AUTOMATED SULFUR RECOVERY LOOP

• US 20090317316A1
• Filed: 09/11/2008
• Published: 12/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Frederick J. Siegele, Robert A. Mclauchlan
• Original Assignee: Frederick J. Siegele, Robert A. Mclauchlan
• Inventors: Siegele, Frederick J., McLauchlan, Robert A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,226,893 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 423/243.80
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/306 of potassium
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/304 Hydrogen sulfide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/80 Water
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1425 Regeneration of liquid absorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1468 Removing hydrogen sulfide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/26 Drying gases or vapours
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/52 Hydrogen sulfide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/75 Multi-step processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/77 Liquid phase processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/78 with gas-liquid contact
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 17/04 from gaseous sulfur compounds including gaseous sulfides
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 17/0404 by processes comprising a dry catalytic conversion of hydrogen sulfide-containing gases, e.g. the Claus process
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 21/02 characterised by the use of electric means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7761 Electrically actuated valve

Abstract

A method operable to remove contaminants from a contaminated fluid stream is provided. The process includes receiving the fluid stream containing contaminants. A first portion of the contaminants are removed from the fluid stream with a first scrubbing vessel. A first base solution reacts with the contaminants such that the contaminants enter a contaminant solution. A remaining portion of the contaminants from the fluid stream is then removed with a at least one additional scrubbing vessel, wherein a second base solution reacts with the contaminants such that part of the remaining portion of the contaminants enter a second solution. Water content is then removed from the fluid stream with a desiccating module, wherein the desiccating module outputs a clean fluid stream.

Claims

1. A method operable to remove contaminants from a contaminated fluid stream, comprising:

receiving the fluid stream containing contaminants;

determining a chemical composition and concentration of contaminants within the fluid stream;

metering a first base solution to a first scrubbing stage based on the chemical composition and concentration of contaminants within the fluid stream;

removing a first portion of the contaminants from the fluid stream within the first scrubbing stage, wherein the first base solution reacts with the contaminants such that the contaminants enter a contaminant solution; and

removing water content from the fluid stream with a desiccating module, wherein the desiccating module outputs a clean fluid stream, where in the water reacts within the desiccating module to form a concentrated base solution.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a chemical composition and concentration of contaminants within the fluid stream after removing a first portion of the contaminants from the fluid stream;

metering the concentrated base solution to a second scrubbing stage based on the chemical composition and concentration of contaminants within the fluid stream after removing a first portion of the contaminants; and

removing a remaining portion of the contaminants from the fluid stream with at least one additional scrubbing stage, wherein the concentrated base solution reacts with the contaminants such that part of the remaining portion of the contaminants enter a second base solution.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining a base concentration of the second base solution, wherein the first base solution comprises the reacted second base solution.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a base concentration of the concentrated base solution, wherein the first base solution comprises the concentrated base solution.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the contaminates comprise sulfur containing compounds.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the contaminates comprise hydrogen sulfide (H₂S).

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

extracting contaminates from the contaminate solution; and

regenerating the contaminant solution, wherein the first base solution comprises regenerated contaminant solution.

8. A process comprising:

providing a fluid feed stream comprising hydrogen sulfide (H₂S);

determining a chemical composition and concentration of H₂S within the fluid feed stream;

metering the fluid feed stream to a multistage scrubber;

metering an alkaline solution to the multistage scrubber, based on;

the chemical composition and concentration of the first alkaline solution;

the chemical composition and concentration of H₂S within the fluid stream;

mixing the fluid feed stream with the first alkaline solution within first scrubber to produce a fluid stream having a reduced H₂S content;

removing a solution containing the sulfide ions from the first scrubber and directing the solution containing the sulfide ions to a sulfur recovery process wherein a byproduct of the sulfur recovery process is a regenerated alkaline solution; and

determining a chemical composition and concentration of H₂S within the fluid stream having a reduced H₂S content; and

outputting the fluid stream having a reduced H₂S content.

9. The process of claim 8, further comprising:

desiccating the fluid having a reduced H₂S content to produce;

a substantially H₂S free fluid stream; and

a concentrated alkaline solution.

10. The process of claim 9, wherein the concentrated alkaline solution and the regenerated alkaline solution are metered to the multistage scrubber to produce the alkaline solution.

11. The process of claim 9, further comprising:

determining a real time chemical composition and concentration of H₂S within the substantially H₂S free fluid stream; and

supplying the real time chemical composition and concentration of H₂S within the substantially H₂S free fluid stream to downstream processes, wherein the downstream processes are configured based on the real time chemical composition and concentration of H₂S within the substantially H₂S free fluid stream.

