Method and catalyst for direct sulphur oxidation of h2s contained in a gas

Abstract

A regenerative process for oxidizing H,S contained in low concentration in a gas directly to sulphur including combining the H,S-containing gas with a gas containing free oxygen in an amount to form an O,/H,S-containing gas with an O,/H,S molar ratio ranging from 0.05 to 15; contacting the O,/H,S-containing gas with a catalyst for the selective oxidation of H,S to sulphur, wherein the catalyst includes a catalytically active phase containing at least one oxysulphide of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, iron, cobalt, copper, chromium, molybdenum and tungsten combined with a silicon carbide support and including a compound of at least one transition metal, at temperatures below the dew point of the sulphur formed by oxidation of H,S and depositing the sulphur on the catalyst; periodically regenerating by flushing the sulphur-laden catalyst using a non-oxidizing gas at temperatures of between 200° C. and 500° C. to vaporize sulphur retained on the catalyst; and cooling the regenerated catalyst below the dew point of the sulphur to a temperature for H,S oxidation to be carried out again, such cooling being carried out by a gas having a temperature less than 180° C.