System and Method for Containing an Emission of Sulfur Trioxide

• US 20170166448A1
• Filed: 12/09/2015
• Published: 06/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP (Chevron Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP (Chevron Corp.)
• Inventors: HASENBERG, Daniel M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,890,042 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2252/2056 Sulfur compounds, e.g. Sulfolane, thiols
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/302 Sulfur oxides
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1481 Removing sulfur dioxide or sulfur trioxide
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 17/69 Sulfur trioxide; Sulfuric acid

Abstract

A system for containing an emission of sulfur trioxide, the system comprising a first pressurized vessel, the first pressurized vessel containing sulfur trioxide, a relief vessel containing a volume of a solvent solution, wherein the solvent solution comprises sulfolane, and a first relief conduit providing a first route of fluid communication between the first pressurized vessel and the relief vessel. A method for containing an emission of sulfur trioxide, the method comprising routing a first relief conduit so as to provide a first route of fluid communication between a first pressurized vessel and a relief vessel, wherein the first pressurized vessel contains sulfur trioxide, wherein the relief vessel contains a volume of a solvent solution, and wherein the solvent solution comprises sulfolane.

Claims

1. A system for containing an emission of sulfur trioxide, the system comprising:

a first pressurized vessel, the first pressurized vessel containing sulfur trioxide;

a relief vessel containing a volume of a solvent solution, wherein the solvent solution comprises sulfolane; and

a first relief conduit providing a first route of fluid communication between the first pressurized vessel and the relief vessel.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first pressurized vessel is a storage vessel.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the storage vessel includes an internal heating element configured to heat the sulfur trioxide.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a second pressurized vessel; and

a second relief conduit providing a second route of fluid communication between the second pressurized vessel and the relief vessel.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the second pressurized vessel is a reactor, wherein the reactor contains a reaction mixture.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first pressurized vessel is a reactor, and wherein the sulfur trioxide within the reactor is a component of a reaction mixture contained within the reactor.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the solvent solution further comprises water.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the solvent solution further comprises at least 3 wt % water on the basis of the sulfolane.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a pressure relief valve, wherein the pressure relief valve controls fluid communication via the first route of fluid communication between the first pressurized vessel and the relief vessel.

10. A method for containing an emission of sulfur trioxide, the method comprising:

routing a first relief conduit so as to provide a first route of fluid communication between a first pressurized vessel and a relief vessel, wherein the first pressurized vessel contains sulfur trioxide, wherein the relief vessel contains a volume of a solvent solution, and wherein the solvent solution comprises sulfolane.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first pressurized vessel is a storage vessel.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the storage vessel includes an internal heating element configured to heat the sulfur trioxide.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

routing a second relief conduit so as to provide a second route of fluid communication between a second pressurized vessel and the relief vessel, wherein the second pressurized vessel contains sulfur trioxide.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the second pressurized vessel is a reactor, and wherein the method further comprises communicating the sulfur trioxide from the first storage vessel to the reactor.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the first pressurized vessel is a reactor, and wherein the sulfur trioxide within the reactor is a component of a reaction mixture contained within the reactor.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the solvent solution further comprises water.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the solvent solution further comprises at least 1 wt % water on the basis of the sulfolane.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising controlling fluid communication via the first route of fluid communication between the first pressurized vessel and the relief vessel via a pressure relief valve.

19. A method for containing an emission of sulfur trioxide, the method comprising:

directing an emission of sulfur trioxide from a first pressurized vessel to a relief vessel via a first relief conduit, wherein the relief vessel contains a volume of a solvent solution, comprising sulfolane; and

forming an emission mixture comprising sulfur trioxide dissolved in sulfolane within the relief vessel.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the solvent solution further comprises water.