Kinetics of the reaction between hydrogen sulfide and lime particles

The reaction between hydrogen sulfide and lime is important, among others, as a component reaction of the hydrogen reduction of metal sulfides in the presence of lime, and in the desulfurization of fossil fuels. The results of experiments on the kinetics of this reaction are presented in this paper. The experiments were carried out in the temperature range 873 to 1073 K, using a thermogravimetric analysis technique. A “pore blocking” model was found to fit the reaction rate, which was initially rapid and leveled off at less than the complete conversion. An activation energy of 76.1 kJ/mol (18.2 kcal/g-mole) was obtained. The reaction was first order with respect to hydrogen sulfide concentration in a gaseous mixture with hydrogen. A higher initial moisture content in the calcium oxide particles resulted in a considerably higher reaction rate. Formerly Graduate Student in the Department of Metallurgy and Metallurgical Engineering, University of Utah