Contribution to the thermal and catalytic oxidation of hydrogen sulphide

The present study was undertaken in order to investigate the thermal and the catalytic depuration of hydrogen sulphide (H2S) using the Claus experimentalmethodwith an initialmolar concentration of 12%in the gaseous mixture. The thermal and catalytic transformation ofH2S has been investigated between 350-700°C and 250-600°C respectively. Thermostability verification ofH2S indicates thatH2S remains stable during the experiment. In addition to the oxidation of H2S by oxygen, the oxidation of H2S by SO2 is equally undertaken. The yield depends on the concentration of O2 in the gaseous mixture and the contact time. The interaction of sulphur withwater vapour is not possible. The oxidation of sulphur by O2 gives a low concentration of SO2. Results obtained show a possibility to replace the Claus thermal phase by a catalytic one in view to transform the acid gas into elementary sulphur and to extend the field of utilization of this process for catalytic depuration of sulphurous gas.