Process for producing hydrogen and sulfur from hydrogen sulfide

摘要

A novel process for producing hydrogen and sulfur via the thermal decomposition of hydrogen sulfide is disclosed. The thermal decomposition of hydrogen sulfide is accomplished by passing a hydrogen sulfide containing gas through a reaction chamber containing a refractory material that has been preheated to a temperature between about 982 DEG C. and about 1816 DEG C. so that a gas stream comprising hydrogen, sulfur and hydrogen sulfide is produced. While one reaction chamber is used for decomposition, another is being preheated with hot gases such as a sulfur dioxide-oxygen mixture from a sulfur burner. When the peak temperature in the first reaction chamber declines to a selected value, the functions of the two reaction chambers are reversed.