12.05.2003 - In 2001, a customer in Italy ordered two centrifugal compressors for recycled gas from MAN Turbo for a refinery. The scope of the order included gear units and oil systems. The compressors are driven by electric motors. Commissioning is scheduled for 2003.

To reduce the naturally occurring sulfur content in natural gas, desulfurization has to be carried out in a hydrofiner during distillation (liquid gas, petrol, diesel fuel, heating oil). To do this, the distillate is mixed with hydrogen, heated and then routed to a reactor filled with a catalyst. This produces hydrogen sulfide. The cleaned product plus the hydrogen sulfide and the remaining hydrogen are separated again. The hydrogen is used as a basic material for other processes. The hydrogen sulfide is converted in downstream Claus plants into elementary sulfur, which can be used primarily for the chemicals industry or also as sulfuric acid in the fertilizer industry.

EU directives on the reduction of environmental pollution that come into force in 2005 will tighten the requirements in respect of fuels. Compressors for recycled hydrogen gas to reduce the pollutant content are accordingly being integrated increasingly into the refinery process. With effect from 2011, all refineries in Europe must guarantee a sulphur content of less than 10 ppm in fuels.

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