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What will I get if I apply a heating process to gas which contains hydrogen sulfide?
 
Answers
25/11/2019 A: Jake Gotham, InSite Technical Services, jake.gotham@insitetechnical.com
The H2S could react with the steel of the pipework / equipment to form iron sulphide (high temperature sulphidation). This would be noticeable as corrosion rather than an effect on the process.
Other effects would depend on what else is in the gas stream:
If there is an excess of oxygen, some or all of the H2S could oxidise to SO2 depending on temperature and time available.
If there was a small amount of oxygen, you could form elemental sulphur and water vapour.
H2S can thermally decompose to H2 and elemental sulphur, but this requires high temperatures and low pressure. You'd need to get above 500°C to see more than a couple of percent conversion.
There might be other things present that could react with the H2S, but the most likely result of heating hydrogen sulphide would be hot hydrogen sulphide!