Application-Report:

IGNITION AND CONTROL

OF SULFUR RECOVERY UNITS (SRU)
AND CLAUS PLANTS (H2S)
Ignition
For many years retractable
electrical ignitors have been
applied on burners for sulfur
recovery units.
The main problem of using
ignitors has always been the
high temperature generated in
H2S flames. The tip of the
ignitor is not resistant to a
constant temperature of
approx. 800°C (1470°F). In fact
the maximum allowable
temperature the tip can sustain
is 600°C (1110°F). Therefore it
is mandatory to retract the
ignitor lance after ignition of the
burner flame.
The exact position of the
ignition tip, i.e. the point of
combustion, is not so important
for gas burners, but a good
mixture of fuel gas and air must
be achieved at the selected
position and the energy of the
ignitors spark must be
sufficient. This limits of the
ignitor tip position to a confined
area in the burner where this
Figure 1: Typical Installation of Ignition and Flame Monitoring Assembly at a Sulfur Burner
requirement can be secured. It
goes without saying that the
energy of the spark has to be
high enough to light the burner
flame.
n Function of the High
Energy Ignition Device
To produce this high energy
spark, a high voltage capacitor
in the control unit is charged up
with an energy equivalent to
4.5 Ws and thereafter released
through a wear free switching
unit to the ignition tip. The
resultant arc discharge
converts the energy into heat,
producing a strong blue spark,
which ignites the fuel/combus-
tion air mixture. At the initial
start up 20 sparks per second
are being generated which after
60 seconds is reduced to 5
sparks per second to prevent
damage of the ignitor tip and
overheating of the ignition
transformer.
n The Pneumatic Retraction
Units
Due to the highly toxic
nature of hydrogen sulfide, it is
important for sulfur burners that
even in the event of an
explosion, no gas leaks should
occur. In this respect, the
construction of the ignition
lance and retraction unit must
be in such a way so as to
withstand and contain high
pressures.
The double action flat
cylinder has an oval piston.
This oval shape of the piston
avoids distortion between the
piston rod and the ignition
lance. The distance of insertion
is determined by the stroke
length of the cylinder; retraction
units are available with stroke
lengths of 300, 400, 500 or 600
mm.
Generally the retraction unit
is provided with a solenoid
valve for automatic retraction.
Switching over from reeling out
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to reeling in will be performed
by feeding the operation
voltage to the solenoid. The
retraction unit is also available
in a manual operated version
through manual triggering
controls. In case of a power
failure the retraction unit will
move into its safe position
(retracted). The piston has a
permanent magnet, through
which the corresponding limit
switches indicates either the
inserted or the retracted
position. In this way the ignition
procedure can be implemented
in the DCS system and
safeguarded through checking
the ignitor positions allowing for
a complete remote ignition
procedure of the burner.
The Claus plant area is
generally classified as a zone 2
area according Cenelec
(Division 2 according NEC). All
electrical components are
therefore either intrinsic safe,
encapsulated or located in
flame proof housings. Further
care is taken when selecting
materials, all components are
copper free.
Durag has developed a
special retraction unit for sulfur
burners, the features of which
are: explosion proof electric
parts, all components made of
copper free material, a and the applied ignition system.
pressure tight flange, pressure
testing up to 8 bar, an extra ex-
proof terminal box and a
protection cover.
The connection to the
burner is a 1½" lap joint flange,
so that rotation of the ignitor
relative to the burner
connection flange is possible.
In this way the ignitor can be
n Detection of H2S Flames
Before choosing flame
sensors for burners for sulfur
recovery units, a number of
regulations and guide lines for
flame monitoring systems has
to be taken into consideration.
Too often operators of
sulfur recovery units are
complaining that the flame
Figure 2: Durag Flame Monitors at a Claus Burner
positioned in such a way that
the unit is located in the natural
vertical plane. The connecting
lap joint flange, including the
piston and the ignition lance
connection are designed to
withstand furnace pressures up
to 5 barg (75 psig) without
process gas leakage to the
atmosphere.
With the predecessor
ignition system, installed a
dangerous situation on site
occurred while the ignition unit
is being retracted. Plant
personnel in the vicinity of the
ignition unit, not being aware of
the retraction, could be badly
injured by the retracting ignition
device. In order to prevent this
dangerous situation, protective
covers are now being applied
around the back end of the
ignitor lance and the pneumatic
cylinder. In this way a free
sensor is not working. In most
cases the wrong flame sensor
is being applied, however it
might also be caused by an
incorrect sensor position or
due to disregarding installation
instructions.
It appears that flame
sensing on burners for sulfur
stroke is ensured, plant
personnel injuries due to strok-
ing cylinders are prevented and
the influence of weather
conditions on the retraction
device including accessories is
minimized
n Concluding Remark
Safe and reliable start up of
a burner in a Sulfur Recovery
Unit requires careful
consideration of the mixing
characteristics of the burner
Costly down time due to start
up problems can be overcome
with the selection of a good
ignitor system. Exposing plant
personnel to the potential risk
of process gas leakage with the
application of hand retractable
systems with packing gland
constructions should be
eliminated. Safe and reliable
alternatives are available.
recovery units has always
been a difficult area. Bridging
of the flame sensor signal
ports or an additional high
temperature safeguarding
control, at temperatures
exceeding 800°C (1470°F)
were applied to keep the
burner in operation. The
3
solution of solving this
problem could, however, be
found in the spectral range of
the flames generated by
burners in sulfur recovery
units.
n Flame Sensors
Whereas hydrocarbon gas
flame detection sensitivity lies
in the range of the short
ultraviolet (UV) wave length,
the appearance of the acid
gas type of flames is more or
less "transparent". The highest
sensitivity is not present in the
traditional short UV wave
length. The sensitivity is in the
higher UV range.
The drawing in figure 3
indicates an UV discharge
bulb versus a semiconductor
version. While adjustment is
not possible with the bulb, with
the semiconductor a wide
adjustment range can be
obtained. Besides this, also
the spectral range of the
semiconductor is beneficial
The UV discharge bulb has a
spectral range of 190 - 270
nm. The semiconductor has a
wider spectral range from 190
- 520 nm, which covers also
the higher UV range.
Traditionally infrared (IR)
flame sensors were also
applied to detect acid gas
flames, however it is not
recommended to use IR
sensors on burners for sulfur
recovery units. This can easily
be shown at site. After
shutting down the sulfur
recovery unit, the IR sensor,
depending on it's, settings,
might still give a flame-on
signal due to the background
radiation of the refractory
lining.
n Ambient Light Security
The dynamic behavior of
flames is utilized for meeting
the requirement of extraneous
light security. Flame-inherent
frequent fluctuations of
intensity result from the
flame's physical backflash
behavior. This dynamic
characteristic is utilized for
distinguishing individual
flames against a similarly
radiating background. So as to
comply with the demand of
extraneous light security when
analyzing signals for flame
monitoring and assessment,
flame-caused emissions must
be differentiated from those of
constant radiation sources
such as combustion chamber
walls, pipe bundles. etc. Apart
from its suitability for constant
radiation sources, the demand
of extraneous light security
also applies to radiation
sources of constant dynamic
signals, like e.g., electric
lighting devices of frequencies
of 50 Hz and their harmonics.
To that end, adjustable
filters of defined cut-off
frequencies are used as a
high-pass, with which flames
and radiation sources below
this preselected cut-off
frequency can be masked.
n Control Units
Besides the flame sensor,
also the monitoring device
(control unit) adds to the
safety, flexibility and reliability
of the flame sensing system.
The equipment is of course
fail safe and offers additional
possibilities. On the control
unit it is possible to apply
Figure 3: UV Discharge Vacuum Tube versus GaP Semiconductor
Flame Sensor
selectable settings for
maximum 3 operating
conditions. This is especially
beneficial for SRU burner
flame safe guarding, during
start-up fuel gas is fired which
has a different spectral range
and threshold, compared to
acid gas which is fired during
normal operation. The
optimum range and threshold
levels for the various
operating conditions can be
selected/installed and stored
so that safe and reliable
operation is possible during all
operating conditions without
adjustments to the sensor
equipment. Just applying a
change-over contact does the
job.
n Availability
Apart from safety and
reliability also the availability
of the system is of significant
importance. Due to the
experienced problems with
safeguarding acid gas flames,
two flame sensors are applied
with a 1 out of 2 voting signal.
With the selectable setting of
the control unit and the
application of adjustable UV
semiconductors, one of the
sensors can be switched to the
optimum range for fuel gas
during start-up of the unit. The
spectral range switch-over
signal can come from the limit
switch on the fuel gas block
valve. In this way the start-up
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and transition phase to acid
gas firing is covered by these
two sensors. After closing the
fuel supply the sensor is
switched over to the acid gas
detection range so that both
sensors are detecting the acid
gas flame.
Careful positioning of the
sensor will definitely improve
flame signaling capabilities.
The preferred orientation is
through the root of the flame.
This might sometimes conflict
with the physical dimensions
of the burner and/or the
mechanical design considera-
tions of the unit so that
alternative, less optimal,
positions are to be applied.
In order to ensure a free n Concluding remarks
and unobstructed view, the
Acid gas flame detection is
sensor view port should be
not easy, however with a U\/
sufficiently purged with dry
semi conductor type flame
plant air, or preferably
sensor acid gas flames can be
nitrogen. Application of com-
reliably be detected. Besides
bustion air is economically
the application of the correct
seen an attractive option but
flame sensor, selecting the
might result in flame detection
optimum nozzle position on
problems due to debris
the burner, applying a dry and
present in the air and water
debris free purge media and
vapor condensation on the
determining the correct
flame sensor lens. Further-
operating range and threshold
more the purge quantity at
values, for the actual
maximum load is reduced to
operating conditions, have to
almost zero since the reaction
be taken into account to
furnace pressure is almost
ensure safe and reliable flame
equal to the pressure supplied
detection.
from the air blower.

