Process for the Separation of Sulfur Compounds From Water

This invention relates to a process for the removal of sulfur compounds, e.g., mercaptans, from water. In another aspect, this invention relates to the removal of mercaptans from water using a stripper having at least two stripper sections with recycle of at least a portion of the bottoms taken from the stripper to the lower section. In another aspect, this invention relates to a process for removing mercaptans from steam condensate obtained from the product fractionation column in a process for producing mercaptans. In still another aspect, this invention relates to a process for treating steam condensate obtained from a process for producing normal dodecylmercaptan and tertiary dodecylmercaptan.

In the production of mercaptans by reacting hydrogen sulfide with olefins, e.g., producing normal dodecylmercaptan and tertiary dodecylmercaptan (n-C.sub.12 SH and t-C.sub.12 SH) by reacting H.sub.2 S with the C.sub.12 olefins, a waste steam condensate stream is obtained when steam jets are used in separating the sulfur product. The steam jets are used to pull a vacuum on the product distillation columns, e.g., normal and tertiary dodecylmercaptan distillation columns. The steam condensate stream from the steam ejector is contaminated with mercaptans and other substances from a fractionation column. Problems with the disposal of the sulfur contaminated steam condensate and with effective separation of the sulfur compounds from the steam condensate have been encountered. It would be most desirable to separate the mercaptan from water and then reuse the two components.

In order to recover both mercaptan and water separately, the steam condensate can be fed to a single section stripper to strip the mercaptan from water. However, the efficiency and economy of such a system can be improved.

An object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a more efficient and effective process for separating sulfur and its compounds from water.

Another object of this invention is to provide a process employing a stripper wherein the process provides a flexibility in the loading of liquid to the stripper to thereby maintain an optimum operating condition in the stripper.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a process which solves the problem of disposing of sulfur contaminated water, especially steam condensate obtained from a product fractionation column in a process for producing mercaptans.

Other objects, aspects, and the several advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a study of this disclosure, the appended claims, and the drawings.

In accordance with the invention, sulfur-containing compounds, e.g., mercaptans, present in aqueous streams are separated therefrom by stripping in a multiple stripping section stripping zone under conditions which substantially remove the sulfur-containing compound(s) overhead and an aqueous stream substantially freed of sulfur compounds as bottoms.

In a specific embodiment, a steam condensate containing sulfur-containing compounds, e.g., mercaptans, is passed to a stripping zone having at least two stripping sections wherein the condensate is subjected to conditions which remove the sulfur compounds overhead and leaves a bottoms aqueous stream substantially free of sulfur compounds. The overhead stream containing the sulfur-containing compounds and water is cooled to form a condensate which is separated into an organic phase comprising the sulfur-containing compounds and an aqueous phase which is partly or wholly recycled to the stripping zone. In addition, at least a portion of the bottoms stream is recycled to the lower most stripping section of the stripping zone.

In an actual operation of a preferred embodiment of the invention, sulfur and its compounds are separated from water by feeding the aqueous stream to a stripper column having at least two stripping sections. Overhead is removed from the stripper with the sulfur compounds being recovered by phase separation. Bottoms is removed and at least a portion is recycled to the lower most stripping section thereby maintaining an optimum operating condition in the stripper as well as increasing the stripping efficiency of the stripper.

The process of this invention is particularly useful in separating mercaptans from water. The process is especially useful as a last step in a process for making mercaptans wherein steam ejectors are used to pull a desired vacuum condition in the mercaptan distillation volumn. The process of this invention can be employed to remove mercaptans in an efficient manner from the mercaptan contaminated steam condensate obtained from the steam ejectors.

FIG. 1 depicts a single stripping section stripper.

FIG. 2 depicts a two stripping section stripper as employed in the process of the present invention.

A process for separating sulfur and its compounds from water would be very useful and find many applications, e.g., recovering mercaptan and water from steam condensate obtained from the steam ejector in a products fractionation column. One possible method is to use a simple distillation column for separating the sulfur compound from the water. For example, in a process for producing mercaptans which employs a steam ejector with the product distillation column mercaptan contaminated steam condensate is frequently obtained. In order to recover both the mercaptan and water separately, steam condensate can be fed to a single section stripper to strip mercaptan from water. Overhead vapor can be condensed and phase separated. The water phase can be partly or wholly recycled to the stripper feed. The mercaptan phase can be recycled to an upstream stripper to remove hydrogen sulfide, or to an upstream olefin purification column to remove olefins from mercaptans. The stripper kettle product can be sent to further processing, such as treatment employed in a sewage plant or further chemical treatment for cooling tower water make-up. Although the use of a simple stripper for separating a sulfur compound from water is straightforward, the method is not always as efficient and effective as can be hoped for.

Referring now to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 depicts a process using a single section stripper. The mercaptan of sulfur compound contaminated aqueous stream is passed via 10 into the top of stripper 11. Overhead is taken via 12, passed through heat exchange means 13, and to phase separator 15 via conduit means 14. In phase separating means 15, an aqueous phase is taken with a portion 17 being recycled to feed stream 10 and another portion 18 being passed onto further use. A sulfur compound or mercaptan phase 16 is also passed on for further use or further processing.

