Sulphur management and emissions reduction technology Introducing a comprehensive, low-risk sulphur management solution with minimal environmental footprint and low life-cycle costs
Igor Kostromin and Raju Chopra Topsoe
I ndia’s refining sector is under growing pressure to balance economic growth with environmental responsibility. Driven by the need to reduce crude imports, ensure reliable and profitable operations and lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, refinery operators must find and then adopt technologies that support these goals. India also currently imports a significant amount of phosphatic fertiliser and aims to become self-reliant by increasing domestic production. One solution that helps meet India’s requirements is Wet gas Sulphuric Acid (WSA) technology. This is a proven process for sulphur dioxide (SO₂) abatement that transforms environmental challenges into commercial opportunities, supporting the country’s refinery, fertiliser, import reduction and pollution mitigation objectives while enhancing the profitability. WSA is part of Topsoe’s broader Clean Air solutions portfolio, aimed at converting sulphurous waste streams into value while minimising operating costs and emissions. It enables refiners to stay compliant, reliable, flexible, reduce risk, and protect profitability through high-efficiency sulphur recovery. So, how can the process support Indian refineries in reducing emissions, generating value from waste gases, and also align with the country’s circular economy and net-zero goals? Understanding the emissions challenge in refining SO₂ emissions are a persistent environmental hazard. To meet fuel quality standards, refineries use hydrotreaters to remove sulphur from oil products. This process generates sulphurous
off-gases, which then go to amine treating units for capture from the gas stream. If not treated properly, these gases (rich in hydrogen sulphide [H₂S]) pose environmental and public health risks and are a major contributor to acid rain and respiratory illnesses. Currently, most refineries rely on the Claus process for sulphur recovery. While effective to a degree, it struggles with energy “ A major challenge in the Claus process is the limitation in processing sour water stripper (SWS) gases, as a high percentage of ammonia there has the potential to form ammonium salts that can cause catalyst poisoning and equipment fouling ” inefficiency, especially when combined with tail gas treatment units and incinerators. These systems often require external fuel combustion, increasing both operational complexity and direct CO₂ emissions. Another major challenge in the Claus process is the limitation in processing sour water stripper (SWS) gases, as a high percentage of ammonia there has the potential to form ammonium salts that can cause catalyst poisoning and equipment fouling. Additionally, Claus plants are not ideally suited for treating lean or variable sulphur streams, leading to inefficiencies in modern, dynamic refinery settings. Introducing WSA WSA is a catalytic process that recovers sulphur from waste gases as commercial-
Refining India
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