Such a process in known e. g. from WO 92/10270, WO 94/29227 and WO 96/30110. In these prior art processes oxygen is used as an electron acceptor. The oxygen is fed at a limited rate so as to direct the oxidation of sulphide to elemental sulphur rather than to sulphate. The use of oxygen as an electron acceptor, however, requires the presence of an aeration system including a compressor, pipings, spargers, and in most cases a separate reactor. The investment costs for such a system are relatively high, especially when small volumes of water or gas are to be treated or when e. g. high-pressure natural gas is to be desulphurised.

According to the invention, the spent washing liquid containing the reduced sulphur compounds is treated with sulphide-oxidising bacteria in an integrated scrubber/- bioreactor, using nitrate as an electron acceptor.

In the present context, the term"reduced sulphur compound"is understood to comprise any gaseous or volatile sulphur compound wherein sulphur has the oxidation state-2.

Such compounds include hydrogen sulphide, lower alkyl mercaptans such as methane- thiol, lower alkyl sulphides and disulphides such as dimethyl sulphide, carbonl sulphide (COS) and carbon disulphide (CSJ. Especially relevant are H2S, COS and CS2.

The biological oxidation reactions of hydrogen sulphide by colourless sulphur bacteria, such as the genus Thiobacillus, especially the species T denitrificans, using nitrate as an electron acceptor are the following : <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> HS + OH- HS-+ H2O (1)<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> HS + HC03-b HS-+ H2O + CO2 (la) 5 HS- + 2 NO3- + H2O # 5 S° + N2 + 7 OH- (2) 5 HS- + 8 NO3- # 5 SO43- + 4 N2 + 3 OH- + H2O (3) 5 HS +2 Nô3- 5 S° + N2 + 2 OH-+ 4 H20 (1+2) 5 H2S + 8 NO3- + 2 OH- # 5 SO42- + 4 N2 + 6 HO (1+3)

Reaction (1) denotes a preliminary reaction, e. g. occurring in a gas scrubber, wherein gaseous hydrogen sulphide is dissolved as hydrosulphide anions. Reaction (2) describes the anoxic oxidation of sulphide to elemental sulphur, whereas reaction (3) represents the complete oxidation of sulphide to sulphuric acid. Reaction (1+2) is the total net reaction of hydrogen sulphide to elemental sulphur.

Carbonyl sulphide and carbon disulphide may hydrolyse to hydrogen sulphide according to the following reactions or their anionic equivalents : COS + H20 H2S + CO2 (4) CS2 + 2 H20 2 H2S + CO2 (5) Alternatively or additionally, COS and CS2 may be oxidised directly, according to the following reactions : 5 COS + 2 NO3- + H2O # 5 CO2 + 5 S0 + N2 + 2 OH- (2') 5 COS + 8 NO3- + H2O # 5 CO2 + 5 SO42- + 4 N2 + 2 OH- (3') 5 CS2 + 4 NO3- + 2 H2O # 5 CO2 + 10 S0 + 2N2 + 4 OH- (2") 5 CS2 + 16 Nô3-+ 2 H20 5 CO2 + 10 Su42-+ 8 N2 + 4 H+ (3") The reactions involving oxidation of thiosulphate with nitrate as electron acceptor are the following : 5 S2032~ + 8 NO3-+ 2 OH-~ 10 SO42-+ 4 N2 + H20 (6) 5 SO'+ + 2 NO3- + H2O # 5 S0 + 5 SO42- + N2 + 2 OH- (7) Nitrate can be added as a solid salt, but preferably it is added as a concentrated solution of e. g. potassium nitrate, or a mixture of a nitrate salt and nitric acid. As the conversion of H2S and other reduced sulphur compounds to elemental sulphur produces alkali (equation 1+2/2'/2"), and the conversion of H2S and other reduced sulphur compounds to sulphate consumes the same amount of alkali (equation 1+3/3'/3"), acid (preferably nitric acid replacing part of the nitrate) should be added in the preferred case where sulphide is predominantly converted to sulphur. Preferably, nitrate (and nitric acid) is added in a substantially stoichiometric amount for oxidation of reduced sulphur compound predominantly to sulphur, i. e. about 0. 4 mole of nitrate per mole of H2S or COS, optionally allowing for minor oxidation to sulphate, i. e. 0. 4-0. 9, especially 0. 4-0. 6 mole of nitrate per mole of H2S or COS, and the double amount for CS,. An overdosis

of nitrate should be avoided, because it destabilises the process due to an accumulation of nitrite (NO2-). The nitrite concentration should remain below 1 mM, preferably below 0. 5 mM.

The nitrate addition can be controlled using the redox potential of the aqueous solution, as described in EP 96202138. 2. Thus the redox potential of the medium of the oxidation is adjusted at a value below-150 mV (against an Ag/AgCl reference electrode), especially below-250 mV. The preferred redox potential range is from-300 to-390 mV, more preferably from-320 to-360 mV (against an Ag/AgCl reference electrode).

The range of-300/-390 mV against Ag/AgCl corresponds to a range of-97/-187 mV against a H2 reference electrode at 30°C. The redox setpoint values apply for a temperature of 30°C and a pH of 8.

The temperature of the biological oxidation is between 10 and 85°C, the optimum being between 20 and 50°C, especially at about 30°C. The optimum pH is in the range of 7-9.

If the solution does not contain nutrients, as is the case with gas scrubbing, these have to supplied as well. This can be done at the same time as the nitrate supply. The electric conductivity of the washing liquid is preferably kept between 30 and 100 mS/cm.

The bacteria to be used in the present process can be taken from conventional sulphide- oxidising cultures. The bacteria are preferably neutrophilic bacteria and will typically include Thiobacillus species, especially T. denitrificans.

