June 03, 2021 • 2 min read
Making sulphur handling and transportation safer
Comprimo, our sulphur technology business, has joined forces with Controls Southeast Inc. (CSI), an AMETEK Company, to license a new and patented sulphur degassing technology called ICOn™ – an alternative sulphur degassing technology.
ICOn unit
All sulphur recovery units produce liquid sulphur. This has a considerable amount of hydrogen sulphide (H2S) and polysulphides dissolved in it. Before handling or transporting the liquid sulphur, these elements must be removed to prevent toxic releases or explosive conditions. And this is done using degassing technologies.
ICOn is a technology where the principle is to degas the liquid sulphur in a small vessel over a fixed-bed catalyst, which promotes the release of the dissolved H2S in the sulphur formed. ICOn uses less plot space and has multiple design configurations when considering the various inputs/outputs of sparging gases and liquid sulphur. This flexibility in design makes it very suitable for revamp situations. To date, there is one ICOn unit in operation and two scheduled to start in 2021.
By adding ICOn to the portfolio, Comprimo can now offer ICOn degassing via CSI or the Shell degassing technology via a shared license with Shell. While the Shell degassing is suited for new-build facilities, the selection preference might change depending on the size and situation of our customers’ projects. Comprimo will continue to deliver what is best for them.
“We want to help our customers deliver a more sustainable world. Applying degassing technologies lowers emissions and helps make sure the sulphur handling and transportation are safer. We are pleased that ICOn technology from CSI, combined with our Shell degassing license, offers our customers options when it comes to degassing,” said Frank Scheel, Senior Vice President of Comprimo.
“For years, our customers have relied on CSI to help solve their toughest challenges. With our customers’ continued focus on sustainability and safety, there was a need for a better way to reduce emissions and make it safer to transport and handle sulphur. Licensing our ICOn sulphur degassing technology to Comprimo provides our customers with a best-in-class solution that helps address these challenges,” said Thomas Willingham, Division Vice President and CSI Business Leader.
