Selective Oxidation of H2S to Sulphur from Biogas on V2O5/CeO2 Catalysts

Abstract

Ceria supported Vanadium-based catalysts were studied for the selective partial oxidation of H₂S to sulphur at low temperature. The effect of vanadium content was investigated in the range 2.55 – 20 wt% V₂O₅ by catalytic activity tests carried out at different temperature. The samples were characterized by XRD and Raman Spectroscopy techniques. The Raman spectroscopy has confirmed highly dispersed vanadium for low V₂O₅ loading and monovanadate and crystalline forms at V₂O₅ loads higher > 10 wt%.
Results of catalytic activity tests showed that the effect of the vanadium content has affected mainly the selectivity to sulfur, while the catalytic activity is very high for all the tested samples that showed high conversions of H₂S (> 90 %) and very close to the thermodynamic values. The most promising catalyst was the sample with the highest Vanadium oxide load (20 wt% V₂O₅/CeO₂) that showed 99 % of sulfur selectivity and equilibrium conversion even at 150 °C.