Hydrogen sulfide conversion

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024133049-A1
Application number	US-202217969448-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 18, 2022
Priority date	Oct 19, 2022
Publication date	Apr 25, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

Power is provided to an electrochemical cell. The electrochemical cell includes an anode side and a cathode side. A solution is flowed to the anode side. The solution includes hydrogen sulfide dissolved in water. Water is flowed to the cathode side. The water flowed to the cathode side can be in the form of steam. Providing power to the electrochemical cell facilitates production of sulfur dioxide on the anode side. Providing power to the electrochemical cell facilitates production of hydrogen on the cathode side. A membrane separating the anode side from the cathode side prevents flow of hydrogen sulfide, water, and sulfur dioxide from passing through the membrane while allowing hydrogen cations and oxygen anions to pass through the membrane. Sulfur dioxide is flowed out of the anode side. Hydrogen is flowed out of the cathode side.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
providing power to an electrochemical cell, the electrochemical cell comprising an anode side and a cathode side; flowing a solution to the anode side, the solution comprising hydrogen sulfide dissolved in water; flowing water to the cathode side, wherein providing power to the electrochemical cell facilitates production of sulfur dioxide on the anode side and production of hydrogen on the cathode side; preventing, by a membrane separating the anode side from the cathode side, flow of hydrogen sulfide, water, and sulfur dioxide from passing through the membrane while allowing hydrogen cations and oxygen anions to pass through the membrane; flowing sulfur dioxide out of the anode side; and flowing hydrogen out of the cathode side.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein production of hydrogen on the cathode side comprises electrolysis of the water into hydrogen and oxygen anions on the cathode side.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein production of sulfur dioxide on the anode side comprises reduction of the hydrogen sulfide into sulfur dioxide on the anode side, which produces hydrogen cations on the anode side.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the hydrogen cations produced on the anode side passes through the membrane to the cathode side, and production of hydrogen on the cathode side comprises reduction of the hydrogen cations on the cathode side.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the solution flowed to the anode side has a space velocity in a range of from about 1,000 per hour to about 50,000 per hour through the anode side, and the water flowed to the cathode side has a space velocity in a range of from about 1,000 per hour to about 50,000 per hour through the cathode side.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the membrane separating the anode side from the cathode side has a thickness in a range of from about 10 micrometers to about 5 millimeters.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the membrane separating the anode side from the cathode side comprises barium carbonate, zirconium oxide, cerium oxide, ytterbium oxide, and yttrium oxide.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the electrochemical cell is operated at an operating temperature in a range of from about 600 degrees Celsius (° C.) to about 900° C.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the power provided to the electrochemical cell has a voltage in a range of from about 1 volt (V) to about 3 V.

10 . The method of claim 9 , comprising converting at least a portion of the sulfur dioxide into sulfuric acid by contacting the sulfur dioxide with a metal oxide catalyst, wherein the metal oxide catalyst comprises vanadium or carbon.

11 . A system comprising:
an electrochemical cell comprising:
an anode at least partially disposed in an anode side of the electrochemical cell;
a cathode at least partially disposed in a cathode side of the electrochemical cell; and
a membrane separating the anode side from the cathode side, the membrane configured to prevent flow of hydrogen sulfide, water, and sulfur dioxide from passing through the membrane while allowing cations and anions to pass through the membrane;
a solution entering the anode side, the solution comprising hydrogen sulfide dissolved in water; and water entering the cathode side, wherein the electrochemical cell is configured to, in response to a voltage applied across the anode and the cathode, produce sulfur dioxide on the anode side and produce hydrogen on the cathode side.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the electrochemical cell is configured to, in response to the voltage applied across the anode and the cathode, electrolyze the water into hydrogen and oxygen anions on the cathode side.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the electrochemical cell is configured to, in response to the voltage applied across the anode and the cathode, reduce the hydrogen sulfide into sulfur dioxide on the anode side, which produces hydrogen cations on the anode side.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the membrane is configured to allow the oxygen anions to pass from the cathode side through the membrane to the anode side, and the membrane is configured to allow the hydrogen cations to pass from the anode side through the membrane to the cathode side.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the solution entering the anode side has a space velocity in a range of from about 1,000 per hour to about 50,000 per hour through the anode side, and the water entering the cathode side has a space velocity in a range of from about 1,000 per hour to about 50,000 per hour through the cathode side.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the membrane has a thickness in a range of from about 10 micrometers to about 5 millimeters.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the membrane comprises barium carbonate, zirconium oxide, cerium oxide, ytterbium oxide, and yttrium oxide.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the electrochemical cell is configured to operate at an operating temperature in a range of from about 600 degrees Celsius (° C.) to about 900° C.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the voltage applied across the anode and the cathode has a voltage in a range of from about 1 volt (V) to about 3 V.

20 . The system of claim 19 , comprising a reactor downstream of the electrochemical cell, the reactor comprising a metal oxide catalyst, the reactor configured to receive the sulfur dioxide from the anode side of the electrochemical cell and convert, in response to the sulfur dioxide contacting the metal oxide catalyst, at least a portion of the sulfur dioxide into sulfuric acid, the metal oxide catalyst comprising vanadium or carbon.

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Hammad Ahmad D
• Al-Janabi Yahya T

Classifications

• C25B1/01 Primary

  Products · CPC title

• C25B1/04 Primary

  by electrolysis of water · CPC title

• C01B17/79

  containing vanadium · CPC title

• C25B9/19

  with diaphragms · CPC title

• C25B13/07

  based on ceramics · CPC title