Effects of aging of alumina catalyst in an industrial Claus reactor

Variation of the performance of AOK-78-59 industrial catalyst in the course of 1-year operation in the reactor for conversion of reduced sulfurous gas in the sulfur production line of the Copper Plant of the Polar Branch of the Norilsk Nickel Mining and Metallurgical Company under the conditions of sulfur dioxide excess was studied. Essential differences were revealed in the character and rate of catalyst deactivation in conversion of hydrogen sulfide and carbonyl sulfide, corresponding to the mechanism of hydrothermal aging of alumina catalysts. The results obtained show that it is appropriate to choose catalysts individually for Claus reactors and for hydrolysis of organic sulfur compounds in sulfur recovery units.