SULPHUR RECOVERY UNIT The Sulfur Recovery Unit (SRU)has been designed in accordance with the principles of the

classic Claus reaction.About one-third of the hydrogen sulphide(H2S) in the feed is oxidized to form sulfur dioxide (SO2) and water(H2O). The sulfur dioxide then reacts with the remaining hydrogen sulfide to form elemental sulfur and watervapour . Ammonia (NH3) is oxidized to nitrogen and water . In addition to the reactions noted above, a small part of the hydrogen sulfide in the feed dissociates to hydrogen and elemental sulfur. Hydrocarbons in the acid gas feed are oxidized in the thermal reactor to form carbon dioxide(CO2), carbon monoxide(CO), and water. The basic reactions are: a. H2S b. 2H2S C. D. e. NH3 H2S CNH2N + O2 + + + 1.5 O2 SO2 0.75 O2 SO2 SN 0.5 N2 H2 (N+1) + + + + H2O 2H2O 1.5 H2O 0.5 S2

About q% of the sulfur production is formed in the Thermal Reactor. This sulfur is condensed and drained from the process gas stream prior to entering the first catalytic reactor stage. Three successive catalytic reactor stages, each followed by condensation and removal of liquid sulfur, are provided for further conversion of the remaining hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide to elemental sulfur. The presence of ammonia in the acid gas from the sour water treating u nit (SWTU gas) stream dictates a design modification to the configuration of the Claus unit Thermal Reactor. In the case where SWTU gas is not present, all of the feed gas enters a single chambered Thermal Reactor, approximately onethird of the hydrogen sulfide dioxide and water, and all hydrocarbons are converted to carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and water. This combustion condition produces a reducing atmosphere. Ammonia does not completely oxidize in a reducing atmosphere. The results of ammonia leaving the Thermal Reactor unoxidized can be severe. When the gas is cooled in the Boiler/Sulfur Condenser, ammonium compounds and acidic sulfur compounds would react to produce ammonium salts which precipitate out as solids in the Boiler/Sulfur Condenser tubes, rundown lines and the process lines. These solids tend to plug the tubes and lines and will eventually force the unit to shutdown. To avoid these problems, an additional chamber is provided in the Thermal Reactor for the combustion of the SWTU gas. The SWTU gas is burned separately in the Thermal Reactor front chamber with the

total rate of oxygen supplied. The majority of the amine acid gas bypasses the front chamber leaving the front chamber an excess of oxygen which converts ammonia to nitrogen and water, hydrocarbons to carbon dioxide and water, and all hydrogen sulfide to sulfur dioxide and water. The above conditions result in an oxidizing atmosphere, which produces the desired complete combustion of ammonia. The majority of the amine acid gas stream is introduced into the Thermal Reactor rear chamber. Enough oxygen crosses from the front to the rear chamber in order to convert the hydrocarbons in the amine acid gas to carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and water and to produce a H2S/S02 ratio of 2:1. There are small amounts of carbonyl sulfide (COS) and carbon disulfide (CS2) which form in the Thermal Reactor. Formation of COS and CS2 is a function of the carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and hydrogen content of the amine acid gas feed stream. The majority of the COS and CS2 formed in the Thermal Reactor is destroyed in the first catalytic reactor stage. PROCESS FLOW DESCRIPTION The flow sequence for the SRU is shown on Process Flow Diagram D-7887-10. The flow sequence for the Incinerator and SO2 Scrubber is shown on Process Flow Diagram D-7887-11. The Amine Acid Gas K.O. Drum (17-V-701) and the SWS Gas K.O. Drum (17-V-702) are designed to remove entrained sour water and condensed hydrocarbons from the amine acid gas and the SWS gas feeds upstream of the Thermal Reactor (17-R-701). Normally, there is no sour water flow from the Amine Acid Gas K. O. Drum and SWS Gas K.O. Drum. When enough sour water has accumulated in these drums, the sour water is pumped away. Sour water from the Amine Acid Gas K. O. Drum and SWS Gas K.O. Drum is transferred to the SWTU by on of the K.O. Drum Pumps (17-MP-701A/B). The SWS gas stream at 90oC is fed to the Claus CombustorTM (17-F-701) located at the front of the Thermal Reactor. Amine acid gas at 49oC is fed to the rear chamber of the Thermal Reactor. In some operating cases (i.e. Case 4) a small portion of the amine acid gas is combined with the SWS gas feed to the Claus CombustorTM . This is done to maintain the temperature at or above 1400oC in the front chamber of the Thermal Reactor for complete combustion of SWS gas. The remainder of the amine acid gas is fed to the rear chamber of the Thermal Reactor. Hydrocarbons in the acid gas stream are oxidized to carbon to dioxide and water in the Thermal Reactor front chamber, and carbon monoxide and water in the rear chamber. The operating temperature of the Thermal Reactor front chamber should be approximately 1449oC.

