Method of producing gypsum

Abstract

After hydrogenation and desulfurization treatment of raw fuel in the desulfurization unit 1 , the product is separated in the acidic gas separator 2 into fuel and a hydrogen sulfide-containing gas, and the hydrogen sulfide-containing gas is subjected to combustion together with air in the catalyst converter 3 thereby converting the hydrogen sulfide completely into sulfur dioxide to give a sulfur dioxide-containing gas, and this sulfur dioxide-containing gas is reacted with limestone powder and air in water in the oxidation and neutralization reactor 4 , and the resulting slurry is dehydrated in the gypsum slurry solid/liquid separator 5 and then dried in the gypsum heater 6.

1 . A method of producing gypsum, which comprises the steps of: 
 separating a hydrogen sulfide-containing gas from raw fuel after hydrogenation and desulfurization treatment or partial oxidation treatment of said raw fuel;    subjecting said hydrogen sulfide-containing gas to combustion with a catalyst and/or a combustion improver to produce a sulfur dioxide-containing gas;    and reacting said sulfur dioxide-containing gas with oxygen and calcium carbonate under wet conditions to produce gypsum.    
     
     
         2 . A method of producing gypsum according to    claim 1   , wherein said catalyst is an oxide of at least one element among Cu, Cr, Fe, Ni, Co, Mn, La, Ba, and Ca.  
     
     
         3 . A method of producing gypsum according to    claim 1    or    2   , further comprising the step of recovering combustion heat of said hydrogen sulfide-containing gas as steam or warm water.  
     
     
         4 . A method of producing gypsum according to any one of claims  1 - 3 , further comprising the step using the combustion heat of said hydrogen sulfide-containing gas as a heat source for drying said gypsum and/or an energy source for generation of electricity.