29-11-2011

Topsoe receives order for two SNOX™ plants from Petrobras, Brazil

The order includes supply of proprietary equipment for two SNOX™ flue gas cleaning plants. Topsoe has signed an agreement with the Brazilian oil company Petrobras for the supply of critical equipment and materials for two SNOX™ plants. The plants will be installed at the new RNEST grass root refinery in Pernambuco, Brazil. The supply covers internals for 80 WSA condensers for condensation of sulphuric acid, 8 units for acid mist control and a complete acid system.

Cleaning flue gases
The SNOX™ plants will clean the off gases from three boilers in the refinery that supplies electricity and steam for internal use. The boilers are fired with heavy fuel oil and petcoke. Based on catalytic processes the SNOX™ technology converts sulphur dioxide to industrial grade sulphuric acid and NOx to harmless nitrogen.

Sulphuric acid production
In addition to treating the boiler flue gases, the Claus plant tail gases, the amine gases containing hydrogen sulphide and the SWS gases containing ammonia will also be treated in the SNOX™ plants. The SNOX™ plants are designed for possible elimination of the Claus plants, which then means that all sulphur compounds in the refinery are converted into sulphuric acid.

The two SNOX™ plants will be installed in parallel and will each treat up to 650,000 Nm3/h of flue gas while producing up to 750 MTPD of sulphuric acid. In addition to the production of sulphuric acid up to 100 ton/hour of high pressure steam will also be exported from the SNOX™ plants to the refinery steam grid.

The contract for basic engineering was signed with Petrobras earlier and has already been executed. The supply of equipment will take place during the coming 16 months, and start-up of the SNOX™ plants is planned for 2013.

For more information, please visit www.topsoe.com.