MAIN COLUMN The principal activity in the main column is product separation based mainly on temperature differences. The reactor product vapors at about 530oC flow through the reactor vapor line to the main column; and these vapors are condensed and fractionated into products such as Main Column Bottoms(MCB), Heavy Cycle Oil (HCO), Light Cycle Oil (LCO), Heavy Cycle Naphtha( HCN), Unstabilized gasoline and Wet gas. The operation of the main Column involves controlled heat removal and sufficient liquid-vapor contacting to cause the required degree of fractionation into the desired products aforementioned. MCB, HCO and HCN are products directly taken from the main column to storage although some amount of each is used for internal circulation within the RFCCU. The unstabilized gasoline and wet gas are subjected to further separation processes in the gas concentration units. The integration of heat exchange from the main column is based on specific requirements and economics of a given installation. MAIN COLUMN BOTTOMS (CLARIFIED OIL/CLO) PUMPAROUND CIRCUIT The main column bottoms system de-superheats the reactor vapors, condense the bottoms product and scrub entrained catalyst particle fines from the reactor product gases. Main column bottoms (MCB) is removed from the bottom of the main column and sent to circulating bottoms/raw oil exchangers (E-201 A/B, E-202 A/B and E-205 A/B) and two steam generators (E-204 A/B). The vapors are de-superheated by circulating a large stream of cooled column bottoms (Raw oil is also used sometimes) over the disk and donut trays where it de-superheat the reactor vapors as well as flush catalyst fines out of the column. The cooled bottoms circulation rate should be set at not less than 150% of the design feed rate. The bottoms temperature is maintained at 350-360oC to minimize coking in the slurry circuit. The pumparound rate and heat removal must be high enough to keep the bottoms temperature below the 360oC maximum, as coking rate depends on time and temperature. There is reflux at the main column bottom to maintain temperature when necessary; and this is achieved by returning cooled stream of circulating main column bottoms.

The minimum spillback is provided for minimum slurry circulation during turndown operation. This ensures enough oil is returned to the main column adequately covering the disc and donut trays, thereby cleansing the reactor vapors of catalyst fines and preventing coke formation on the disk and donut trays due to insufficient liquid flow over the trays. Heat input to the steam generators is the only variable available to the operator for adjustment. Bottoms flow to the steam generators can be adjusted to change the amount of heat rising up the column thus increasing or decreasing the column top reflux rate which acts to heat balance the column. The heat input from the circulating main column bottoms to the feed preheat exchangers
Set by product and process considerations.

Main column bottoms circulation flows through the exchangers on the tube side and the

velocity must be kept between 1.14 m/s and 2.13 m/s for straight tubes and between 1.14 m/s and 1.75 m/s for U-tubes. If the oil velocity falls below the minimum, catalyst will begin to accumulate on the tube walls and slowly plug the tube while greatly reducing heat transfer. If the velocity is above 2.13 m/s (7 ft/s), the tube walls may experience erosion leading to premature failure. The rates required to meet these velocities must be calculated for each exchanger before startup.