Process for producing a purified gas stream

Abstract

The invention relates to a process for removing hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide from a feed gas stream. H2S in the feed gas stream is converted to elemental sulfur in a Claus unit. At least a part of the gas stream obtained is contacted with an aqueous lean absorbing medium in an absorption zone at a pressure between 0.9 and 2 bara. The aqueous lean absorbing medium used comprises one or more amines chosen from: a polyamine in the absence of tertiary amine functionalities having a pKa sufficient to neutralize carbamic acid, the polyamine having at least one primary amine functionality having a pKa smaller than 10.0 at 25 C., a polyamine in the absence of tertiary amine functionalities having a pKa sufficient to neutralize carbamic acid, the polyamine having at least one secondary amine functionality having a pKa for each sorbing nitrogen smaller than 10.0 at 25 C. The process is improved as compared to a process involving Claus off-gas treatment with (activated) MDEA. Effective CO2 removal is achieved while at the same time a simplified line-up with less equipment can be used.

Claims

1. A process for removing hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide from a feed gas stream, the process comprising the following steps: (i) converting hydrogen sulfide in the feed gas stream to elemental sulfur and a gas stream, wherein step (i) comprises: (ia) converting hydrogen sulfide in the feed gas stream to elemental sulfur in a Claus unit, thereby obtaining elemental sulfur and a first gas stream comprising a reduced amount of hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide, wherein the feed gas stream comprises up to 25 vol % of carbon dioxide; (ib) removing additional hydrogen sulfide from the first gas stream produced in step (ia) by means of a solvent comprising an amine, thereby obtaining the gas stream comprising a further reduced amount of hydrogen sulfide relative to the first gas stream; and (ii) contacting at least a part of the gas stream obtained in step (ib) with an aqueous lean absorbing medium in an absorption zone to absorb the carbon dioxide and to obtain a carbon dioxide lean treated gas stream and spent absorbing medium; wherein a pressure in the absorption zone used in step (ii) is in a range of between 0.9 and 2 bara; and wherein the aqueous lean absorbing medium used in step (ii) comprises one or more amines chosen from: diethylenetriamine (DETA), triethylenetetramine (TETA), tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA), and mixtures thereof, N-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazine.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein at least 70% of the gas stream obtained in step (i) is treated in a single absorption unit in step (ii).

3. The process according to claim 1, wherein the gas stream which is contacted with the aqueous lean absorbing medium in the absorption zone in step (ii) has not been incinerated between step (i) and step (ii).

4. The process according to claim 1, wherein the gas stream which is contacted with the aqueous lean absorbing medium in the absorption zone in step (ii) comprises hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide and optionally COS.

5. The process according to claim 1, wherein the process has the additional steps of: (iii) regenerating the spent absorbing medium obtained in step (ii) in a regeneration zone to produce a regenerated aqueous absorbing medium and carbon dioxide; and (i) recycling at least a part of the regenerated aqueous absorbing medium obtained in step (iii) to step (ii).

6. The process according to claim 5, wherein in step (i) a part of the regenerated aqueous absorbing medium obtained in step (iii) is recycled to step (ii), and the process has the additional steps of: (v) removing heat stable salts from a second part of the regenerated aqueous absorbing medium by means of an ion exchange resin, electrodialysis, crystallization, or thermal reclamation to generate a second regenerated aqueous absorbing medium having a reduced heat stable salt content; and (vi) recycling at least a part of the second regenerated aqueous absorbing medium as obtained in step (v) to step (ii).

7. The process according to claim 5, wherein step (iii) is performed in a reboiler, in a kettle reboiler, forced circulation reboiler, fired reboiler, falling film reboiler, direct steam reboiler, or thermosyphon.

8. The process according to claim 1, wherein the pressure of the gas stream is not pressurized above 2 bara between steps (i) and (ii).

9. The process according to claim 1, wherein the pressure of the gas stream used in step (ii) is in a range of between 0.9 and 2 bara.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(1) The present invention relates to a process for removing hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide from a feed gas stream according to claim 1. The feed gas stream comprises hydrogen sulfide and comprises carbon dioxide and optionally comprises other contaminants such as COS.

(2) In step (i) hydrogen sulfide in the feed gas stream is converted to elemental sulfur in a Claus unit. A gas stream comprising a reduced amount of hydrogen sulfide is obtained. Carbon dioxide is not or hardly removed by the Claus process and thus is still present in the gas stream.

(3) Preferably the feed gas stream used in step (i) comprises up to 25 vol % of carbon dioxide.

(4) Step (i) preferably has two steps. In step (ia) hydrogen sulfide in the feed gas stream is converted to elemental sulfur in a Claus unit, thereby obtaining elemental sulfur and a gas stream comprising a reduced amount of hydrogen sulfide and comprising carbon dioxide. In step (ib) even more hydrogen sulfide is removed from the gas stream obtained in (ia) by means of a solvent.