The process of the invention can be used for treating gases also containing carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide contributes to the H2S loading capacity of the scrubbing liquid, especially at high pressures. As an example, the H2S loading capacity of a scrubbing liquid for scrubbing a pressurised gas (95 bar) having a CO2 content of 1. 1 vol. % is 200 to 300 g/m3. Also the carbon dioxide can be used as a carbon source for the sulphide-oxidising bacteria.

In the process of the invention for the removal of hydrogen sulphide and other reduced sulphur compounds from gas streams, the solution is recycled after oxidation of the reduced sulphur compounds to elemental sulphur, using the same reactor for scrubbing and for anoxic biological treatment. No liquid recirculation between different pressures is necessary. Further advantages are that the equipment can be relatively simple and inexpensive, and that the recycle ratio and thus the liquid residence time can be high so

that any loss of biomass is compensated by bacterial growth. If required, the bacteria can be immobilised on a carrier, which carrier can be combined with a packing material in the scrubber. For a simple operation such immobilisation can be omitted.

The process can be performed in an installation as depicted in the figure. According to this figure, a gas scrubber/reactor 1 is equipped with a sulphide-containing gas supply 2 and a purified gas exit 3. Washing liquid is recycled through 4 without pressure difference and surplus liquid is drawn off at 5. The scrubber contains a packing material 6 for improving contact between gas and washing liquid. Make-up water, containing nutrients and trace elements, is introduced through line 7. Nitrate (electron acceptor) is supplied through 8, but may also be added to the make-up water in 7. Nitric acid can be used for pH control and be added through 7 or 8 or separately. A separator 9 is disposed in bleed stream 5, where a sulphur slurry is separated off and discharged through 10. The clarified liquid 11 can be reused as make-up water at 7. As an alternative, a sulphur separator may be placed in recycle loop 4. Preferably the elemental sulphur is not completely separated : a residual level of 0. 1-5 wt. %, especially 0. 3-3 wt. % is advantageous for enhanced sulphide absorption by the washing liquid and improved buffering. The sulphur level in the scrubber/reactor can be adjusted by adjusting the recycle ratio (flow 4 vs. flow 5) and/or by adjusting the separation efficacy of the sulphur separator.

The process of the invention can be advantageously applied for the treatment of small biogas streams, such as those producing less than 100 kg of sulphur per day. For such streams, the cost for the addition of nitrate is more than compensated by the savings on investment as a result of the omission of expensive compressors, spargers and other devices necessary for oxygen supply.

The process can also be used for treating ventilation air containing hydrogen sulphide, such as generated in anaerobic treatment reactors, pumping houses and decanters. Where such venting air contains insuffieient oxygen, or where the transfer of oxygen to the aqueous phase is insufficient, the nitrate suitable acts as an (additional) electron acceptor.

The process of the invention is also suitable for the treatment of natural gas and other gas streams of high pressure, e. g. 50 bar or higher. These high pressures normally make

biological treatment of natural gas unattractive, because of the high energy consumption resulting from pressurising the washing liquid for entering the gas scrubber and depressurising the liquid for entering the aerated aerobic reactor. Prior art processes for removal of hydrogen sulphide and other reduced sulphur compounds from natural gas include : (1) reversible chemical or physical absorption based on alkanolamine or carbonate solvents ; these processes require high temperatures and pressure differences ; also part of the expensive amine solution is lost with the bleed stream ; (2) direct conversion through absorption and oxidation, e. g. based on a redox reaction between H2S and Fe3+, wherein the reduced metal is reoxidised with oxygen ; drawbacks of such processes are the tendency of plugging with sulphur solids and the use of expensive, corrosive metal chelates ; (3) non-regenerative absorption, wherein hydrogen sulphide is absorbed onto, e. g., active carbon or iron sponges, which are regularly replaced and disposed ("throw away").

In the present process the pressurising/depressurising steps can be eliminated, since the biological treatment does not require oxygen gas, and the gas scrubbing can thus be integrated with the bioreactor.

Other gases that can be treated with the process of the invention include gases associated with oil and natural gas, stabilisation gas, gas from high vacuum units, fule gas, gas from HDS units, gas from molecular sieves, syngas, hydrogen sulphide-containing gas from CO2 gas streams.

Example I In an installation as depicted in figure 1 having a scrubber volume of 10 m3, natural gas at 95 bar containing 100 ppmv of H2S and 1. 1 vol. % of C02 is treated at 25, 000 Nm3/day, using a scrubbing liquid having a pH of about 8. 5 and using a biomass containing Thiobacillus denitrificans. Potassium nitrate and nitric acid are fed at 50-200 g/hr and 50-200 g/hr, respectively. A liquid recycle rate of 0. 5-5 m3/hr is used. The H2S content of the purified gas is 2 ppmv (desulphurisation efficacy : 98%).

Example II

An installation as depicted in figure 1, consisting of an integrated scrubber and bioreactor, was used for the removal of H2S from ventilation air, which contains both H2S and oxygen. The treated airflow amounts to 900 m3/h with a H2S concentration between 500 and 800 ppm. The scrubbing liquid was held at a pH between 8. 5 and 9 with a specific conductivity of 40 mS/cm. Nitrate was added at 0. 3 kg/h from a combination of nitric acid and potassium nitrate such that the pH was maintained in the indicated range. The nitrate to sulphide ratio was 0. 25 mol/mol, which is well below the theoretically expected ratio of 0. 4-1. 6 mol/mol. The reason for this is that the ventilation air contains oxygen which also acts as an electron acceptor. During the testing period, no H2S could be detected in the off-gas, while the nitrate concentration was below 10 ppm. Residual elemental sulphur in the bleed stream was decanted and recovered.