US4041141A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Production of elemental sulphur
Assignee: ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Co
•
Filing: 1976-02-12
•
Granted: 1977-08-09
•
Expires: 1996-02-12
Abstract
Abstract Elementary sulfur is obtained from sulfur-containing materials which release sulfur oxides (SO x ) in the presence of oxygen by fluidizing such materials in a bed with an oxygen-containing gas (e.g., air), and passing the resulting SO x -containing gases through a bed (preferably fluidized) of carbonaceous or carbon-containing solids (such as coke or coal) at an elevated temperature to reduce SO x to elemental sulfur, the bottom of the bed of carbonaceous or carbon-containing solids being at about the level of the top of the bed of sulfur-containing materials.
Inventors
- 👤 Gerald Moss
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 20:47
CPC Classifications
C; C01; C01B; C01B17/00; C01B17/02; C01B17/027; C01B17/06; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S423/00; Y10S423/09; Y10S423/16
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
103 words
A method of producing elemental sulphur from a solid compound of sulphur, comprising treating particles ccontaining the said solid compound in a lower fluidized bed under such conditions that sulphur is liberated as SOx, passing the SOx upwardly into an upper fluidized bed at a temperature within the range of 310° to 1350° C. and containing char, (as herein defined), whereby at least some SOx is reduced to elemental sulphur, the char of the upper fluidized bed having a density lower than the density of the particles in the lower fluidized bed, whereby the upper fluidized bed floats upon the lower fluidized bed.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
103 words
A method of producing elemental sulphur from a solid compound of sulphur, comprising treating particles ccontaining the said solid compound in a lower fluidized bed under such conditions that sulphur is liberated as SOx, passing the SOx upwardly into an upper fluidized bed at a temperature within the range of 310° to 1350° C. and containing char, (as herein defined), whereby at least some SOx is reduced to elemental sulphur, the char of the upper fluidized bed having a density lower than the density of the particles in the lower fluidized bed, whereby the upper fluidized bed floats upon the lower fluidized bed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 1 in which the char is fluidized by SOx-containing gas from the lower bed.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method according to claim 2 in which particles containing said solid compound of sulphur are passed continuously into the lower bed, and particles depleted in said solid sulphur compound are removed from the lower bed.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method acccording to claim 3 in which at least some of the particles removed from the lower bed are employed to remove and/or fix sulphur from sulphur-containing fuel or flue gas as a solid compound of sulphur.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 6 comprising returning particles containing said solid compound of sulphur to the lower bed.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 5 in which the solid compound is formed under net reducing conditions, and the conditions in the lower bed are oxidizing on a net basis.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 5 in which the solid compound is formed under net oxidizing conditions and the conditions in the lower bed are at least partly reducing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method according to claim 7 in which a fuel is partly burned within the lower bed in the presence of an oxidizing gas thereby to produce an atmosphere of non-uniform composition which is at least partly reducing.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method according to claim 1 in which the said solid compound is a compound of sulphur and zinc, calcium or copper and the temperature in the upper fluidized bed is in the range of 600° to 1250° C.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 1 in which the char is formed by contacting a hydrocarbon or hydrocarbonaceous material with a hot substrate or support material within the upper fluidized bed.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 10 in which the substrate or support material is selected from bauxite, brick fragments and pumice.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 1 in which the char is a coke or semi-coke formed in situ in the upper bed from coal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 1 in which some char is withdrawn from the upper bed and replaced by fresh char.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1182951A
Cited
US1908873A
Cited
US2040682A
Cited
US2002860A
Cited
US2483485A
Cited
US2666526A
Cited
GB1135439A
Cited
US3781445A
Cited
US3810972A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-08-08 | 1981-02-07 | 1981-08-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-08-08 | 1985-02-07 | 1985-08-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-08-08 | 1989-02-07 | 1989-08-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |