction with SO2, and (iii) conduit means for transferring at least a portion of the combustion effluent from the combustion system to the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system to provide SO2 for reaction with H2S;
the conduit means for transferring a part of the sour gas into the H2S removal system transfer a stream of sour gas into the combustion system and a stream of sour gas into the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system; and
the conduit means for withdrawing one or more streams of sweetened gas from the H2S removal system withdraw a stream of sweetened gas from the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system and, optionally, a stream of sweetened gas from the combustion system formed from a portion of the combustion effluent.
In another embodiment:
the H2S removal system comprises (i) a combustion system, for combusting sour gas in the presence of O2 to produce heat and a combustion effluent depleted in H2S and H2 and comprising CO2, SOx and H2O, (ii) a system for receiving and separating the combustion effluent to form an SO2-enriched stream and an SO2-depleted stream (iii) a system for converting H2S to elemental sulfur via reaction with SO2, and (iv) conduit means for transferring the SO2-enriched stream from the system for separating the combustion effluent to the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system to provide SO2 for reaction with H2S;
the conduit means for transferring a part of the sour gas into the H2S removal system transfer a stream of sour gas into the combustion system and a stream of sour gas into the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system; and
the conduit means for withdrawing one or more streams of sweetened gas from the H2S removal system withdraw a stream of sweetened gas from the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system and, optionally, a stream of sweetened gas from the system for separating the combustion effluent formed from the SO2-depleted stream.
In another embodiment:
the H2S removal system comprises (i) a combustion system, for combusting sour gas in the presence of O2 to produce heat and a combustion effluent depleted in H2S and H2 and comprising CO2, SOx and H2O, (ii) a system for receiving combustion effluent from the combustion system, converting SOx in said effluent to sulfuric acid and/or sulfurous acid, and separating said acid from the effluent to form an SOx-depleted combustion effluent, (iii) a system for converting H2S to elemental sulfur via reaction with sulfuric and/or sulfurous acid, and (iv) conduit means for transferring sulfuric and/or sulfurous acid from the SOx to acid conversion system to the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system to provide sulfuric and/or sulfurous acid for reaction with H2S;
the conduit means for transferring a part of the sour gas into the H2S removal system transfer a stream of sour gas into the combustion system and a stream of sour gas into the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system; and
the conduit means for withdrawing one or more streams of sweetened gas from the H2S removal system withdraw a stream of sweetened gas from the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system and, optionally, a stream of sweetened gas from the SOx to sulfuric and/or sulfurous acid conversion system formed from the SOx-depleted effluent.
The system for converting SOx to sulfuric and/or sulfurous acid may, for example, comprise a cooling system for cooling the combustion effluent to condense out water and convert SO3 to sulfuric acid, a compressor for elevating the pressure of the cooled combustion effluent, and a counter current gas/liquid contact device for washing the cooled combustion effluent with water at elevated pressure(s), in the presence of O2 and optionally NOx, for a sufficient time to convert SO2 to sulfurous acid and/or SO2 to sulfuric acid and NOx to nitric acid.
Further preferred features and embodiments of the apparatus according to the invention will be apparent from the foregoing description of preferred features and embodiments of the method of the invention.
Aspects of the invention include:
#1. A method for treating a feed gas, comprising CO2, H2S and H2, to produce an H2-enriched product and an H2S-lean, CO2 product, the method comprising:
separating the feed gas to form a stream of H2-enriched product gas and a stream of sour gas, the sour gas also comprising CO2, H2S and H2 but being depleted in H2 and enriched in H2S and CO2 relative to the feed gas;
dividing the stream of sour gas into two parts;
processing one part of said stream of sour gas in an H2S removal system to form one or more streams of sweetened gas, depleted in H2S and enriched in CO2 relative to the feed gas;
bypassing the H2S removal system with the other part of said stream of sour gas; and
combining said stream(s) of sweetened gas with said sour gas bypassing the H2S removal system to form a stream of H2S-lean, CO2 product gas;
wherein the division of the sour gas between being sent to and processed in the H2S removal system and bypassing said system is adjusted responsive to changes in the H2S content of the sour gas, such that the proportion of the sour gas processed in the H2S removal system, as compared to bypassing said system, is increased if the H2S content rises and decreased if the H2S content drops.
#2. A method according to #1, wherein the feed gas has an H2S concentration of from about 50 ppm to about 3 mole %.
#3. A method according to #1 or #2, wherein the feed gas is a sour syngas mixture, comprising CO2, H2S, H2 and CO, obtained from gasifying or reforming carbonaceous feedstock.
#4. A method according to any of #1 to #3, wherein the H2-enriched product gas comprises at least about 90 mole % H2 or a mixture of H2 and CO, and is free or substantially free of H2S.
#5. A method according to any of #1 to #4, wherein the sour gas comprises less than about 6 mole % H2S.
#6. A method according to any of #1 or #5, wherein the or each stream of sweetened gas is free or substantially free of H2S.
#7. A method according to any of #1 to #6, wherein the H2S-lean, CO2 product gas contains less than 200 ppm H2S.
#8. A method according to any of #1 to #7, wherein the feed gas is separated by pressure swing adsorption.
#9. A method according to any of #1 to #8, wherein the method further comprises separating the stream of H2S-lean, CO2 product gas to form an H2S-lean, H2-lean, CO2 product and a second H2-enriched gas.
#10. A method according to #9, wherein the H2S-lean, CO2 product gas is separated by partial condensation or membrane separation.
#11. A method according to any of #1 to #10, wherein the H2S removal system comprises an adsorption system comprising one or more beds of adsorbent selective for H2S, and the processing of sour gas in the H2S removal system comprises passing sour gas through said beds of adsorbent to adsorb H2S therefrom and form said or one of said stream(s) of sweetened gas.

