Investigation of oxy-fuel combustion for methane and acid gas in a diffusion flame

doi:10.1016/j.cjche.2023.07.009

摘要/Abstract

摘要： Co-combustion of methane (CH₄) and acid gas (AG) is required to sustain the temperature in Claus reaction furnace. In this study, oxy-fuel combustion of methane and acid gas has been experimentally studied in a diffusion flame. Three equivalence ratios (ER=1.0, 1.5, 2.0) and CH₄-addition ratios (CH₄/AG=0.3, 0.5, 0.7) were examined and the flame was interpreted by analyzing the distributions of the temperature and species concentration along central axial. CH₄-AG diffusion flame could be classified into three sections namely initial reaction, oxidation and complex reaction sections. Competitive oxidation of CH₄ and H₂S was noted in the first section wherein H₂S was preferred and both were mainly proceeding decomposition and partial oxidation. SO₂ was formed at oxidation section together with obvious presence of H₂ and CO. However, H₂ and CO were inclined to be sustained under fuel rich condition in the complex reaction section. Reducing ER and increasing CH₄/AG contributed to higher temperature, H₂S and CH₄ oxidation and CO₂ reactivity. Hence a growing trend for CH₄ and AG to convert into H₂, CO and SO₂ could be witnessed. And this factor enhanced the generation of CS₂ and COS in the flame inner core by interactions of CH₄ and CO₂ with sulfur species. COS was formed through the interactions of CO and CO₂ with sulfur species. The CS₂ production directly relied on reaction of CH₄ with sulfur species. The concentration of COS was greater than CS₂ since CS₂ was probably inhibited due to the presence of H₂. COS and CS₂ could be consumed by further oxidation or other complex reactions.

关键词: Acid gas, Methane, Oxy-fuel combustion, Oxidation, Chemical analysis, Carbon sulfides

Abstract: Co-combustion of methane (CH₄) and acid gas (AG) is required to sustain the temperature in Claus reaction furnace. In this study, oxy-fuel combustion of methane and acid gas has been experimentally studied in a diffusion flame. Three equivalence ratios (ER=1.0, 1.5, 2.0) and CH₄-addition ratios (CH₄/AG=0.3, 0.5, 0.7) were examined and the flame was interpreted by analyzing the distributions of the temperature and species concentration along central axial. CH₄-AG diffusion flame could be classified into three sections namely initial reaction, oxidation and complex reaction sections. Competitive oxidation of CH₄ and H₂S was noted in the first section wherein H₂S was preferred and both were mainly proceeding decomposition and partial oxidation. SO₂ was formed at oxidation section together with obvious presence of H₂ and CO. However, H₂ and CO were inclined to be sustained under fuel rich condition in the complex reaction section. Reducing ER and increasing CH₄/AG contributed to higher temperature, H₂S and CH₄ oxidation and CO₂ reactivity. Hence a growing trend for CH₄ and AG to convert into H₂, CO and SO₂ could be witnessed. And this factor enhanced the generation of CS₂ and COS in the flame inner core by interactions of CH₄ and CO₂ with sulfur species. COS was formed through the interactions of CO and CO₂ with sulfur species. The CS₂ production directly relied on reaction of CH₄ with sulfur species. The concentration of COS was greater than CS₂ since CS₂ was probably inhibited due to the presence of H₂. COS and CS₂ could be consumed by further oxidation or other complex reactions.

Key words: Acid gas, Methane, Oxy-fuel combustion, Oxidation, Chemical analysis, Carbon sulfides

Songling Guo, Xun Tao, Fan Zhou, Mengyan Yu, Yufan Wu, Yunfei Gao, Lu Ding, Fuchen Wang. Investigation of oxy-fuel combustion for methane and acid gas in a diffusion flame[J]. 中国化学工程学报, 2024, 65(1): 106-116.

Songling Guo, Xun Tao, Fan Zhou, Mengyan Yu, Yufan Wu, Yunfei Gao, Lu Ding, Fuchen Wang. Investigation of oxy-fuel combustion for methane and acid gas in a diffusion flame[J]. Chinese Journal of Chemical Engineering, 2024, 65(1): 106-116.

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