White Paper | July 9, 2010
Small Capacity Sulfur Recovery Units
Source: Merichem Company -- Merichem Gas Technologies•White Paper: Small Capacity Sulfur Recovery Units
By Gary J. Nagl, Merichem
"In the good old days," natural gas production was a lot easier. Gas was relatively plentiful, easy to find, and sweet. Today, it is generally accepted that natural gas production is becoming more sour. Gas sweetening technologies tend to be expensive, which can be especially troublesome for the small natural gas producer. This paper examines the natural gas sweetening technologies at the "small capacity" end of the spectrum, and the issues involved in selecting one method versus another.
"Small capacity" for the purpose of this paper is defined as less than 20 tonnes per day of sulfur production. Above 20 tons per day of sulfur, amine gas sweetening units in conjunction with catalytic Claus type reactors are generally the process scheme of choice, with some notable exceptions. The most notable exception is the processing of very dilute "acid gas" streams. CO2:H2S ratios above 5:1 can become troublesome for the Claus reactor.
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