#12. A method according to any of #1 to #11, wherein the H2S removal system comprises a system for converting H2S to elemental sulfur, the processing of sour gas in the H2S removal system comprising contacting sour gas with a reagent to convert H2S to elemental sulfur and form said or one of said stream(s) of sweetened gas.

#13. A method according to any of #1 to #12, wherein the H2S removal system comprises a combustion system, and the processing of sour gas in the H2S removal system comprises combusting sour gas in the presence of O2 to produce heat and a combustion effluent depleted in H2S and H2 and comprising CO2, SOx and H2O, SOx being removed from said combustion effluent to form said or one of said stream(s) of sweetened gas.

#14. A method according to #13, wherein SOx is removed from said combustion effluent by cooling the combustion effluent to condense out water and convert SO3 to sulfuric acid, and maintaining the cooled combustion effluent at elevated pressure(s), in the presence of O2, water and optionally NOx, for a sufficient time to convert SO2 to sulfurous acid and/or SO2 to sulfuric acid and NOx to nitric acid.

#15. A method according to any of #1 to #10, wherein the H2S removal system comprises both a combustion system and a system for converting H2S to elemental sulfur via reaction with SO2, sulfuric acid and/or sulfurous acid, and wherein the sour gas to be process in the H2S removal system is divided into two streams, said processing comprising:

contacting, in the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system, a stream of sour gas with SO2, sulfuric acid and/or sulfurous acid to convert H2S to elemental sulfur and form said stream or one of said stream(s) of sweetened gas; and
combusting, in the combustion system, another stream of sour gas in the presence of O2 to produce heat and a combustion effluent depleted in H2S and H2 and comprising CO2, SOx and H2O, and: (i) introducing at least a portion of the combustion effluent, or an SO2 enriched stream separated from the combustion effluent, into the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system to provide at least a portion of said SO2 for the reaction with H2S; and/or (ii) converting SOx in the combustion effluent to sulfuric and/or sulfurous acid, and introducing at least a portion of said acid into the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system to provide at least a portion of said acid for the reaction with H2S.
#16. A method according to #15, wherein the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system converts H2S to elemental sulfur via reaction with SO2, and at least a portion of the combustion effluent, or an SO2 enriched stream separated from the combustion effluent, is introduced into said conversion system to provide at least a portion of said SO2 for the reaction with H2S.

#17. A method according to #16, wherein the combustion effluent is divided into two streams thereof, one of which is introduced into said conversion system to provide at least a portion of said SO2 for the reaction with H2S, and the other of which forms a second of said streams of sweetened gas.

