Patent ID: 8083933

Claim:
A process for removing sulfur from a fuel gas stream that comprises at least one organic sulfur compound selected from the group consisting of thiol compounds, thiophene compounds, disulfide compounds, carbonyl sulfide, and mixtures thereof, wherein the total concentration of said at least one organic sulfur compound is in the range of from 40 ppmv to 5000 ppmv, a light olefin concentration, and a concentration of mercaptans, wherein said process comprises: introducing said fuel gas stream into a reactor containing an HDS catalyst, wherein said HDS catalyst comprises an inorganic oxide and an active hydrogenation metal component, wherein the metal of said active hydrogenation metal component is selected from the group of metals consisting of cobalt, nickel, chromium, molybdenum, and tungsten, and wherein said fuel gas stream is contacted under hydrodesulfurization process conditions with said HDS catalyst; yielding from said reactor a reactor effluent containing H 2 S and a significantly reduced organic sulfur concentration that is less than 40 ppmv; cooling said reactor effluent by exchanging heat energy between at least a portion of said fuel gas stream and at least a portion of said reactor effluent by use of an heat exchanger to provide a cooled reactor effluent prior to said introducing of said fuel gas stream that includes said at least a portion of said fuel gas stream into said reactor; recycling a portion of said cooled reactor effluent and introducing it with the introduction of said fuel gas stream into said reactor; and passing a remaining portion of said cooled reactor effluent to an absorption unit whereby said remaining portion of said cooled reactor effluent is treated to remove H 2 S therefrom and to yield a treated fuel gas having a reduced concentration of H 2 S of less than 40 ppmw.