Sulfur degasser apparatus and method
A novel system and method for degassing H 2 S and H 2 S x from liquid sulfur (sulphur) is disclosed. The system includes a degassing vessel with a plurality of cells. The cells include a sparging gas mat with a perforated surface at the bottom of the cell to allow the release of air bubbles (or sparging gas) into the cells. A catalyst may be used during the process. As a result, hydrogen sulfide and hydrogen polysulfide are efficiently and effectively removed from the liquid sulfur.
1. A sulfur degassing apparatus for removing hydrogen sulfide and hydrogen polysulfide from liquid sulfur, comprising:
a vessel containing the liquid sulfur;
said vessel comprising a cell and a sparging gas mat disposed within the cell,
wherein said sparging gas mat includes a perforated plate for releasing a sparging gas into the cell and internal partitions attached to the perforated plate and creating a plurality of compartments below the perforated plate,
wherein a plurality of openings in a sparging gas pipe provide for sparging gas to flow into the plurality of compartments, and
wherein said sparging as mat includes a frame and internal partitions attached to the frame and to the perforated plate to form the plurality of compartments.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plate includes uniformly spaced perforations.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the perforations have a round shape.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the sparging gas is air, steam or an inert gas.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the perforations have a diameter less than 1.02 mm.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a second cell wherein the first cell and the second cell share a common wall.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the common wall has a slot.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the slot is located toward a base of the common wall and provides fluid communication between the first cell and the second cell.
9. The apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising a standpipe for transferring the liquid sulfur from the first cell to the second cell.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising a control system and pumps for injecting a catalyst into the liquid sulfur.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein said catalyst comprises morpholine and cyclohexylamine.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each one of the plurality of openings in the sparging gas pipe corresponds to one of the plurality of compartments.
13. An apparatus for injecting a sparging gas and a catalyst into a cell for removing hydrogen sulfide and hydrogen polysulfide from liquid sulfur, comprising:
a sparging gas mat including a plurality of gas chambers and a plate with a plurality of perforations attached to said plurality of gas chambers,
wherein said gas passes through said plurality of perforations, and
wherein said sparging gas mat includes a frame and internal partitions attached to the frame and to the perforated plate to form the plurality of gas chambers.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the sparging gas is injected into the plurality of gas chambers of the sparging gas mat.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the sparging gas is air, steam or an inert gas.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of perforations are uniformly spaced in the plate.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of perforations have a circular shape.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the perforations have a diameter less than 1.02 mm.
19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the cell has 4 side walls attached to a bottom floor, and wherein said mat is coupled to said bottom floor.
20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein said mat has a surface area greater than 25 percent of a surface area of the bottom floor.
21. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein said mat has a surface area greater than 50 percent of a surface area of the bottom floor.
22. The apparatus of claim 13 , including a sparging gas pipe to supply sparging gas to the mat, wherein a plurality of openings in a sparging gas pipe provide for sparging gas to flow into the plurality of gas chambers.
23. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the plurality of gas chambers distribute the sparging gas evenly over a surface area of the plate.
24. The apparatus of claim 13 , including a catalyst line connected to a liquid sulfur supply line to mix catalyst with the liquid sulfur before the liquid sulfur enters the cell.
25. A system for removing hydrogen sulfide and hydrogen polysulfide from liquid sulfur, comprising:
a heated vessel containing the liquid sulfur; and
a sparging gas mat, said sparging gas mat comprising a plate including a plurality of uniformly spaced perforations and internal partitions attached to the perforated plate and creating a plurality of compartments below the perforated plate,
wherein the plurality of uniformly spaced perforations are for injecting a sparging gas from the plurality of compartments into the vessel, and
wherein said sparging gas mat includes a frame and internal partitions attached to the frame and to the perforated plate to form the plurality of compartments.
26. The system of claim 25 , wherein the perforations are circularly shaped.
27. The system of claim 26 , wherein the perforations have a diameter less than 1.02 mm.
28. The system of claim 27 , wherein the sparging gas is air, steam or an inert gas.
29. The system of claim 25 , wherein a plurality of openings in a sparging gas pipe provide for sparging gas to flow into the plurality of compartments.