#18. A method according to #16, wherein the combustion effluent is separated to form an SO2-enriched stream and an SO2-depleted stream, the SO2-enriched stream is introduced into said conversion system to provide at least a portion of said SO2 for the reaction with H2S, and the SO2-depleted stream forms a second of said streams of sweetened gas

#19. A method according to #15, wherein the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system converts H2S to elemental sulfur via reaction with sulfuric and/or sulfurous acid, SOx in the combustion effluent is converted to sulfuric and/or sulfurous acid, and at least a portion of said acid is introduced into said conversion system to provide at least a portion of said acid for the reaction with H2S.

#20. A method according to #19, wherein SOx in the combustion effluent is converted to sulfuric or sulfuric and sulfurous acid by cooling the combustion effluent to condense out water and convert SO3 to sulfuric acid, and maintaining the cooled combustion effluent at elevated pressure(s) in the presence of O2, water and optionally NOx, for a sufficient time to convert SO2 to sulfurous acid and/or SO2 to sulfuric acid and NOx to nitric acid.

#21. A method according to #19 or #20, wherein the SOx-depleted combustion effluent forms a second of said streams of sweetened gas.

#22. A method according to any of #12 or #15 to #21, wherein the sour gas contains, in addition to H2S, one or more other sulfur containing species, and wherein the method further comprises treating a portion or all of said sour gas to be processed in the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system to convert one or more of said sulfur containing species to H2S prior to said sour gas being processed in said conversion system.

#23. A method according to any of #13 to #22, wherein the combustion system is an oxy-fuel combustion system.

#24. A method according to any of #13 to #23, wherein the method further comprises passing the combustion effluent through a heat exchanger to recover heat therefrom via indirect heat exchange.

#25. Apparatus for treating a feed gas, comprising CO2, H2S and H2, to produce an H2-enriched product gas and an H2S-lean, CO2 product gas, the apparatus comprising:

