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Modeling of mass transfer and hydrodynamic investigation of H2S removal from molten sulfur using porous Sparger

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Abstract

Empirical and theoretical aspects of non-catalytic molten sulfur degassing as one of the vital actions in Claus Unit have been investigated in this article. A laboratory bubble column has been set up to study the hydrodynamic behavior of gas-liquid system. Values of gas holdup were also compared with predictions of some correlations in the case of application of porous spargers. The mathematical model of degassing was also developed considering reaction of H2S with sulfur molecules in the molten sulfur and generation of H2Sx species. The experimentally-measured parameters of gas holdup and bubble size were used in the mathematical model. Other parameters including Henry’s law constant of H2S-liquid sulfur system and reaction rate constants were obtained from published formulas presented by Marriott and Ji, respectively. The obtained results were compared to the empirical data of non-catalytic degassing performed in the laboratory setup. Reasonable compatibility was observed between the model-derived and experimental results. The results showed a fast removal of dissolved H2S within few minutes, followed by very slow removal of H2Sx through its chemical conversion to H2S and its purging by sweep gas. The novel gas holdup profile and images presented in this article show interesting features of hydrodynamic behavior of molten sulfur.

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Abbreviations

H 2 S sol :

Dissolved H2S

H 2 S x :

Hydrogen Polysulfide in molten sulfur

r H2Sx :

Decomposition rate of H2Sx (mol/s)

k 1 :

Forward reaction rate constant (1/s)

k- 1 :

reverse reaction rate constant (1/s)

D AB :

Diffusion coefficient (m2/s)

d b :

Average bubble diameter (m)

ϕ g :

Gas holdup (m3/m3)

d S :

Diameter of sparger (m)

d C :

Diameter of column (m)

Fr :

Froude number

Ar :

Archimedes number

Eo :

Eotvos number

P g :

Partial Pressure of H2S in Gas phase (Pa)

t :

Time (s)

T :

Temperature (K)

R :

Ideal gas constant (8.314 m3.Pa/mol. K)

C g * :

Dimensionless H2S concentration in gas phase

V l :

Liquid volume in the bubble column (m3)

ΔZ :

Incremental Height in the Bubble Column (m)

C * g :

Dimensionless LocalH2S concentration in gas phase

C *ave g :

Dimensionless average gas phase concentration

Re g :

Reynolds Number of gas phase

Sc l :

Schmidt Number of liquid phase

h 0 :

Level of liquid phase in the column before injection of nitrogen gas (m)

μ L :

Viscosity of liquid (Kg/m.s)

σ L :

Surface tension of liquid (N/m)

ρ L :

Density of liquid (kg/m3)

Q g :

Actual Volumetric gas flow rate (m3/s)

A :

Column’s cross section area (m2)

a :

Interfacial surface area (m2/m3)

k L :

Liquid side mass transfer coefficient (m/s)

C g :

Concentration of H2S in gas phase (mol/m3)

C L :

Concentration of H2S in bulk liquid phase (mol/m3)

C L,i :

Concentration of H2S at gas-liquid interface (mol/m3)

N A :

Mass transfer Flux (mol/m2.s)

N H2S :

Mass transfer Flux of H2S (mol/m2.s)

H :

Henry’s law constant (mol/m3.Pa)

u g :

Superficial gas velocity (m/s)

z :

Vertical Coordinate in Bubble Column (m)

z* :

Dimensionless Height

L :

Active Height of the column (m)

L* :

Dimensionless Active Height of the column

V g :

Total bubble volume in column (m3)

V t :

Total Active volume of the Bubble Column (m3)

R" :

The net chemical reaction rate of H2S to H2Sx conversion (mol/m3s)

ρ g :

Density of gas phase (kg/m3)

μ g :

Viscosity of gas phase (kg/m.s)

Sh l :

Sherwood Number of liquid phase

h f :

Level of liquid phase in the column after injection of nitrogen gas (m)

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Acknowledgements

The financial support of the Research Institute of Petroleum Industry and Iran Nanotechnology Initiative Council is highly appreciated. Also the authors wish to appreciate the cooperation of Eng. Alireza Teimouri for his coding support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chemical, Polymeric and Petrochemical Technology Research Division, Faculty of Research and Development in Downstream Petroleum Industry, Research Institute of Petroleum Industry (RIPI), P.O. Box 1485733111, Tehran, Iran

    F. Tari, M. Shekarriz & A. Ruzbehani

  2. Gas Technology Research Division, Faculty of Research and Development in Downstream Petroleum Industry, Research Institute of Petroleum Industry (RIPI), Tehran, Iran

    S. Zarrinpashne

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  1. F. Tari
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Correspondence to S. Zarrinpashne.

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Tari, F., Zarrinpashne, S., Shekarriz, M. et al. Modeling of mass transfer and hydrodynamic investigation of H2S removal from molten sulfur using porous Sparger. Heat Mass Transfer 56, 1641–1648 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-019-02763-2

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