A Study of a Regeneration Reaction for Desulfurization Sorbents Using Natural Manganese Ore

Natural manganese ores were selected as the main active component for a non-zinc desulfurization sorbent used in the gas clean-up process of the integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) because of excellent H2S removal efficiency and economical aspect. In this study, the regeneration characteristics of a sorbent after a desulfurization reaction was determined in a thermobalance reactor and a fixed bed reactor in the temperature range of 823–1123 K. A mixed gas of oxygen and nitrogen was used as the regeneration reaction gas for the manganese sorbent. According to an Mn-S-O phase diagram, the manganese sorbent has a low regeneration efficiency in medium temperautre due to the formation of MnSO4 and the regeneration temperature must be over 1123 K. To improve this problem, ammonia and steam was added in the regeneration mixed gas. The effect of the new regeneration method was determined by XRD and difference of desulfurization through multi-cycle tests in a fixed bed reactor.