Process Modeling, Optimization and Cost Analysis of a Sulfur Recovery Unit by Applying Pinch Analysis on the Claus Process in a Gas Processing Plant

The Claus process is one of the promising technologies for acid gas processing and sulfur recovery. Hydrogen sulfide primarily exists as a byproduct in the gas processing unit. It must be removed from natural gas. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notices that increasing SO2 and CO2 in the air harms the environment. Sulfur generally has an elemental content of 0.1–6 wt % in crude oil, but the value could be higher than 14% for some crude oils and asphalts. It produces SO2 and CO2 gases, which damage the environment and atmosphere of the earth, called primary pollutants. When SO2 gas is reacted with water in the atmosphere, it causes sulphur and nitric acid, called a secondary pollutant. The world countries started desulphurization in 1962 to reduce the amount of sulfur in petroleum products. In this research, the Claus process was modeled in Aspen Plus software (AspenTech, Bedford, MA, USA) and industrial data validated it. The Peng–Robinson method is used for the simulation of hydrocarbon components. The influence of oxygen gas concentration, furnace temperature, the temperature of the first catalytic reactor, and temperature of the second catalytic reactor on the Claus process were studied. The first objective of the research is process modeling and simulation of a chemical process. The second objective is optimizing the process. The optimization tool in the Aspen Plus is used to obtain the best operating parameters. The optimization results show that sulfur recovery increased to 18%. Parametric analysis is studied regarding operating parameters and design parameters for increased production of sulfur. Due to pinch analysis on the Claus process, the operating cost of the heat exchangers is reduced to 40%. The third objective is the cost analysis of the process. Before optimization, it is shown that the production of sulfur recovery increased. In addition, the recovery of sulfur from hydrogen sulfide gas also increased. After optimizing the process, it is shown that the cost of heating and cooling utilities is reduced. In addition, the size of equipment is reduced. The optimization causes 2.5% of the profit on cost analysis.

Direct Selective Oxidation of Hydrogen Sulfide: Laboratory, Pilot and Industrial Tests

This article is devoted to scientific and technical aspects of the direct catalytic oxidation of hydrogen sulfide for the production of elemental sulfur. It includes a detailed description of the Claus process as the main reference technology for hydrogen sulfide processing methods. An overview of modern catalytic systems for direct catalytic oxidation technology and known processes is presented. Descriptions of the scientific results of the Institute of Catalysis of the SB RAS in a study of the physical and chemical foundations of the process and the creation of a catalyst for it are included. The Boreskov Institute of Catalysis SB RAS technologies based on fundamental studies and their pilot and industrial testing results are described.

Simulation and Sustainability Assessment Of H2S Utilization from Acid Gas on Haldor Topse Wet Gas Sulfuric Acid and Claus

Claus process is a widely adopted process to reduce emissions from refineries by converting H2S into elemental sulfur. On the other hand, Haldor Topsoe’s Wet Gas Sulfuric Acid (WSA) is an alternative to convert H2S directly into sulfuric acid. The purpose of this project was to simulate both of these state-of-the-art technologies and evaluate their suitability for various acid gas capacity and H2S concentrations. Three sustainability pillars of people (safety), planet (environment), and profit were used as the comparison metrics. The developed simulation (1st principle) models were used to generate lots of data as the basis for subsequent development of regression models. The latter models were used in the comparisons for they are much faster in calculations than the 1st principle models. The results showed that the WSA process was safer (lower Fire and Explosion Damage Index), more environmentally friendly (lower Global Warming Potential), and more profitable (higher annual profit) in most of the evaluated operating conditions.

Determination of the chemical and hydrothermal stability of the Claus catalyst

The hydrothermal and thermal stability used in the Claus process are important indicators in their workflow. In this work, the stability of two catalyst samples obtained from local raw materials was studied. The samples were processed with SO2 / O2 oxides and water vapor, and their properties were studied. As a result, SO2 adsorption reduced catalyst activation. The process is reductive; the recovery of catalyst activation by reducing SO2 in the system has been determined. The stability of sulfation of MgO / TiO2 catalyst in comparison with CaO / V2O5 samples was also determined.

Kinetic Reactions Modeling and Optimization of Claus Process

There are many pollution and environment problem in the human ecosystem. There are different methods are used to removal of sulfur from sour gases for example Basic Claus process and Modified Claus process . There are different chemical software are used for simulation and optimization of Claus process for example Aspen Plus and Chemcad ECT. The Gibbs free energy method is introduced and model of Claus process. There are new parameter are introduced in reaction furnace to reduce the error from 33% to 7 %. The waste heat boiler is installed at the reaction furnace in which high pressure stream is produced and study the decomposition the hydrogen sulphide. The new rate of reaction is introduced of the enhancement of H2 production in chemical process. The simulation of reaction furnace in Aspen plus software is the maximum utilization of process. Due to suitable operating condition of reaction furnace is caused the maximum destruction of ammonia gas in the reactor. When we are increasing the oxygen concentration and temperature of feed is causing decreasing the ammonia production in reaction furnace. It is below than acceptance value of ammonia is 150 ppm in the reaction furnace. The presence of oxygen components, Sulfur oxide, hydroxide components are effect on decreasing the amount of ammonia in furnace and temperature is about at 1350⁰C. It is noted that when the production of sulfur recovery is decrease in Claus process and the production of carbon monoxide is increase in the thermal section at the existence. Now we are work on parametric studies of furnace that could be causes the production of ammonia destruction and CO emission in the Claus process. Due to optimize the reaction furnace parameter are help to get large of sulfur production, ammonia gas destruction, increased the catalyst life and decreased of dangerous gases.