Kinetic modelling of a commercial sulfur recovery unit based on Claus straight through process: Comparison with equilibrium model

Nader Javanmardi Nabikandi; Shohreh Fatemi

Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, Vol.30, 50-63, October, 2015

DOI10.1016/j.jiec.2015.05.001 Export Citation

Kinetic modelling of a commercial sulfur recovery unit based on Claus straight through process: Comparison with equilibrium model

Nader Javanmardi Nabikandi, and Shohreh Fatemi^†

School of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

E-mail:

Kinetic modelling of a sulfur recovery unit based on straight through sour natural gas was performed by numerical programming and the model outlet results were compared with industrial data. A recovery of 97.4 mole% sulfur was observed from this unit. It was revealed that kinetic model precisely predicted the outlet results of sulfur, H2S, SO2 and CO2 with 4% absolute relative deviation in combustion furnace and 2% in catalytic convertors. The equilibrium model has shown 3% deviation for prediction of H2S/SO2 ratio from the furnace, whereas the kinetic model has shown only 0.2% deviations from the real results.

Keywords:Sulfur recovery unit;Claus process;Kinetic models;Furnace;Catalytic convertors

[References]

Dalrymple DA, Skinner FD, Meserole NP, Investigation of U.S. Natural Gas Reserve Demographics and Gas Treatment Processes, 91st ed., Gas Research Institute, USA, 1991, pp. 3-1-3-13.
Contributors E, Gas Processors Suppliers Association (GPSA), FPS VERSION edn., Gas Processors Suppliers Association (GPSA), Tulsa, Oklahoma, 2012, pp. 1-34 (Section 22).
Marcum L, Sulfur Process Technology, Group L, Ed., Linde Group, Linde Process Plants incorporation, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA, 2012p. 3.
Selim H, Ibrahim S, Al Shoaibi A, Gupta AK, Appl. Energy, 109, 119 (2013)
Ibrahim S, Shoaibi AA, Gupta AK, Fuel, 150, 7 (2015)
Ibrahim S, Shoaibi AA, Gupta AK, Appl. Energy, 145, 6 (2015)
Sassi M, Gupta AK, Am. J. Environ. Sci., 4, 9 (2008)
N.I.G. Company, Official site of National Iranian Gas Company, Branch of Iranian Petroleum Ministry, 2014, www.nigc.com.
Kim KT, Dae HLB, Kwon S, Combust. Flame, 146(1-2), 19 (2006)
Monnery WD, Hawboldt KA, Pollock A, Svrcek WY, Chem. Eng. Sci., 55(21), 5141 (2000)
Khanmamedov TK, Weiland RH, Sulfur, 345, 62 (2013)
Chin HSF, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 2000.
Karan K, Mehrotra AK, Behie LA, Chem. Eng. Sci., 54(15-16), 2999 (1999)
Hawboldt KA, Monnery WD, Svrcek WY, Chem. Eng. Sci., 55(5), 957 (2000)
Karan K, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 1998.
Experts S, Sulphur Experts, Canada, 2015, www.sulphurexperts.com.
B.R.A. Engineering, Bryan Research and Engineering, 2015, www.bre.com.
Clark PD, Dowling NI, Huang M, Appl. Catal. B: Environ., 31(2), 107 (2001)
Howboldt KA, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 1998.
Karan K, Behie LA, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 43(13), 3304 (2004)
Monnery WD, Svrsek WY, Behie LA, Can. J. Chem. Eng., 71, 711 (1993)
Dowling NI, Hyne JB, Brown DM, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 29, 2327 (1990)
Manenti F, Papasidero D, Frassoldati A, Bozzano G, Pierucci S, Ranzi E, Comput. Chem. Eng., 59, 7 (2013)
Manenti F, Papasidero D, Bozzano G, Ranzi E, Comput. Chem. Eng., (in press), 20 (2014)
Besher EM, University of British Colombia, Vancouver, Canada, 1990.
Mendioroz S, Mufioz V, Alvarez E, Palacios JM, Appl. Catal. A: Gen., 132, 16 (1995)
Chun SW, Jang JY, Park DW, Woo HC, Chung JS, Appl. Catal. B: Environ., 16, 9 (1998)
Williams BP, Younga NC, West J, Rhodes C, Hutchings GJ, Catal. Today, 49, 6 (1999)
Chen YX, Jiang Y, Li WZ, Jin RC, Tang SZ, Hu WB, Catal. Today, 50(1), 39 (1999)
Cao D, Adesin AA, Catal. Today, 49, 9 (1999)
Zhang J, Tong Z, J. Nat. Gas Chem., 15, 7 (2006)
Bineesh KV, Kim DK, Kim MI, Park DW, Appl. Clay Sci., 53, 8 (2011)
Tong S, Lana IGD, Chuang KT, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 36, 4087 (1997)
Li W, Diyong W, Shudong W, Quan Y, J. Environ. Sci., 20, 5 (2008)
Jones D, Bhattacharyya D, Turton R, Zitney SE, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 51, 14 (2012)
Chase MW, Curnutt JL, Hu AT, Prophet H, Syverud AN, Walker LC, Joint Army, Navy and Air Force (JANAF) Thermochemical Tables, National Bureau of Standards, 1974p. 170.
Fogler HS, Elements of Chemical Reaction Engineering, 3rd ed., Prentice-Hall, India, 2004.
Elsner MP, Menge M, Muller C, Agar DW, Catal. Today, 79-80, 487 (2003)
Razzaghi M, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 1985.
Paskall HG, Sames JA, Sulfur Recovery, Sulfur Experts, Western Research, Calgary, AB, Canada, 1990, pp. 79-93.
Tong S, Lana IGD, Chuang KT, Can. J. Chem. Eng., 70, 516 (1992)
Karan K, Mehrotra AK, Behie LA, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 37(12), 4609 (1998)
Turns SR, Holman JP, Lloyd J, An Introduction to Combustion Concepts and Applications, 2nd ed., McGraw Hill, Singapore, 2000, pp. 156-159.
Davis SG, Joshi AV, Wang H, Egolfopoulos F, Proc. Combust. Inst., 30, 1283 (2005)

[1] Dalrymple DA, Skinner FD, Meserole NP, Investigation of U.S. Natural Gas Reserve Demographics and Gas Treatment Processes, 91st ed., Gas Research Institute, USA, 1991, pp. 3-1-3-13.