a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) system for separating the feed gas to form a stream of H2-enriched product gas and a stream of sour gas, the sour gas comprising CO2, H2S and H2 but being depleted in H2 and enriched in H2S and CO2 relative to the feed gas;
an H2S removal system for processing a part of the sour gas to form one or more streams of sweetened gas, depleted in H2S and enriched in CO2 relative to the feed gas;
conduit means for transferring a part of said sour gas into the H2S removal system and bypassing the H2S removal system with another part of said sour gas;
a valve system for adjustably controlling the division of said sour gas between being sent to the H2S removal system and bypassing said system; and
conduit means for withdrawing one or more streams of sweetened gas from the H2S removal system and combining said stream(s) with the sour gas bypassing the H2S removal system to form H2S-lean, CO2 product gas.
#26. An apparatus according to #25, wherein the apparatus further comprises a separation system for receiving the H2S-lean, CO2 product gas and separating said gas to form an H2S-lean, H2-lean, CO2 product and a second H2-enriched gas.
#27. An apparatus according to #25 or #26, wherein:
the H2S removal system comprises (i) a combustion system, for combusting sour gas in the presence of O2 to produce heat and a combustion effluent depleted in H2S and H2 and comprising CO2, SOx and H2O, (ii) a system for converting H2S to elemental sulfur via reaction with SO2, and (iii) conduit means for transferring at least a portion of the combustion effluent from the combustion system to the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system to provide SO2 for reaction with H2S;
the conduit means for transferring a part of the sour gas into the H2S removal system transfer a stream of sour gas into the combustion system and a stream of sour gas into the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system; and
the conduit means for withdrawing one or more streams of sweetened gas from the H2S removal system withdraw a stream of sweetened gas from the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system and, optionally, a stream of sweetened gas from the combustion system formed from a portion of the combustion effluent.
#28. An apparatus according to #25 or #26, wherein:
the H2S removal system comprises (i) a combustion system, for combusting sour gas in the presence of O2 to produce heat and a combustion effluent depleted in H2S and H2 and comprising CO2, SOx and H2O, (ii) a system for receiving and separating the combustion effluent to form an SO2-enriched stream and an SO2-depleted stream (iii) a system for converting H2S to elemental sulfur via reaction with SO2, and (iv) conduit means for transferring the SO2-enriched stream from the system for separating the combustion effluent to the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system to provide SO2 for reaction with H2S;
the conduit means for transferring a part of the sour gas into the H2S removal system transfer a stream of sour gas into the combustion system and a stream of sour gas into the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system; and
the conduit means for withdrawing one or more streams of sweetened gas from the H2S removal system withdraw a stream of sweetened gas from the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system and, optionally, a stream of sweetened gas from the system for separating the combustion effluent formed from the SO2-depleted stream.
#29. An apparatus according to #25 or #26, wherein:
the H2S removal system comprises (i) a combustion system, for combusting sour gas in the presence of O2 to produce heat and a combustion effluent depleted in H2S and H2 and comprising CO2, SOx and H2O, (ii) a system for receiving combustion effluent from the combustion system, converting SOx in said effluent to sulfuric and/or sulfurous acid, and separating said acid from the effluent to form a SOx-depleted combustion effluent, (iii) a system for converting H2S to elemental sulfur via reaction with sulfuric and/or sulfurous acid, and (iv) conduit means for transferring sulfuric acid and/or sulfurous acid from the SOx to acid conversion system to the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system to provide sulfuric and/or sulfurous acid for reaction with H2S;
the conduit means for transferring a part of the sour gas into the H2S removal system transfer a stream of sour gas into the combustion system and a stream of sour gas into the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system; and
the conduit means for withdrawing one or more streams of sweetened gas from the H2S removal system withdraw a stream of sweetened gas from the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system and, optionally, a stream of sweetened gas from the SOx to sulfuric and/or sulfurous acid conversion system formed from the SOx-depleted combustion effluent.
