Abstract:

In the fields of natural gas and refining and petrochemical engineering, sulfur recovery serves as a core process for reducing hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) emissions and achieving cyclic utilization of sulfur resources. Traditional sulfur recovery processes suffer from limitations such as complex flow paths and redundant equipment, whereas the selective oxidation short-process technology efficiently simplifies the process flow by using a catalyst to selectively oxidize the H₂S in tail gas into elemental sulfur. This study conducted a comparative analysis of sulfur recovery processes at a natural gas desulfurization station. Results demonstrate that compared with traditional process, the short-process technology achieves significant improvements across key performance indicators: 15% reduction in energy consumption, 8% decrease in carbon emissions, 32% lower capital investment, and 12% reduction in footprint. This technology balances environmental benefits and economic feasibility, providing an efficient and low-carbon solution for sulfur recovery, especially suitable for small-scale natural gas desulfurization stations.

Key words: sulfur recovery, selective oxidation, short-process technology, low energy consumption, low carbon emission