Location via proxy:   [ UP ]  
[Report a bug]   [Manage cookies]                
Scribd
Upload
283 views10 pages

Sulphur Recovery Unit: Operational Issues & Troubleshooting

Uploaded by

Abhishek Verma

The document discusses operational issues and troubleshooting for a sulphur recovery unit. The unit converts sulphur compounds in acid gases into elemental sulphur using a two-zone reaction furnace and modified Claus process. Issues that can arise include pressure drops, incomplete conversion of H2S to sulphur due to improper air-acid gas ratios, catalyst deactivation, ammonia salt plugging, and refractory damage from overheating. Troubleshooting involves monitoring temperature profiles, ensuring proper air flows and circulation, preventing carbon deposits and corrosion, and neutralizing acids during shutdown.

Copyright:

© All Rights Reserved
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
Download as pptx, pdf, or txt

Sulphur Recovery Unit: Operational Issues & Troubleshooting

Uploaded by

Abhishek Verma
283 views10 pages
The document discusses operational issues and troubleshooting for a sulphur recovery unit. The unit converts sulphur compounds in acid gases into elemental sulphur using a two-zone reaction furnace and modified Claus process. Issues that can arise include pressure drops, incomplete conversion of H2S to sulphur due to improper air-acid gas ratios, catalyst deactivation, ammonia salt plugging, and refractory damage from overheating. Troubleshooting involves monitoring temperature profiles, ensuring proper air flows and circulation, preventing carbon deposits and corrosion, and neutralizing acids during shutdown.

Original Title

SRU PPT

Copyright

© © All Rights Reserved

Available Formats

PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

The document discusses operational issues and troubleshooting for a sulphur recovery unit. The unit converts sulphur compounds in acid gases into elemental sulphur using a two-zone reaction furnace and modified Claus process. Issues that can arise include pressure drops, incomplete conversion of H2S to sulphur due to improper air-acid gas ratios, catalyst deactivation, ammonia salt plugging, and refractory damage from overheating. Troubleshooting involves monitoring temperature profiles, ensuring proper air flows and circulation, preventing carbon deposits and corrosion, and neutralizing acids during shutdown.

Copyright:

© All Rights Reserved
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
283 views10 pages

Sulphur Recovery Unit: Operational Issues & Troubleshooting

Uploaded by

Abhishek Verma
The document discusses operational issues and troubleshooting for a sulphur recovery unit. The unit converts sulphur compounds in acid gases into elemental sulphur using a two-zone reaction furnace and modified Claus process. Issues that can arise include pressure drops, incomplete conversion of H2S to sulphur due to improper air-acid gas ratios, catalyst deactivation, ammonia salt plugging, and refractory damage from overheating. Troubleshooting involves monitoring temperature profiles, ensuring proper air flows and circulation, preventing carbon deposits and corrosion, and neutralizing acids during shutdown.

Copyright:

© All Rights Reserved
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
You are on page 1/ 10

Sulphur Recovery Unit

Operational Issues & Troubleshooting


Purpose of Sulphur Recovery Unit
• To convert all sulphur compounds in the following acid gases into elemental Sulphur.
ARU off gases , H 2 S rich SWS off gases
• To incinerate the following gases
• NH 3 rich off gas from SWS
• Treated gas from SRU
• Liquid sulphur recovery Efficiency Min 95%

MAIN FURNACE –THERMAL INCINERATOR-2 Zone Reaction Furnace


• To completely oxidize HC and all impurities and to burn 1/3 rd of the total H2S to SO2.
• 1st Zone: All combustion air, all H 2 S rich SWS off gases & 50% of ARU off gases are burnt
(1240 deg C)
• 2nd Zone : Hot flue gases from 1st Zone and 50% of ARU gases are mixed at 900 deg C
Modified Clause Process for Sulphur Recovery
Modified Clause Process for Sulphur Recovery

• Combustion step(Rxn Furnace)

• Complete combustion of all Hydrocabon


present.

• Conversion of 1/3 H 2 S in feed to SO 2

• H2S +3/2 O2 = SO2 + H2 0 =SO 2 +H2 0

• 2H 2 S+SO 2 = 3/2 S 2 +2H20

• Clause Reaction(Catalytic Convertor)

• 3H 2 S+SO 2 = 3/x Sx +2H 2 O

• 3H 2 S +3/2 O 2 =3/x Sx +3H 2 0


What Can go wrong ?

1. Pressure drop/High back pressure/Carbon deposit/ Leaks in Boiler/ Condenser


Plugged seal legs
2. Inadequate conversion of H 2 S to liquid Sulphur due to Improper air-acid gas
ratio
3. Air flow too high : white plume from incinerator due to SO3 formation , high fuel
consumption.
4. Air flow too Low : Yellowish plume , high incinerator temp , low fuel consumption
5. Presence of HC and CO2 in Acid gas , formation of COS & CS 2 in Reaction
Furnace , increased SO 2.
5. Loss of catalyst activity.
6. Ammonia salts plugging off WHB/Condensers tubes.
7. Refractory damage due to overheat.
REACTOR PROBLEMS
Catalyst deactivation Symptoms
• 90%+ of the Reaction Heat is released in top
5 inches of catalyst bed hence if temperature
profile from top to Bottom has decreased then
Catalyst is deactivated.

• If the catalyst activity drops, the reaction is


shifted down in the bed.

• Damage to catalyst and reduced conversions


can also be due to Carbon deposits , Leaking
condenser tubes ,Damaged support screens ,
Sulphuric acid formation or operation at the
sulphur Dew point.
OTHER ISSUES

1.Over circulation of amine picks up more HC. Amine temp. should be higher by 8 to 10 deg C to avoid
HC condensation.
2.Waste Heat Boiler tube failure may be avoided by maintaining water level, avoiding overheating at the
end of ferrules & by avoiding tube to tube sheet weld failure due to corrosion.
3.Wet sulphur corrosion causes leaks in condensors due to moisture condensation causing residual
impregnated sulphur to become acidic. During shutdown soda ash neutralization should be followed.
4.High temp. sulphide attack causes WHB Tube sheet leak
5.Heat stable salt and acid gas loading of rich amine on carbon steel corrosion rate
6.Sintering of catalyst is a non reversible deactivation where catalyst beads fuse together and become
inactive due to overheating above 600 deg C.
w
Thank You

You might also like