Patent ID: 7727507

Claim:
A process for producing a gas stream depleted of H 2 S from a feed gas stream comprising H 2 S, the process comprising the steps of: (a) selectively oxidizing H 2 S by supplying the feed gas stream comprising H 2 S, an inert liquid medium and a molecular-oxygen comprising gas stream to a reaction zone comprising at least one catalytic zone comprising an oxidation catalyst and contacting the oxidation catalyst of each of the at least one catalytic zone with the feed gas stream and the molecular-oxygen comprising gas stream in the presence of the inert liquid medium at a temperature in the range of from 120 to 160° C. to form elemental sulphur and the gas stream depleted of H 2 S, under such conditions that the elemental sulphur formed is essentially in liquid form and is removed from the reaction zone along with the inert liquid medium to obtain a liquid stream comprising the inert liquid medium and essentially liquid elemental sulphur; (b) separating the liquid stream obtained in step (a) into a first liquid phase enriched in the inert liquid medium and a second liquid phase enriched in liquid elemental sulphur; (c) combusting either at least part of the liquid stream obtained in step (a) or at least part of the second liquid phase obtained in step (b), or both, to form a fluid stream comprising sulphur dioxide.