12. The process of claim 9, wherein the multistage scrubber comprises:

an inlet operable to receive and meter the fluid feed stream comprising H₂S;

a first scrubbing stage coupled to the inlet operable to receive the fluid feed stream comprising H₂S;

at least one additional scrubbing stage operable to further process the fluid feed stream comprising H₂S;

a scrubbing solution distribution system coupled to the first scrubbing stage and the at least one additional scrubbing stage, the scrubbing solution distribution system operable to meter alkaline solutions within the scrubber based on;

the chemical composition and concentration of the alkaline solutions;

the chemical composition and concentration of H₂S within the fluid stream;

an outlet operable to meter and output a substantially H₂S free stream from the scrubbing stages;

a process monitor system operable to monitor physical parameters, fluid chemical compositions and flow rates, and alkaline solution chemical compositions and flow rates within the multistage scrubber; and

a control system coupled to the process monitor system operable to control fluid flows, alkaline solution flows and physical parameters within the multistage scrubber based on the monitor physical parameters, fluid chemical compositions and flow rates, and alkaline solution chemical compositions.

13. The process of claim 12, wherein the multistage scrubber is operable to compare the concentration of H₂S within the fluid stream to a predetermined level and direct or bypass the fluid stream from the first scrubbing stage or at least one additional scrubbing stage based on the concentration of H₂S within the fluid stream.

14. The process of claim 9 wherein the alkaline solution comprises a KOH solution.

15. The process of claim 9, wherein the sulfur recovery process produces elemental sulfur and alkaline solutions.

16. The process of claim 9, further comprising:

monitoring in real time the concentration of H₂S in the feed stream; and

adjusting the concentration of the alkaline solutions to achieve a desired reaction rate.

17. A fluid stream comprising:

hydrocarbons and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), wherein;

a first portion of the H₂S is removed within an automated multistage H₂S scrubber, the automated multistage H₂S scrubber operable to;

monitor in real time the chemical composition and concentration of H₂S within the fluid stream;

adjust chemical processes within the multistage H₂S scrubber based on the real time the chemical composition and concentration of H₂S within the fluid stream; and

produce a substantially H₂S free fluid stream.

18. The fluid stream of claim 17, the multistage scrubber comprising:

an inlet operable to receive and meter the fluid feed stream comprising H₂S;

a first scrubbing stage coupled to the inlet operable to receive the fluid feed stream comprising H₂S;

at least one additional scrubbing stage operable to further process the fluid feed stream comprising H₂S;

a scrubbing solution distribution system coupled to the first scrubbing stage and the at least one additional scrubbing stage, the scrubbing solution distribution system operable to meter alkaline solutions within the scrubber based on;

the chemical composition and concentration of the alkaline solutions;

the chemical composition and concentration of H₂S within the fluid stream;

an outlet operable to meter and output a substantially H₂S free stream from the scrubbing stages;

a process monitor system operable to monitor physical parameters, fluid chemical compositions and flow rates, and alkaline solution chemical compositions and flow rates within the multistage scrubber; and

a control system coupled to the process monitor system operable to control fluid flows, alkaline solution flows and physical parameters within the multistage scrubber based on the monitor physical parameters, fluid chemical compositions and flow rates, and alkaline solution chemical compositions.

19. The fluid stream of claim 17, wherein the multistage scrubber is operable to compare the concentration of H₂S within the fluid stream to a predetermined level and direct or bypass the fluid stream from scrubbing stages based on the concentration of H₂S within the fluid stream.

20. A multistage scrubber comprising:

an inlet operable to receive and meter a fluid feed stream comprising hydrogen sulfide (H₂S);

a first scrubbing stage coupled to the inlet operable to receive the fluid feed stream comprising H₂S;

at least one additional scrubbing stage operable to further process the fluid feed stream comprising H₂S;

a scrubbing solution distribution system coupled to the first scrubbing stage and the at least one additional scrubbing stage, the scrubbing solution distribution system operable to meter alkaline solutions within the scrubber based on;

the chemical composition and concentration of the alkaline solutions;

the chemical composition and concentration of H₂S within the fluid stream;

an outlet operable to meter and output a substantially H₂S free stream from the scrubbing stages;

a process monitor system operable to monitor physical parameters, fluid chemical compositions and flow rates, and alkaline solution chemical compositions and flow rates at a plurality of points within the multistage scrubber; and

a control system coupled to the process monitor system operable to control fluid flows, alkaline solution flows and physical parameters within the multistage scrubber based on the monitor physical parameters, fluid chemical compositions and flow rates, and alkaline solution chemical compositions.

he multistage scrubber comprising from the hydrocarbon stream within a first scrubbing stage, wherein a first base solution reacts with the contaminants such that the contaminants enter a contaminant solution;

a remaining portion of the contaminants from the fluid stream with a at least one additional scrubbing stage, wherein a second base solution reacts with the contaminants such that part of the remaining portion of the contaminants enter a second solution; and

water content from the fluid stream with a desiccating module, wherein the desiccating module outputs a clean fluid stream

21. A system comprising:

a transport system operable to provide a fluid stream;

an inline monitoring and control system operable monitor chemical composition of the fluid stream;

a control valve communicatively coupled to the inline monitoring and control system, the inline monitoring and control system operable to reposition the control valve based on the chemical composition of the fluid stream; and

downstream equipment operable to receive the fluid stream passed by the control valve.