The activity loss modeling of catalytic reactor of sulfur recovery unit in South Pars Gas Complex (SPGC) 3rd refinery based on percolation theory

• Percolation model is applied on both Claus and hydrolysis reactions.
• Percolation model verified with industrial data for first time in world.
• Modeling applied on both pores media and reactor axial axis for Alumina catalyst.
• Effect of several important parameters was explored on catalytic bed.

Claus process is one of the processes that used in gas refineries to convert hydrogen sulfide to elemental sulfur. With respect to importance of activity of catalysts, which plays determinant role in keeping total efficiency of this process, modeling and simulation of catalytic bed and prediction of the time period for deactivation of beds may essentially contribute to better exploitation from the given unit.The activity loss of catalysts in this process is caused bysulfation, coke deposition (carbon) and Benzene- Toluene- Ethyl benzene- Xylene (BTEX). Deactivation of first bed of Sulfur Recovery Unit (SRU) in 3rd refinery of South Pars Gas Complex (SPGC) was modeled using implemented Percolation theory in mass and energy balance for both Claus reactions and CS2 and COS hydrolysis reaction.The results show that the proposed model has good compliance with the industrial data. And also the effect of rising parameters as well as removing rate of input BTEX, change in reaction zonealong the bed and also catalytic pellet (particle) size and WHSV on period of activity loss was explored on catalytic beds.