Hot gas desulfurization with Phillips Z‐Sorb sorbent in moving bed and fluidized bed reactors

Abstract

Abstract Phillips Z‐Sorb sorbents have been evaluated successfully as regenerable sorbents for hydrogen sulfide in the fuel gas that is produced in a clean coal technology power plant. Tests have been carried out in fixed‐, moving‐, and fluid‐bed applications. The fixed‐bed tests completed at the Morgantown Energy Technology Center showed that Phillips Z‐Sorb sorbent performed better than zinc titanate. The performance of Phillips Z‐Sorb sorbent in a moving‐bed application was very encouraging. The sorbent flowed well, H 2 S was reduced to less than 50 ppm at the absorber outlet over long periods and post‐test analysis of the sorbent indicated very low sulfate levels at the regenerator exit. The fluidizable version of Phillips Z‐Sorb sorbent was tested in Research Triangle Institute's high temperature, high pressure, semi‐batch, fluidized‐bed reactor system. In a life cycle test consisting of 50 cycles of sulfidation and regeneration, this sorbent exhibited excellent activity and regenerability. The sulfur loading was observed to be 90 + percent of the theoretical capacity. The sorbent consistently demonstrated a sharp regeneration profile with no evidence of sulfate accumulation.