(5) In step (ib) a solvent comprising an amine is used to remove hydrogen sulfide, preferably to selectively remove hydrogen sulfide and not or hardly remove carbon dioxide. A stream comprising a further reduced amount of hydrogen sulfide, and also still comprising CO2, is obtained. Preferably hydrogen sulfide is removed in step (ib) by means of a Shell Claus off-gas treating (SCOT) process. Another suitable method to remove hydrogen sulfide in step (ib) is by using a solvent such as Flexsorb (ExxonMobil).

(6) In step (ii) at least a part of the gas stream obtained in step (i) is contacted with an aqueous lean absorbing medium in an absorption zone. Carbon dioxide is absorbed. A carbon dioxide lean treated gas stream is obtained. Spent absorbing medium is obtained.

(7) The pressure in the absorption zone used in step (ii) is in the range of between 0.9 and 2 bara, preferably between 0.9 and 1.5 bara.

(8) The aqueous lean absorbing medium used in step (ii) comprises one or more amines chosen from: a polyamine in the absence of an effective amount of tertiary amine functionalities having a pKa sufficient to neutralize carbamic acid, the polyamine having at least one primary amine functionality having a pKa smaller than 10.0 at 25 C., a polyamine in the absence of an effective amount of tertiary amine functionalities having a pKa sufficient to neutralize carbamic acid, the polyamine having at least one secondary amine functionality having a pKa for each sorbing nitrogen smaller than 10.0 at 25 C.

(9) Preferred examples of polyamines in the absence of an effective amount of tertiary amine functionalities having a pKa sufficient to neutralize carbamic acid, the polyamine having at least one primary amine functionality having a pKa smaller than 10.0 at 25 C. are diethylenetriamine (DETA), triethylenetetramine (TETA), tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA), and mixtures thereof.

(10) A preferred example of a polyamine in the absence of an effective amount of tertiary amine functionalities having a pKa sufficient to neutralize carbamic acid, the polyamine having at least one secondary amine functionality having a pKa for each sorbing nitrogen smaller than 10.0 at 25 C. is N-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazine.

(11) As step (ii) does not need to be performed at elevated pressure there is freedom with regard to the design and the size of the absorption units. When handling large streams of Claus off-gas it will in most cases not be necessary to use multiple compressors and multiple absorption units. Rather, in most cases it will suffice to avoid using a compressor between step (i) and step (ii). Additionally or alternatively in most cases it will suffice to use a single absorption unit. Hence, in most cases a simple single train will suffice.

(12) Preferably the gas stream which is contacted with an aqueous lean absorbing medium in an absorption zone in step (ii) has not been pressurized above 2 bara between step (i) and step (ii). Preferably the gas stream which is contacted with an aqueous lean absorbing medium in an absorption zone in step (ii) has not been pressurized in a compressor between step (i) and step (ii). The pressure of the gas stream may be a little bit above atmospheric pressure as a flow of gas is desired. The pressure of the gas stream used in step (ii) is in the range of between 0.9 and 2 bara, preferably between 0.9 and 1.5 bara.

(13) Preferably at least 70%, preferably at least 85%, more preferably at least 95%, more preferably the entire gas stream obtained in step (i) is treated in a single absorption unit in step (ii).

(14) The process of the present invention is not very sensitive to H2S or other sulfur components. Hence, the lean absorbing medium in an absorption zone in step (ii) may comprise hydrogen sulfide and optionally COS.

(15) It is thus not necessary to remove the reduced amount of H2S which is still present in the gas stream to be treated in step (ii). It is thus, for example, not necessary to incinerate the gas obtained in step (i) before step (ii). Preferably the gas stream which is contacted with an aqueous lean absorbing medium in an absorption zone in step (ii) has not been incinerated between step (i) and step (ii). This saves complexity as well as equipment.

(16) Preferably the gas stream which is contacted with an aqueous lean absorbing medium in an absorption zone in step (ii) comprises hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide and optionally COS.

(17) In a preferred embodiment the process comprises the following steps after step (ii): (iii) regenerating spent absorbing medium obtained in step (ii) in a regeneration zone to produce a regenerated aqueous absorbing medium and carbon dioxide; and (iv) recycling at least a part of the regenerated aqueous absorbing medium obtained in step (iii) to step (ii).

(18) In a preferred embodiment a part of the regenerated aqueous absorbing medium obtained in step (iii) is recycled to step (ii) and the process comprises the following steps after step (iv): (v) removing heat stable salts from a second part of the regenerated aqueous absorbing medium obtained in step (iii), preferably by means of an ion exchange resin, electrodialysis, crystallization, or thermal reclamation; and (vi) recycling at least a part of the regenerated aqueous absorbing medium obtained having a reduced heat stable salt content as obtained in step (v) to step (ii).

(19) Preferably step (iii) is performed in a reboiler, preferably in a kettle reboiler, forced circulation reboiler, fired reboiler, falling film reboiler, direct steam reboiler, or thermosyphon, preferably in a thermosyphon.