HIGH-TEMPERATURE H2S REMOVAL OVER HIGH SPECIFIC SURFACE-AREA BETA-SICSUPPORTED IRON-OXIDE SORBENT - PART 2 SULFIDATION AND REGENERATION

Iron oxide sorbent supported on high surface area SiC showed excellent performance for high-temperature H2S removal. This sorbent removed H2 S directly with formation of water and with no other products observed in the exit gas. The chemical inertness of the SiC support and the we ak interaction between the support and the iron oxide phase, led to ra pid sulfidation of the sorbent resulting in a high absorption capacity (90-95% cf. the theoretical value). This was not the case for sorbent s supported on alumina and other refractory oxides. The sorbent also e xhibits high stability in the sulfidation and regeneration cycle. The sorbent surface area decreased after the first sulfidation and regener ation cycle from 49 to 17 m(2) g(-1) and then remained unchanged for t he subsequent cycles, maintaining its high performance and selectivity .