The invention provides methods and systems for reducing cost and energy consumption of gas purification processes that use physical or chemical absorbents. These methods and system provide a novel approach to vaporize process energy wastes including thermodynamic inefficiencies and waste heat by optimally integrating ejector technology into gas purification processes. These methods and systems use single-phase and/or two-phase ejectors as alternatives to mechanical compressors or pumps for recirculating fluid between vessels or as part of the cooling system associated to the gas purification processes.

A class of water lean, organic solvents that can bind with various acid gasses to form acid gas bound molecules having a high degree of intramolecular hydrogen bonding which enables their use as regenerable solvents for acid gas capture. Unlike the other devices described in the prior art, the present invention takes advantage of shortened distances between the portions of the molecule that form hydrogen bonds within the structures when loaded with an acid gas so as to create a molecule with a higher internal bonding affinity and a reduced proclivity for agglomeration with other molecules.

Disclosed are processes for purifying feed streams containing hydrogen sulfide and sulfur-containing impurities by removing sulfur-containing impurities, such as elemental sulfur and polysulfanes, using solid catalytic sorbents. Also disclosed are processes for producing hydrogen sulfide.

An absorption column including at least one external heat exchange circuit for cooling or heating the absorption liquid, including one or more serially connected heat exchangers, wherein the junction of the pipeline for withdrawal of the absorption liquid from the column is disposed above the junction of the pipeline into the first heat exchanger in the flow direction, wherein the pipeline also includes a dumped bed

The present invention relates to a method and a system for catalytic oxidation of a lean H.sub.2S stream. More specifically, the invention concerns a novel way of removing sulfur dioxide (SO.sub.2) formed by catalytic oxidation of hydrogen sulfide (H.sub.2S) with the purpose of removing H.sub.2S from a gas. This catalytic oxidation of H.sub.2S yields sulfur dioxide (SO.sub.2) through the use of known catalysts, so-called SMC catalysts.

A class of water lean, organic solvents that can bind with various acid gasses to form acid gas bound molecules having a high degree of intramolecular hydrogen bonding which enables their use as regenerable solvents for acid gas capture. Unlike the other devices described in the prior art, the present invention takes advantage of shortened distances between the portions of the molecule that form hydrogen bonds within the structures when loaded with an acid gas so as to create a molecule with a higher internal bonding affinity and a reduced proclivity for agglomeration with other molecules.

A co-current contactor for separating components in a fluid stream, the co-current contactor comprising a first inlet configured to receive the fluid stream proximate to a first end of the co-current contactor, a second inlet configured to receive a solvent proximate the first end of the co-current contactor, and a mass transfer section configured to receive the fluid stream and the solvent and to provide a mixed, two-phase flow, wherein the mass transfer section comprises a surface feature along an inner surface of the mass transfer section configured to reduce film flow along an inner wall of the mass transfer section, and wherein the surface feature comprises at least one of a hydrophobic surface, a superhydrophobic surface, a porous wall surface, and a nonlinear surface irregularity extending radially inward or radially outward along the inner surface of the mass transfer section.

An integrated mercaptan extraction and/or sweetening and thermal oxidation and flue gas treatment process for a wide variety of sulfur, naphthenic, phenolic/cresylic contaminated waste streams is described. It provides comprehensive treatment for the safe disposal of sulfidic, naphthenic, phenolic/cresylic spent caustic streams, disulfide streams, spent air streams, spent mixed amine and caustic streams (also known as COS solvent streams) from sulfur treating processes. It allows the use of regenerated spent caustic in the sulfur oxide removal section of the thermal oxidation system reducing the need for fresh NaOH. It may also contain an integrated make-up water system. The integration allows the use of the liquefied petroleum gas or other hydrocarbon feeds to the respective extraction or sweetening process to offset external fuel gas requirements for the thermal oxidation system and for the push/pull system of the spent caustic surge drum and optional hydrocarbon surge drum.

An apparatus and process for thermally de-manufacturing tires and other materials. The apparatus is a retort chamber with various zones in which tires are combusted to provide energy for the thermal depolymerization reaction, depolymerization takes place, and products leave the retort chamber. In one embodiment, the process reacts water with iron present in steel-belted tires to produce hydrogen, which helps to break sulfur-sulfur bonds in vulcanized materials. The water also helps control the temperature of the reaction, which allows for control over the types and relative amounts of the various depolymerization products.

A method and system for abating the emissions of at least sulfur dioxide present in a tail gas emitted from sulfur recovery units are provided. The invention is characterized by the provision of at least two adsorber units in a parallel arrangement. While one adsorber is in an adsorption mode, it receives a gas contaminated w/ sulfur dioxide and adsorbs and removes the sulfur dioxide out of the gas. The other adsorber is in regeneration mode, and receives an acid gas stream comprising hydrogen sulfide as well as an oxygen-containing gas to regenerate the spent adsorbent material and produce an off-gas comprising hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide. This off-gas is then recycled back to the sulfur recovery unit.