Experimental Study and Analysis of Sulfur Dioxide Recovery Efficiency from the Exhaust Gases of a Sulfur Production Unit

In this study, the operational conditions affecting sulfur dioxide recovery in a single-phase fluidized bed reactor using aluminum oxide as a catalyst were investigated. The research includes both experimental and theoretical analyses of reactor performance, with the main goal of producing a sweet gas stream. A series of experiments were conducted using sour gas streams containing different concentrations of sulfur dioxide. The effects of key parameters—including bed height, bed width, alumina particle diameter, and operational conditions such as temperature, pressure, and gas superficial velocity—were systematically evaluated and discussed. A comparative analysis was made between the experimental data for bed height, temperature, and alumina content and the corresponding model predictions. The findings reveal minor discrepancies between the experimental and theoretical results. The results indicate a positive correlation between sulfur dioxide recovery and both alumina content and bed height. Moreover, a relatively linear relationship was observed between sulfur dioxide recovery and operating temperature. This study provides valuable insights into the influence of operating parameters on sulfur dioxide recovery in a fluidized bed reactor using aluminum oxide as an adsorbent.