Pilot-Scale Experimental Study on the Coupling of Venturi-Bubbling Reactor to Promote the Absorption of Leaked H₂S

Abstract

Natural gas generates varying concentrations of H 2 S during natural formation and extraction, and H 2 S leak accidents are frequent, posing a significant threat to the safety of human life and the environment. Conventional treatment technology equipment is large and does not meet the emergency requirements of the complex topographical gas field. This study aimed to design a pilot-scale method coupling the venturi and bubbling reactors to reduce equipment size and improve emergency capabilities for the absorption of leaked H 2 S. It found that the ring system self-priming venturi reactor, which was suitable only for the coarse treatment of toxic gases, maintained an absorption efficiency of around 50% under most operating conditions, with substantial variations due to changes in process parameters, but that redundancy of the bubbling reactor was high. With the synergistic effect of venturi and bubbling, the coupling process had an extremely high absorption efficiency, basically more than 95%. The experiments also showed that the H 2 S concentration at the outlet of the venturi−bubbling reactor increased with increasing inlet gas concentration and gas volume. The absorption performance improved significantly on increasing Fe 3+ concentration; it increased first and then remained constant, and the optimum Fe 3+ concentration for the absorption of leaked H 2 S was 21 000 mg/m 3 . The absorption performance decreased with increasing submergence height and then remained stable after the size of the inlet approached 600 mm, whereas the overall absorption efficiency of the venturi−bubbling reactor remained constant. The optimum operating temperature range was 10 °C−50 °C. The experimental system kept the outlet concentration below the emergency discharge standard for a continuous period of 48 h following practical use in the gas field and resulting in significant enhancement in mass transfer performance, fully satisfying the emergency requirements.