#30. An apparatus according to #29, wherein the system for converting SOx to sulfuric and/or sulfurous acid comprises a cooling system for cooling the combustion effluent to condense out water and convert SO3 to sulfuric acid, a compressor for elevating the pressure of the cooled combustion effluent, and a counter current gas/liquid contact device for washing the cooled combustion effluent with water at elevated pressure(s), in the presence of O2 and optionally NOx, for a sufficient time to convert SO2 to sulfurous acid and/or SO2 to sulfuric acid and NOx to nitric acid.
Solely by way of example, certain embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Referring to FIG. 1, sour syngas stream 10, comprising H2, CO, CO2 and H2S, is fed into PSA system 12, which separates the sour syngas by pressure swing adsorption into a high pressure stream, 14, of H2-enriched product gas and a low pressure stream, 16, of sour gas. The sour gas also comprises H2, CO, CO2 and H2S, but is enriched in CO2 and H2S and depleted in H2 relative to the sour syngas. The H2-enriched product stream 14 may be expanded in optional expander 32, prior to, for example, being sent as fuel to a gas turbine to generate power (as, for example, where the H2-enriched product comprises gas turbine fuel grade purity H2) or exported for chemicals or refining applications (as, for example, where H2-enriched gas comprises high purity, e.g. 99.99 mole % or higher, H2 product or a high purity syngas comprising a desired H2/CO ratio).
Sour gas stream 16 is divided into two further streams, 18 and 24 (which, therefore, remain of the same composition as stream 16). The division of the sour gas between streams 18 and 24 is adjustable, as will be described below in further detail.
Sour gas stream 18 is fed into H2S removal system 20, which processes the stream to selectively remove all or substantially all the H2S therefrom, thereby forming stream 22 of sweetened gas which is devoid or almost devoid of H2S. The H2S removal system may employ any suitable means of H2S removal, including (but not limited to) adsorption, conversion to elemental sulfur, and/or combustion. The operation of two exemplary H2S removal systems will be described in further detail below, with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. Sour gas stream 24 bypasses the H2S removal system and is combined with sweetened gas stream 22 to form a H2S-lean, CO2 product gas. In the depicted embodiment streams 22 and 24 are combined to form stream 26 of H2S-lean, CO2 product gas, which stream is then compressed in compressor 28 prior to, optionally, being fed to a further separation system. Equally, however, streams 22 and 24 could be combined within compressor 28 to form the H2S-lean, CO2 product gas, or could be separately compressed and combined subsequently to form the H2S-lean, CO2 product gas.
The division of the sour gas between streams 18 and 24 is adjustable, so that it can be changed responsive to changes in the H2S content of the sour gas. In this way, should the H2S content of stream 16 rise, for example due to the H2S content of sour syngas stream 10 rising as a result of a change in gasifier/reformer feedstock, the flow rate of stream 18 can be increased and the flow rate of stream 24 decreased in order to keep the H2S content of the H2S-lean, CO2 product gas at or below a desired maximum content as dictated by the emissions and/or CO2 product specifications that the process is to meet. Likewise, should the H2S content of stream 16 drop, the flow rate of stream 18 may be reduced and flow rate of stream 24 increased, up to a level at which the desired maximum H2S content of the H2S-lean, CO2 product gas is still not exceeded, thereby conserving resources and/or reducing costs associated with the H2S removal process.
As noted above, stream 26 of H2S-lean, CO2 product gas may, optionally, be compressed in compressor 28 and then fed to a further separation system. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, the further separation system is a membrane separation system 30 comprising one or more membranes that are permeable to H2 but relatively impermeable to CO2, but other types of system, such as for example a partial condensation system, could equally be used. The compressed H2S-lean, CO2 product gas is separated in the membrane separation system 30 into a stream 34 of H2-enriched gas, obtained at lower pressure from the permeate side of the membrane(s), and a stream 36 of H2S-lean, H2-lean CO2 product gas obtained from the upstream side of the membrane(s). Optionally, an N2 ‘sweep’ stream 38 is also used to increase the driving force for separation, allowing stream 34 of second H2-enriched gas leaving the membrane separation system to be obtained at a higher pressure with the same membrane surface area. The second stream 34 of H2-enriched gas may be blended with stream 14 of H2-enriched product gas, recycled to PSA system 10 (for example by being added to sour syngas stream 10 or by being used in a rinse or repressurisation step of the PSA cycle), or used in another process. The H2S-lean, H2-lean CO2 product stream may be compressed in compressor 40 prior to being piped for geological storage or EOR.