n Extract of the reference list for Durag equipment at sulfur burners

BEB - Großenkneten, Germany
Beta Raffinerie - Wilhelmshaven, Germany
BKB - Helmstedt, Germany
DEA Raffinerie - Heide, Germany
DEA Raffinerie - Wesseling, Germany
Demcolec Buggenum
Deutsche Shell - Hamburg, Germany
ERM Erdölraffinerie - Mannheim, Germany
Esso Raffinerie - Ingolstadt, Germany
Fina Antwerpen, Belgium
Gdansk Refinery - Gdansk, Poland
Hydro Agri - Brunsbüttel, Germany
KTI Belgium
Kuwait Petroleum Rozenburg
Kuwait Petroleum Europort, The Netherlands
LD Duiker, The Netherlands
Leuna Refinery 2000 - Leuna, Germany
Mobil Oil - Celle, Germany
PCK Schwedt AG - Schwedt/Oder, Germany
Raffinerie Dollbergen - Uetze, Germany
Rayong Refinery (Shell) - Rayong, Thailand
Shell Raffinerie - Godorf, Germany
Shell Refinery - Gothenborg, Sweden
Shell Refinery - Pernis, Peru
Shell Refinery - Botlek
Shell UK - Stanlow, Great Britain
Slovnaft Refinery - Slovnaft, Slovak Republic
Solvay - Bad Hommingen , Germany
VEBA Öl Raffinerie - Gelsenkirchen, Germany