SEROX-W process

The process is used for desulfurization of sulfur-alkaline waste waters and technological water condensates.

The process is based on liquid-phase oxidation of toxic sulfur compounds (hydrogen sulfide, sodium sulfide, hydrosulfide, sulfite and mercaptides) with air oxygen to neutral products (dialkyl disulfides, sodium sulfate and thiosulfate) over homogeneous IVKAZ-W catalyst.

Waste waters, separated from oil products, and mechanical impurities, are supplied from vessel V-1 with pump P-1 via heat exchangers H-1 and H-2 to reactor R-1. Before the reactor IVKAZ catalyst solution is pumped with a dosing pump to the waste water flow. Oxidation of sulfide and mercaptide sulfur takes place in the reactor at a temperature of 40–65 ^oC and a pressure of 0.4–0.5 MPa over the catalyst with air oxygen, supplied to the bottom of the reactor, following the reactions:

3 Na₂S + 4 O₂ + H₂O → Na₂S₂O₃ + Na₂SO₄ + 2 NaOH

2 RSNa + 0.5 O₂ + H₂O → RSSR + 2 NaOH

From the top of R-1 the treated waste waters with air are passed to air separator V-2. From the top of V-2 the spent air is directed to the nearest incinerator; the treated waste waters after cooling in a cooler C-1 to 40–50^oC are sent to biological treatment plants. The process provides the degree of sulfide and mercaptide sulfur oxidation up to 99.9%.

Serox-W process has been used since 1990 at Ryazan refinery and since 1995-1996 on Yaroslavl and Kuibyshev refineries for treating sulfur-alkaline waste waters and technological condensate from catalytic cracking units and also for treating sulfur-alkaline waste waters of pyrolysis plant of JS “LUKOIL-Neftokhim” (Burgas, Bulgaria).The capacity of the plants is 30 m³/hr, the residual sodium sulfide content does not exceed 20 mg/l, that of sodium mercaptides does not exceed 5 ppm. At present all Serox plants are designed for use of special homogeneous IVKAZ-W catalyst.

THE SEROX-W process flow diagram