Sulfur Trap

摘要

A sulfur trap provides separation of elemental molten sulfur from a process stream comprising a mixture of sulfur and associated tail-gases. The sulfur trap comprises a vertically-oriented cylindrical wall having a chamber for receiving the process stream, a float positioned in the chamber, the float attached to a float end of a lever, a nozzle insert attached to the distal end of the lever, and a lever fulcrum positioned intermediate the lever float end and the lever nozzle insert end. The float, lever, nozzle insert and outlet are constructed to allow the float position to control nozzle insert engagement of the outlet, particularly to close the outlet when the float is elevated by molten sulfur and to disengage from the outlet to allow discharge flow of liquid sulfur at a determined level of sulfur within the chamber. Embodiments of a method of separating liquid sulfur from gases are also provided.

主权项

1. A method of separating liquid sulfur from a process stream containing liquid sulfur and gases, comprising:
introducing a fluid flow of said process stream into a separation system; said separation system comprising:
a chamber;a chamber fluid inlet;a chamber gas outlet;a chamber liquid outlet comprising an orifice and disposed below said chamber fluid inlet and said chamber gas outlet;a float;a fulcrum and lever system comprising a fulcrum and a lever, wherein said float is connected to a float end of said lever; anda stopple is fixedly attached to a stopple end of said lever, wherein said stopple is constructed to selectively engage with and disengage from said liquid outlet orifice; and separating substantially all of said gases from said liquid sulfur by:
establishing a level of said liquid sulfur within said chamber whereby said float is biased from a first vertical position upward, whereby:
said float end of said lever is biased upward;said stopple end of said lever is biased downward;said stopple moves downward and disengages from said outlet orifice; anda portion of said liquid sulfur is allowed to exit said chamber through said outlet orifice; and wherein: should said level of said liquid sulfur within said chamber subsequently fall sufficiently to allow said float to move downward to said first vertical position, said stopple will re-engage said liquid outlet orifice, and thereby prevent fluids from exiting said chamber through said liquid outlet orifice.