In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, sour syngas stream 10 may for example comprise about 57% H2, 3% CO, 40% CO2, and 100 ppm H2S (all percentages being mole %) and be introduced into PSA system at 1.2 to 6 MPa (12 at 60 bar) absolute. The H2-enriched product stream 14 may comprise 95% H2 and 5% CO and be obtained at the same or about the same pressure as the sour syngas feed to the PSA system (i.e. subject to any unavoidable pressure drop associated with flow through the adsorbent packed bed), and the sour gas streams 16 may comprise about 93% CO2, 6.6% H2, 0.4% CO, and 233 ppm H2S and be obtained at 1 bar absolute. The stream of sweetened gas produced by the H2S removal system (for example comprising a catalytic system for converting H2S to elemental sulfur, e.g. LO-CAT, followed by a ZnO bed for final polishing) may comprise about 6.6% H2, 0.4% CO, 93% CO2, 2 ppm H2S. The H2S-lean, CO2 product stream 26 may comprise about 6.6% H2, 0.4% CO3 93% CO2 and 94 ppm H2S. The second H2-enriched gas may comprise 100% H2 or (if an N2 sweep is used) H2/N2. The H2S-lean, H2-lean CO2 product stream 36 may comprise about 96% CO2, 4% CO and 98 ppm H2S, and may be compressed to a pressure of 12 MPa (120 bar) absolute.
Referring to FIG. 2, in one exemplary embodiment the H2S removal system 20 comprises both an oxy-fuel combustion system 50 and an H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system 52 comprising a catalyst that catalyses the conversion of H2S to elemental sulfur via reaction with SO2.
In the depicted embodiment, sour gas stream 18 is divided into streams 54 and 56 but, equally, one or both of streams 54 and 56 could be divided from stream 16 at the same time as or before stream 24. Stream 54 is introduced into oxy-fuel combustion system 50 and combusted in the presence of oxygen, provided by high purity oxygen stream 58, so as to combust all or substantially all of the H2, CO and H2S present in the stream, thereby producing a combustion effluent 62 comprising CO2, SOx and H2O. Optionally, additional fuel may also be supplied to and combusted in the oxy-fuel combustion system 50, as indicated by stream 60. The combustion effluent 62 is then passed to heat exchanger 64 to recover heat therefrom via indirect heat exchange.
Stream 56 of sour gas is introduced into the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system 52 where all or substantially all of the H2S in the stream is reacted with SO2 over the catalyst to produce elemental sulfur and H2O (via the reaction 2H2S+SO2→+3⁄8S8+2H2O) and form stream 22 of sweetened gas. The sulfur is removed as stream 68 via a sulfur handling process within the conversion system. The SO2 required for this reaction is supplied by feeding at least a portion 66 of the combustion effluent 62 into the conversion system, the amount of combustion effluent fed into the conversion system preferably being such as to provide an amount of SO2 sufficient for, but not significantly in excess of, the stoichiometric amount required for reaction with H2S. The heat required for optimal conversion of H2S to sulfur may be supplied by the heat recovered from the combustion effluent in heat exchanger 64. Alternatively or additionally, the heat recovered from the combustion effluent in heat exchanger 64 may be put to other uses, such as for example heating stream 14 of H2-enriched product gas prior to said stream being expanded in optional expander 32.
Heat exchanger 64, although depicted as a single unit, could comprise one or more heat exchangers in series or parallel. The recovery of heat from stream 62 in heat exchanger 64 could, for example be via indirect heat transfer with any or all of streams 54, 58, 60, 56, and 14 by passing said stream(s) through heat exchanger 64 also. Alternatively, a separate a heat transfer fluid (e.g. steam), could be used that is circulated through heat exchanger 64 and separate heat exchangers (not shown) associated with any or all of streams 54, 58, 60, 56, and 14 to achieve indirect heat transfer with these streams. A separate heat transfer fluid (not shown) heated by stream 62 in heat exchanger 64 could also, for example, be used to heat the catalyst beds of conversion system 52.
