AN EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY ON THE KINETICS OF THE FORMATION AND DECOMPOSITION OF SULFANES IN THE SULFUR H2S SYSTEM/

A gas chromatographic technique has been worked out which allows one t o determine the kinetics of the formation and decomposition of sulfane s in the sulfur-hydrogen sulfide system at high temperature. Quantitat ive kinetic data are of great importance not only for research in that field but also for various practical applications like, for example, the sulfur deposition problem in sour gas reservoirs. Kinetic measurem ents have been carried out at different constant temperatures in the r ange of 120-270 degrees C in a chromatographic reactor, containing sul fur-coated glass beads and quartz powder, respectively. In order to de termine the kinetic parameters, a numerical model of the gas chromatog raphic reactor has been developed. Based on the results obtained by fi tting the experimental chromatograms to the model, a simplified reacti on scheme is proposed. Preliminary results show that sulfane decomposi tion in the sulfur/H2S system is a rather slow reaction.