Patent ID: 8562928

Claim:
A process for making hydrogen, sulfur and sulfur dioxide from hydrogen sulfide, wherein said process comprises: introducing a gas stream comprising hydrogen sulfide into a sulfidation zone, operated under suitable sulfidation conditions and containing a lower metal sulfide, and contacting therein said gas stream with said lower metal sulfide to thereby yield molecular hydrogen and a higher metal sulfide; passing from said sulfidation zone a treated gas stream containing molecular hydrogen and having a reduced hydrogen sulfide concentration; passing from said sulfidation zone said higher metal sulfide and introducing it into a regeneration zone; introducing a sub-stoichiometric amount of molecular oxygen into said regeneration zone and contacting said higher metal sulfide with said molecular oxygen for a short contacting time to thereby convert said higher metal sulfide to said lower metal sulfide and to yield sulfur dioxide and elemental sulfur; passing from said regeneration zone said lower metal sulfide and introducing it into said sulfidation zone; and passing from said regeneration zone a regeneration zone effluent comprising sulfur dioxide and elemental sulfur.