The stream 22 of sweetened gas obtained from conversion system 52 is then combined with stream 24 of sour gas to form the H2S-lean, CO2 product, as described above with reference to FIG. 1. Water present in the sweetened gas can be removed prior to or after combining the stream with stream 24 of sour gas. For example, water may be removed during compression of the stream(s) in compressor 28. A further portion of the combustion effluent 62 may optionally also be taken as a second, SOx containing, stream 70 of sweetened gas. This second stream of sweetened gas may be combined with the stream of sweetened gas from conversion system 52 as shown in FIG. 2, or the two streams of sweetened gas may be separately added to stream 24 of sour gas to form the H2S-lean, CO2 product. Where, in particular, a second stream 70 of sweetened gas is formed from a portion of the combustion effluent, it is preferable that both the division of sour gas between the streams, 54 and 56, fed to the oxy-combustion and conversion systems, 50 and 52, and the division of the combustion effluent 62 between being sent to the conversion system 52 and being taken as the second stream 70 of sweetened gas, are adjustable so that both the desired reaction stoichiometry within the conversion system 52 and desired limits on SOx content of the H2S-lean, CO2 product gas can be maintained in the event of a change in the H2S content of the sour gas streams 16, 18, 24, 54 and 56.
In the arrangement depicted in FIG. 2, sour gas streams 18, 54 and 56 may for example comprise about 93% CO2, 6.6% H2, 0.4% CO, and 233 ppm H2S. Combustion effluent 62 may comprise about 99% CO2 and 235 ppm SOx. Stream 22 of sweetened gas may comprise about 96% CO2 and 4% H2/CO2 (a second stream 70 of sweetened gas not, in this example, being formed from the combustion effluent). The H2S-lean, CO2 product stream 26 may then comprise about 5.2% H2, 0.8% CO, 94% CO2 and 71 ppm H2S, and the H2S-lean, H2-lean CO2 product stream 36 may comprise about 99% CO2, 1% CO and 76 ppm H2S. All the above figures are calculated on a dry basis.
Referring to FIG. 3, an alternative exemplary embodiment of the H2S removal system is shown, the same reference numerals being used in FIG. 3 as in FIG. 2 to denote common features. The removal system 20 in this embodiment comprises both an oxy-fuel combustion system 50 and an H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system 82 in which H2S is converted to elemental sulfur via reaction with sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and/or sulfurous acid (H2SO3). Streams 54 and 56 of sour gas are, again, fed to the combustion system 50 and conversion system 82, respectively, the combustion system 50 combusting all or substantially all of the H2, CO and H2S in sour gas stream 54 to form combustion effluent 62 comprising CO2, SOx and H2O, and the conversion system 82 converting all or substantially all of the H2S in the sour gas stream 56 to elemental sulfur to provide stream 22 of sweetened gas and stream 68 of sulfur. Combustion effluent 62 is, again, passed through heat exchanger 64 to recover heat therefrom via indirect heat exchange.
In this arrangement, however, the combustion effluent 62 exiting heat exchanger 64 is introduced into SOx to acid conversion system 80 where it is cooled (in a further heat exchanger), compressed and maintained at elevated pressure, in the presence of O2, water and optionally NOx, to convert all or substantially all of the SOx in the combustion effluent to H2SO4 and/or H2SO3, thereby forming a further stream 84 of sweetened gas and a stream 86 of aqueous H2SO4 and/or H2SO3. At least a portion of this acid (optionally, after evaporation of some of the water to obtain a more concentrated solution of acid) is then introduced into the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system 82, the amount of acid fed into the conversion system preferably being at least sufficient to provide the stoichiometric amount H2SO4 and/or H2SO3 required for conversion of all of the H2S in sour gas stream 56, which proceeds according to the reactions 3H2S(g)+H2SO4(l)→4S+4H2O(l) and 2H2S(g)+H2SO3(l)→3S+3H2O(l).
The heat recovered from the combustion effluent in heat exchanger 64 may again be supplied to the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system 82 as required for optimal conversion of H2S, and/or put to other uses. The streams of sweetened gas 84 and 22 obtained from the SOx to acid conversion system 80 and H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system 82 may be combined, as shown in FIG. 3, prior to being combined with sour gas stream 24 to form the H2S-lean, CO2 product, or the two streams of sweetened gas may be separately added to stream 24 of sour gas.
It will be appreciated that the invention is not restricted to the details described above with reference to the preferred embodiments but that numerous modifications and variations can be made without departing form the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

