Recovering sulfur from ammonia acid gas stream

Abstract

Method and system for recovering sulfur from an ammonia acid gas stream containing hydrogen sulfide comprising the steps of combusting the ammonia acid gas stream with air or oxygen to convert the ammonia and the hydrogen sulfide therein to N.sub.2 and SO.sub.x, respectively, and thus form a nitrogen and sulfur oxide enriched gas stream. The nitrogen and sulfur oxide enriched gas stream is contacted with a solid absorbent bed to extract the sulfur oxides and retain them as sulfur compounds, thus forming a nitrogen bearing stream. The absorbent bed is then contacted with a hydrogen and/or hydrocarbon bearing stream to reduce the retained sulfur compounds to hydrogen sulfide and/or sulfur dioxide and thereby form a hydrogen sulfide and/or sulfur dioxide bearing stream. Sulfur is recovered from the hydrogen sulfide and/or sulfur dioxide bearing stream. The nitrogen bearing stream is sent to an incinerator or vented through a stack.