Preventing explosions in molten sulphur tanks防止熔硫槽爆炸.pdfVIP

SULPHURSAFETY

Preventingexplosions

inmoltensulphurtanks

UndegassedmoltensulphurcancontainseveralhundredppmwHS.Iftheheadspaceinthe

2

storagetankisstagnant,theHScanaccumulateinthevapourspaceaboveundegassedliquid

2

sulphurtodangerouslevels.Sweepingandblanketingsystemsarecommonlyappliedtomanage

theexplosionriskintheheadspaceofmoltensulphurstoragetanks.D.J.Sachde,C.M.Beitler,

K.E.McIntush,andK.S.FisherofTrimericCorporationreviewtheseapproaches,outlining

thebenefitsandlimitations,designconsiderations,andindustryexperience/guidanceforeach

approach.Calculationmethodsfornaturaldraftflowofsweepairarealsopresented.

oltensulphuriscommonlystoredEnvironmentalregulationsoftenrequireSRUisstoredandhandledinanumberof

intanksinpetroleumrefineries,thattheHSbetreatedbeforeemittingstepsasdepictedintheexampleinFig.1.

2

Motheroilandgasfacilities,andatgasestotheatmosphere.AmodifiedClausThemoltensulphurproducedinthe

locationsinvolvedinsulphurprocessing,sulphurrecoveryunit(ClausSRU)isoneClausSRUcontainssolubleHSand

2

handling,storage,andloading.Hydrogencommontreatmentmethodandinvolveshydrogenpolysulphides(HS).During

2X

sulphide(HS)isabyproductofprocess-convertingtheHStoelementalsulphur.thestorageofthesulphur,theHS

222X

ingnaturalgasandrefiningcrudeoils.ThemoltensulphurproducedinaClauscompoundsdecomposetoelemental

Fig.1:Moltensuphurstorageandhandlin