## Claims

1. A method for treating a feed gas, comprising CO2, H2S and H2, to produce an H2-enriched product and an H2S-lean, CO2 product, the method comprising:
separating the feed gas by pressure swing adsorption to form a stream of H2-enriched product gas and a stream of sour gas, the sour gas also comprising CO2, H2S and H2 but being depleted in H2 and enriched in H2S and CO2 relative to the feed gas;
dividing the stream of sour gas into two parts;
processing one part of said stream of sour gas in an H2S removal system to form one or more streams of sweetened gas, depleted in H2S and enriched in CO2 relative to the feed gas;
bypassing the H2S removal system with the other part of said stream of sour gas; and
combining said stream(s) of sweetened gas with said sour gas bypassing the H2S removal system to form a stream of H2S-lean, CO2 product gas;
wherein the division of the sour gas between being sent to and processed in the H2S removal system and bypassing said system is adjusted responsive to changes in the H2S content of the sour gas, such that the proportion of the sour gas processed in the H2S removal system, as compared to bypassing said system, is increased if the H2S content rises and decreased if the H2S content drops.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the feed gas has an H2S concentration of from about 50 ppm to about 3 mole %.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the feed gas is a sour syngas mixture, comprising CO2, H2S, H2 and CO, obtained from gasifying or reforming carbonaceous feedstock.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the H2-enriched product gas comprises at least about 90 mole % H2 or a mixture of H2 and CO, and is free or substantially free of H2S.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sour gas comprises less than about 6 mole % H2S.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the or each stream of sweetened gas is free or substantially free of H2S.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the H2S-lean, CO2 product gas contains at most about 200 ppm H2S.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises separating the stream of H2S-lean, CO2 product gas to form an H2S-lean, H2-lean, CO2 product and a second H2-enriched gas.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the H2S-lean, CO2 product gas is separated by partial condensation or membrane separation.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the H2S removal system comprises an adsorption system comprising one or more beds of adsorbent selective for H2S, and the processing of sour gas in the H2S removal system comprises passing sour gas through said beds of adsorbent to adsorb H2S therefrom and form said or one of said stream(s) of sweetened gas.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the H2S removal system comprises a system for converting H2S to elemental sulfur, the processing of sour gas in the H2S removal system comprising contacting sour gas with a reagent to convert H2S to elemental sulfur and form said or one of said stream(s) of sweetened gas.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the sour gas contains, in addition to H2S, one or more other sulfur containing species, and wherein the method further comprises treating a portion or all of said sour gas to be processed in the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system to convert one or more of said sulfur containing species to H2S prior to said sour gas being processed in said conversion system.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the H2S removal system comprises a combustion system, and the processing of sour gas in the H2S removal system comprises combusting sour gas in the presence of O2 to produce heat and a combustion effluent depleted in H2S and H2 and comprising CO2, SOx and H2O, SOx being removed from said combustion effluent to form said or one of said stream(s) of sweetened gas.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the combustion system is an oxy-fuel combustion system.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises passing the combustion effluent through a heat exchanger to recover heat therefrom via indirect heat exchange.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein SOx is removed from said combustion effluent by cooling the combustion effluent to condense out water and convert SO3 to sulfuric acid, and maintaining the cooled combustion effluent at elevated pressure(s), in the presence of O2, water and optionally NOx, for a sufficient time to convert SO2 to sulfurous acid and/or SO2 to sulfuric acid and NOx to nitric acid.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the H2S removal system comprises both a combustion system and a system for converting H2S to elemental sulfur via reaction with SO2, sulfuric acid and/or sulfurous acid, and wherein the sour gas to be processed in the H2S removal system is divided into two streams, said processing comprising:
contacting, in the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system, a stream of sour gas with SO2, sulfuric acid and/or sulfurous acid to convert H2S to elemental sulfur and form said stream or one of said streams of sweetened gas; and
combusting, in the combustion system, another stream of sour gas in the presence of O2 to produce heat and a combustion effluent depleted in H2S and H2 and comprising CO2, SOx and H2O, and: (i) introducing at least a portion of the combustion effluent, or an SO2-enriched stream separated from the combustion effluent, into the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system to provide at least a portion of said SO2 for the reaction with H2S; and/or (ii) converting SOx in the combustion effluent to sulfuric and/or sulfurous acid, and introducing at least a portion of said acid into the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system to provide at least a portion of said acid for the reaction with H2S.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system converts H2S to elemental sulfur via reaction with SO2, and at least a portion of the combustion effluent, or an SO2-enriched stream separated from the combustion effluent, is introduced into said conversion system to provide at least a portion of said SO2 for the reaction with H2S.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the combustion effluent is divided into two streams thereof, one of which is introduced into said conversion system to provide at least a portion of said SO2 for the reaction with H2S, and the other of which forms a second of said streams of sweetened gas.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the combustion effluent is separated to form an SO2-enriched stream and an SO2-depleted stream, the SO2-enriched stream is introduced into said conversion system to provide at least a portion of said SO2 for the reaction with H2S, and the SO2-depleted stream forms a second of said streams of sweetened gas.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system converts H2S to elemental sulfur via reaction with sulfuric and/or sulfurous acid, SOx in the combustion effluent is converted to sulfuric and/or sulfurous acid, and at least a portion of said acid is introduced into said conversion system to provide at least a portion of said acid for the reaction with H2S.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein SOx in the combustion effluent is converted to sulfuric or sulfuric and sulfurous acid by cooling the combustion effluent to condense out water and convert SO3 to sulfuric acid, and maintaining the cooled combustion effluent, at elevated pressure(s) in the presence of O2, water and optionally NOx, for a sufficient time to convert SO2 to sulfurous acid and/or SO2 to sulfuric acid and NOx to nitric acid.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the SOx-depleted combustion effluent forms a second of said streams of sweetened gas.