[2] Contributors E, Gas Processors Suppliers Association (GPSA), FPS VERSION edn., Gas Processors Suppliers Association (GPSA), Tulsa, Oklahoma, 2012, pp. 1-34 (Section 22).

[3] Marcum L, Sulfur Process Technology, Group L, Ed., Linde Group, Linde Process Plants incorporation, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA, 2012p. 3.

[4] Selim H, Ibrahim S, Al Shoaibi A, Gupta AK, Appl. Energy, 109, 119 (2013)

[5] Ibrahim S, Shoaibi AA, Gupta AK, Fuel, 150, 7 (2015)

[6] Ibrahim S, Shoaibi AA, Gupta AK, Appl. Energy, 145, 6 (2015)

[7] Sassi M, Gupta AK, Am. J. Environ. Sci., 4, 9 (2008)

[8] N.I.G. Company, Official site of National Iranian Gas Company, Branch of Iranian Petroleum Ministry, 2014, www.nigc.com.

[9] Kim KT, Dae HLB, Kwon S, Combust. Flame, 146(1-2), 19 (2006)

[10] Monnery WD, Hawboldt KA, Pollock A, Svrcek WY, Chem. Eng. Sci., 55(21), 5141 (2000)

[11] Khanmamedov TK, Weiland RH, Sulfur, 345, 62 (2013)

[12] Chin HSF, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 2000.

[13] Karan K, Mehrotra AK, Behie LA, Chem. Eng. Sci., 54(15-16), 2999 (1999)

[14] Hawboldt KA, Monnery WD, Svrcek WY, Chem. Eng. Sci., 55(5), 957 (2000)

[15] Karan K, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 1998.

[16] Experts S, Sulphur Experts, Canada, 2015, www.sulphurexperts.com.

[17] B.R.A. Engineering, Bryan Research and Engineering, 2015, www.bre.com.

[18] Clark PD, Dowling NI, Huang M, Appl. Catal. B: Environ., 31(2), 107 (2001)

[19] Howboldt KA, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 1998.

[20] Karan K, Behie LA, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 43(13), 3304 (2004)

[21] Monnery WD, Svrsek WY, Behie LA, Can. J. Chem. Eng., 71, 711 (1993)

[22] Dowling NI, Hyne JB, Brown DM, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 29, 2327 (1990)

[23] Manenti F, Papasidero D, Frassoldati A, Bozzano G, Pierucci S, Ranzi E, Comput. Chem. Eng., 59, 7 (2013)

[24] Manenti F, Papasidero D, Bozzano G, Ranzi E, Comput. Chem. Eng., (in press), 20 (2014)

[25] Besher EM, University of British Colombia, Vancouver, Canada, 1990.

[26] Mendioroz S, Mufioz V, Alvarez E, Palacios JM, Appl. Catal. A: Gen., 132, 16 (1995)

[27] Chun SW, Jang JY, Park DW, Woo HC, Chung JS, Appl. Catal. B: Environ., 16, 9 (1998)

[28] Williams BP, Younga NC, West J, Rhodes C, Hutchings GJ, Catal. Today, 49, 6 (1999)

[29] Chen YX, Jiang Y, Li WZ, Jin RC, Tang SZ, Hu WB, Catal. Today, 50(1), 39 (1999)

[30] Cao D, Adesin AA, Catal. Today, 49, 9 (1999)

[31] Zhang J, Tong Z, J. Nat. Gas Chem., 15, 7 (2006)

[32] Bineesh KV, Kim DK, Kim MI, Park DW, Appl. Clay Sci., 53, 8 (2011)

[33] Tong S, Lana IGD, Chuang KT, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 36, 4087 (1997)

[34] Li W, Diyong W, Shudong W, Quan Y, J. Environ. Sci., 20, 5 (2008)

[35] Jones D, Bhattacharyya D, Turton R, Zitney SE, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 51, 14 (2012)

[36] Chase MW, Curnutt JL, Hu AT, Prophet H, Syverud AN, Walker LC, Joint Army, Navy and Air Force (JANAF) Thermochemical Tables, National Bureau of Standards, 1974p. 170.

[37] Fogler HS, Elements of Chemical Reaction Engineering, 3rd ed., Prentice-Hall, India, 2004.

[38] Elsner MP, Menge M, Muller C, Agar DW, Catal. Today, 79-80, 487 (2003)

[39] Razzaghi M, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 1985.

[40] Paskall HG, Sames JA, Sulfur Recovery, Sulfur Experts, Western Research, Calgary, AB, Canada, 1990, pp. 79-93.

[41] Tong S, Lana IGD, Chuang KT, Can. J. Chem. Eng., 70, 516 (1992)

[42] Karan K, Mehrotra AK, Behie LA, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 37(12), 4609 (1998)

[43] Turns SR, Holman JP, Lloyd J, An Introduction to Combustion Concepts and Applications, 2nd ed., McGraw Hill, Singapore, 2000, pp. 156-159.

[44] Davis SG, Joshi AV, Wang H, Egolfopoulos F, Proc. Combust. Inst., 30, 1283 (2005)