Process for the removal of elemental sulfur from fluids by mixing said

Abstract

A process for removing elemental sulfur from fluids such as refined petroleum products transported through pipelines normally used for the transport of sour hydrocarbon streams. The sulfur containing fluids are mixed with an immiscible aliphatic solution containing an inorganic caustic material, methanol or aqueous alcohol and an inorganic sulfide or hydrosulfide capable of reacting with the elemental sulfur in a mixing zone to form a polysulfide present in the immiscible alcoholic solution, passing the mixture of fluid and immiscible alcoholic solution to a phase separation zone wherein mixture separates into a fluid phase of reduced elemental and total sulfur content and an immiscible alcoholic phase containing polysulfides, recovering the fluid phase of reduced sulfur content from the phase separation zone, recovering the immiscible alcoholic phase containing polysulfide from the phase separation zone and recycling the immiscible alcoholic solution to the mixing zone. Alcohol from the spent immiscible alcoholic solution may be flash-distilled and recycled for reuse in the process.