Frequently Asked Questions

How often do the packing materials of a SH SULPHTEC desulfurization system need to be replaced or cleaned outside of the reactor?

Classic Plant (Biodiesel bed reactor):

Never. SH SULPHTEC plants do not block. The CLASSIC plant type has a fully automatic and continuously operating cleaning system integrated in the reactor as standard. In addition, it prevents the elemental sulfur from the suspension from constantly trickling back over the packing material. This ensures an almost 100% operating time of 364 days per year (1 day is needed for annual maintenance).

SulphPur® Plant (Bio-wet bed reactor):

Never. With SulphPur® plants, blocking is technically excluded because the SulphPur® plant does not work with conventional packing materials. The elemental sulfur falls directly into the tank sump and is circulated from there.

Classic System:

Dependent on the H2S content. Approximately every four to five years. Duration: one day.

SulphPur® System:

Never, or only with very high H2S loads. However, we recommend annual maintenance. Our trained service personnel can provide an assessment of whether a cleaning would be beneficial.

Classic System:

One maintenance per year. Duration of maintenance: one working day.

SulphPur® System:

Single SulphPur: One maintenance per year. Duration of maintenance: one working day. Double SulphPur: One maintenance per year. Duration of maintenance: two working days.

Yes, SH SULPHTEC guarantees that the system will not become blocked if the design parameters are adhered to. In the event of a blockage occurring, the system will be cleaned free of charge, and if necessary, the packing material will be replaced at no cost.

(The necessary oxygen is supplied to the biogas in the SH Sulphtec desulfurization plant)

Classic plant:

min. 2 vol.% oxygen depending on the H2S content. With 2 vol.% O2, each bio-trickling filter reactor produces approximately 80% sulfate and approximately 20% elemental sulfur. The less oxygen is contained in the gas, the more elemental sulfur is formed. At an oxygen content of 0.5%, the ratio of sulfate to elemental sulfur is reversed. The plant then only produces about 20% sulfate and about 80% elemental sulfur. A bio-trickling filter reactor would block.

SulphPur® plant:

0.3-0.5 vol.% oxygen depending on the H2S content. Since the SulphPur plant cannot technically block, it does not matter how much elemental sulfur is formed. In addition, the low oxygen demand has the advantage in biomethane processing, as the oxygen content in the purified gas after desulfurization is only 0.1-0.3%.

Both types of systems, Classic and SulphPur®, come equipped with Siemens controls as standard. The systems are operated via touchscreen as standard. Upon request (depending on display size), the system components can also be controlled through graphical representation (visualization).

The systems from SH SULPHTEC do not require any additional personnel as all processes run fully automatically. Only occasional visual checks are recommended. The nutrient feed tanks should be designed individually for a feed duration of up to three months.

Classic System:

Three to four days after commissioning, the Classic system already achieves up to 100% of the required degradation capacity. For biogas plants with a high NH3 content, the start-up phase may take 1-2 days longer depending on the outside temperature.

SulphPur® System:

The SulphPur® system reaches its maximum degradation capacity after three to four days.

Both types of systems, Classic and SulphPur®, can be individually designed. Heights and diameters are adjusted to local conditions. The gas inlet and outlet can be designed according to on-site conditions to ensure the most optimal and cost-effective pipeline construction. Height restrictions can potentially be bypassed by using a Classic CUBE system. (see: https://sulphtec.com/letzte-installierte-anlagen/)
A SulphPur® plant requires up to 95% less water than a comparable bio-trickling filter reactor. This results in the significant advantage of much cheaper wastewater disposal.

All signals that are needed or desired can be passed on to the higher-level plant control system. Optionally, Profibus, Profinet, or special customer requirements are available for this purpose.

Advantages of an SH SULPHTEC desulfurization plant:

Classic:

  • Highly reliable removal of high to very high H2S loads.
  • High availability due to a fully automatic and continuously operating packing cleaning system. (No clogging due to elemental sulfur)
  • Only one maintenance check per year required. Availability for 364 days a year.
  • 5-year warranty against blockage (if design parameters are met)

SulphPur®:

  • Highly reliable removal of high to very high H2S loads.
  • Only 0.3-0.5% oxygen required. (Important for biomethane plants)
  • Up to 90% lower water consumption than a bio-trickling filter reactor. A significant advantage in case of high wastewater disposal costs.
  • Lifetime warranty against blockage.