Kettle product or stripper bottoms are taken at 19 with a portion 20 being heated with heat exchange means 21 and recycled via 22 as stripping steam to the kettle. Another portion of the bottom is passed to further processing via 23.

The following is an example of material flow and typical operating conditions that will be employed in a single stripping section stripper as shown in FIG. 1.

The following data illustrates a batch distillation procedure and a continuous distillation procedure for the fractionation of samples of n-C.sub.12 SH condensate and t-C.sub.12 SH condensate obtained from a steam ejector in a process for producing the mercaptans by reacting H.sub.2 S with olefins. The distillation employed a single stripping section stripper.

The batch distillation showed little removal of organics from the n-C.sub.12 SH condensate feed in the kettle product, but the continuous distillation did. The t-C.sub.12 SH condensate feed produced a column overhead product that condensed into organic and water phases. The small overhead organic phase remained in the trap while reflux from the water phase returned to the column. The continuous t-C.sub.12 SH condensate kettle products had a mild onion odor and the continuous n-C.sub.12 SH condensate kettle products had almost no odor. The continuous overhead water phase products had a strong mercaptan odor.

These experimental results show that a single-section stripper removes most of the mercaptans from n-dodecylmercaptan condensate, but not as efficiently for t-dodecylmercaptan condesate. It is the object of this invention to improve separation of sulfur compounds in general, and in particular, of mercaptans, from water by using a stripper having at least two stripping sections with recycle of at least a part of the stripping kettle product to the lower stripping section of the stripper. Use of the two-stripping-section stripper increases the stripping efficiency of the stripper allows the stripper to maintain an optimum operating condition.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a feedstream comprising mercaptans, H.sub.2 S (trace) and olefins is passed by line 2 and introduced into vacuum fractionation zone 1 wherein the feed is subjected to conditions such that the mercaptans are taken overhead by line 3 and olefins are removed as bottoms from column 1. The overhead streams comprising mercaptans is cooled in condenser 4 and the condensate formed is passed to accumulator 5. Liquid mercaptan is withdrawn from accumulator 5 by line 6. Gases present in accumulator 5 are removed through multiple stage ejector 8 due to the introduction of steam by line 7. Steam and gases withdrawn from accumulator 5 are passed through cooler 9 and cooled sufficiently to form a condensate in line 10.

The following is an example of material flow and typical operating conditions that can be employed in the operation of vacuum fractionation column 1 and steam ejector 8 described above.

A sulfur compound containing aqueous stream is passed via 10 into the top of upper stripping section 25 of stripper 11. As in the single section stripper, overhead 12 is passed to a phase separating means 15 via heat exchanger means 13 and conduit means 14. Mercaptan or sulfur compound phase is removed via 16 and passed for further use. Aqueous phase is recovered with a portion optionally being recycled via 17 to feedstream 10 and the remainder being passed via 18 for further treatment or use.

Bottoms, primarily water, is recovered at 19 with a portion 20 being recycled to the kettle via heater means 21 and conduit means 22 in order to supply stripping steam for the stripper. Another portion is passed to further use or treatment via 23 with a third portion being passed via conduit means 24 to the top of lower stripping section 26. The recycle of a part of the kettle product to the lower stripping section increases stripping efficiency and also loads liquid to the stripper in a manner such that an optimum operating condition is maintained. The recycle of the kettle bottoms to the top of the column 11 would only dilute the overhead product thereby requiring additional heat energy for the separation.

The two stripping sections are different with respect to the type of packing or plate structure therein with the type of material one wishes to separate and the degree of separation one wishes to achieve dictating the type of packing, plate, or tray structure in the two stripping sections. For example, in the separation of mercaptans from water, the upper section would have a packing or tray structure suitable for a more highly concentrated mercaptan aqueous stream whereas the lower section would be packed in order to accommodate the separation of less concentrated mercaptan aqueous stream. One skilled in the art could easily determine the most appropriate type of packing for a particular sulfur compound-water separation.

Applicable packings which may be used in the two stripping sections include ceramic, chemical porcelain, carbon steel and stainless. Raschig rings and lessing rings made of carbon, chemical porcelain and polypropylene; Berl Saddles, made of chemical stoneware and chemical porcelain; Intalox Saddles, made of polypropylene; Tellerette, made of polyethylene and Pall ring, made of polyethylene. Pall ring and Intallox saddle packings are preferred.

The operating conditions of the two stripping section stripper can vary, and again, are dependent upon the materials being separated and the degree of separation that one wishes to achieve.

Shown below are ranges of operating conditions for the various applicable streams in the two-stripper operation.

The following calculated example illustrates material flow and typical operating conditions that can be used in a two stripping section stripper as shown in FIG. 2. The operating conditions disclosed, however, are merely illustrative and are not meant to be limiting in any manner to the invention.

The calculated example of the two stripping section stripper shows that about 200% more mercaptan is removed from the kettle product than in the single stripping section stripper. The duel section stripper with recycle of a portion of the bottoms product to the lower stripping section, therefore, provides a more efficient and effective way of removing sulfur compounds, e.g., mercaptans, from water.

Although the present invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, variations and equivalents will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing disclosure of the invention. Accordingly, it is expressly intended that all such alternatives, modifications, variations and equivalents which fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the dependent claims be embraced thereby