Fouling Formation During Hydrogen Sulfide Scavenging With 1,3,5-tri-(hydroxyethyl)-hexahydro-s-triazine

Abstract

To investigate if the hydrogen sulfide scavenger, 1,3,5-tri-(hydroxyethyl)-hexahydro-s-triazine, could explain a severe carbon/sulfur rich fouling found at a refinery, experiments were conducted to study the scavenging process and the composition of the fouling. The reaction was analyzed with electro spray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), and the fouling with infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The fouling was found to be a by-product of the scavenging reaction, and to consist of dithiazine molecules with linking carbon-sulfur chains. ESI-MS analysis strongly indicates that these chains are generated when dithiazine decomposes to smaller molecules, which through condensation reactions with dithiazine forms the fouling.

Keywords:

• Fouling
• hydrogen sulfide
• scavenging processes
• triazine