In a recent breakthrough, researchers from the Qilu Petrochemical Research Institute revealed that the sulfur dioxide content in the flue gas of the fourth sulfur plant at Qilu Petrochemical Refinery has dropped to just 39-89 mg per cubic meter. This remarkable achievement, announced on July 9th, marks a significant milestone in the development of upgraded sulfur dioxide emission standards. The data not only confirms the success of the new technology but also proves that the sulfur recovery process now meets world-leading levels, with emissions well below 100 mg/m³.
The improvements were made possible through a series of key upgrades implemented during maintenance in March. The project introduced a newly developed low-temperature, oxygen-resistant, and high-stability Claus tail gas hydrogenation catalyst, along with a high-efficiency desulfurization solvent. By integrating desulfurization waste gas into the hydrogenation reactor, the system achieved more effective sulfur removal. These innovations led to a dramatic reduction in sulfur dioxide emissions, with levels consistently staying under 100 mg/m³ since mid-April—far exceeding even California’s stringent standard of 143 mg/m³.
With China set to enforce stricter environmental regulations, the new standards require sulfur dioxide emissions from sulfur plants to be below 400 mg/m³, and even lower—under 200 mg/m³—in special regions. To meet these requirements, Qilu Petrochemical Research Institute began developing a new emission-reduction process back in 2012. Through close collaboration with the refinery, they implemented several advanced technologies aimed at minimizing sulfur dioxide concentrations in flue gas.
The first step involved creating a new liquid sulfur degassing process. Instead of burning off the degassing waste gas, which can increase sulfur dioxide levels, the new method uses purified tail gas as a stripping agent. The resulting waste gas is then sent to a hydrogenation reactor, where it is converted into hydrogen sulfide and recovered by amine solution for reuse in the sulfur unit. This significantly lowers sulfur dioxide emissions.
The second step focused on using a high-efficiency desulfurizer, which reduces hydrogen sulfide levels in the purified gas to below 20 mg/m³. The third step involved optimizing catalyst grading to maximize reaction efficiency and minimize organic sulfides in the tail gas. Finally, the fourth step was about refining process control parameters and optimizing the exhaust gas purification system to further reduce emissions.
These process improvements have not only lowered sulfur dioxide levels but also reduced production costs by 50 yuan per ton of sulfur. With an annual sulfur output of 210,000 tons, this translates to an annual cost saving of over 10 million yuan.
[Editor: Chen Guofang]
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