III International Conference

PP-III-58VANADIA/GLASS-FIBER CATALYST FOR HYDROGEN SULFIDE SELECTIVEOXIDATION TO SULFUR BY OXYGENZagoruiko A.N., Shinkarev V.V., Simonova L.G.Boreskov Institute of Catalysis SB RAS, Novosibirsk, RussiaE-mail: zagor@catalysis.ruNovel catalysts, comprising vanadia pentoxide supported on micro-fibrous glass fibers,were prepared and tested in hydrogen sulfide selective oxidation reaction. The observedperformance was found to be compatible with existing commercial catalysts. The proposedcatalyst looks practically attractive due to its unusual geometrical and physical properties.Hydrogen sulfide selective oxidation into elemental sulfur is currently applied incommercial practice for cleanup of Claus units tail gases and desulfurization of natural gas.The efficiency of such processes is in a major extent defined by efficiency (selectivity,activity, catalytic and mechanical stability etc.) of the applied catalysts. Though significantprogress in this area is achieved [1], further developments and investigation of new catalyticsystem are still actual.The current study was devoted to development of new catalyst for H 2 S oxidation,prepared on the base of micro-fibrous glass-fiber (GF) support [2]. Vanadia was chosen as anactive material due to its highest activity in hydrogen sulfide oxidation reaction among allother oxides [3]. The research included preparation of V 2 O 5 /GF catalyst samples with vanadialoading of 0.34 and 0.77 % mass.The lab experimental tests performed in temperature region from 200 to 250 o C withmixture containing 1% H 2 S and 0.9% O 2 (balance – helium) showed good performance of thecatalyst – the observed conversion was as high as 90-95 % with selectivity into sulfur notlower than 95 %.Though the achieved level of catalyst efficiency does not exceed the level of existingcommercial catalysts, the proposed catalyst looks practically attractive due to its unusualgeometrical and physical properties (mechanical flexibility giving the way for construction ofnovel compact reactors, low pressure drop and decreased mass transfer limitations).References1. A.N.Zagoruiko et al. Proc. of Int.Conference “Chemreactor-17”, Athens, Greece, May 2006,pp.600-603.2. L.G.Simonova, V.V.Barelko, A.V.Toktarev, V.I.Zaikovskii, V.I.Bukhtiarov, V.V.Kaichev,B.S.Balzhinimaev. Kinet&Catal, 2001, v.42, No.6, p.917.3. A.A.Davydov, V.I.Marshneva, M.L.Shepotko. Applied Catalysis A: General, 244(1), 2003,pp.93-100.580