This contribution presents a pioneering route to synthesize syngas (CO/H2) from hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and carbon dioxide (CO2). H2S in acid gases and flue gases rich in CO2 represent an environmental issue and an industrial cost as neither H2S nor CO2 is presently used as a major industrial feedstock or commodity. Acid gases mainly come from desulphurization from fossil fuels, and they cannot be simply released, due to their toxicity. H2S is then usually neutralized by conversion to elemental sulfur, with a minor industrial use. Flue gases are massively produced in power, petrochemical and manufacturing plants and CO2, final combustion product, is generally vented to atmosphere. CO2 capture and sequestration is still object of a relevant debate and environmental concern. By the new chemical route, potential value of H2S and CO2 will be brought out by means of a radically new conversion process: H2S will be thermally activated in a high temperature reactor and will reduce the CO2 to produce H2 via a complex chemical mechanism. Preliminary reactor and process design, along with identification of relevant equipment and operating conditions, led to initial very promising results. A detailed kinetic scheme, extensively validated in a broad range of oxidation and combustion of sulfur components, further supports this oxy-reduction process, marginally observed also in the Claus process. Complete recycle of H2S, relevant reduction of CO2, and syngas production from these pollutants represent the valuable environmental, energy and commercial benefits of the new route, which could also involve a wider field of industrial applications.

Recycling H2S and CO2 to produce syngas: New technology and process line-ups

MANENTI, FLAVIO
2014-01-01

Abstract

This contribution presents a pioneering route to synthesize syngas (CO/H2) from hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and carbon dioxide (CO2). H2S in acid gases and flue gases rich in CO2 represent an environmental issue and an industrial cost as neither H2S nor CO2 is presently used as a major industrial feedstock or commodity. Acid gases mainly come from desulphurization from fossil fuels, and they cannot be simply released, due to their toxicity. H2S is then usually neutralized by conversion to elemental sulfur, with a minor industrial use. Flue gases are massively produced in power, petrochemical and manufacturing plants and CO2, final combustion product, is generally vented to atmosphere. CO2 capture and sequestration is still object of a relevant debate and environmental concern. By the new chemical route, potential value of H2S and CO2 will be brought out by means of a radically new conversion process: H2S will be thermally activated in a high temperature reactor and will reduce the CO2 to produce H2 via a complex chemical mechanism. Preliminary reactor and process design, along with identification of relevant equipment and operating conditions, led to initial very promising results. A detailed kinetic scheme, extensively validated in a broad range of oxidation and combustion of sulfur components, further supports this oxy-reduction process, marginally observed also in the Claus process. Complete recycle of H2S, relevant reduction of CO2, and syngas production from these pollutants represent the valuable environmental, energy and commercial benefits of the new route, which could also involve a wider field of industrial applications.
2014
Sulphur 2014 30th International Conference and Exhibition
Chemical Engineering (all); Management Science and Operations Research
File in questo prodotto:
Non ci sono file associati a questo prodotto.

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11311/1005227
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 0
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? ND
social impact