Hazards of Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S)

INTRODUCTION
Carbonization & rust is always dangerous for electrical and electronic

installations. This undesirable deposition at electrical/electronic equipments
and electric contacts mostly gives following problems
 Low and improper crossing of voltages
 Ionization of neighboring circuits
 Creates weakness in copper and brass metals
Rust deposition normally occurs on copper metals due to humidity in the air.
This pace is accelerated in recently established ethanol plants which
disperse and diffuse more sulferized gases in surrounding atmosphere. Fact
is that people should accept this reality and lope for adequate counter
measures for Hydrogen sulfide (H2S).
INTRODUCTION
Like Bagasse for the Sugar Mills, biogas is a source of saving in Distilleries.
Composition of biogas is Methane (50%~55%) + CO2 (40%~45%), H2S (1%~ 3.5%)
and remaining moisture which varies as per ambient as well as digesters
temperature. It is very difficult to generate H2S free Biogas due to use of
sulphuric Acid in fermentation process from 2500 to 3500 liters/day.
It diffuses into the air by following practices
 By open settling and cool down of spent wash
 Leakage of digester membrane in case of UEM plant
 Open operation of clarifier and degassing tank in case of Proserpol plant.
 Open emergency Vent
 Leakage in lines and Blowers
 Improper Biogas traps
 Less induction capacity of Biogas Burner
 Poor combustion in furnace resulting in vent of sulferized gases in smoke
through chimney
 Open storage and drains of treated spent wash
STUDY RESULTS
By maintaining clean atmosphere and especially the surroundings, we can counter these
situations. Biogas waste also can be treated by different processes to convert it into useful
products such as agriculture water, bio compost and helping material of solid fuel
These all are achievable but require dedicated efforts ;
This paper is a study of the effect of that how Hydrogen Sulfide gas on metals, especially
copper and silver. Copper is the cheapest good conductor and is widely used in electrical
installation and electronic equipments. The study has been carried out in the environment
of distillery and the adjacent mill which are at the approach of such gases diffusion
Following experiments were made at Matiari Sugar Mills and Matol (Pvt) ltd
 We placed one inch half coated bus bar pieces at the roof of cooling tower control room
(in the way of un treated spent wash air , which traveled from south / west to
North/East )
 One half Tin Coated and bare Copper piece placed at the roof of Bio gas control room
in north direction of biogas digesters
 A third piece of the same material was placed at Jamshoro 40 K.M away from Site
 Fourth piece was placed at Power House of Sugar Mills 500 meters in direction of
Eastern/North of treated spent wash
OBSERVATIONS
 The piece placed near the bio gas control room was found to be worst affected the
portion of the copper but 25% area of tin coated was carbonized .
OBSERVATIONS
 Copper piece the portion of same bus bar placed at the roof of cooling tower control
room in the way of untreated spent wash was also badly effected, Its tin coated portion
was less effected
OBSERVATIONS
 Piece carried from the roof of M.S.M Power House.
OBSERVATIONS
 The piece kept at Jamshoro which is out of the reach of Hydrogen Sulfide gases. Above
pictures and study of this paper proved that self generated sulfide gases are unpleasant.
In high concentrations. They can even be life threatening and dangerous for all
installation which comes in its exposure and especially at the direction of wind from
Bio gas. Pictures show that copper is easily effected due to corrosive action. Experience
also shows that medium and low Voltage equipments easily fail due to carrions within
no time especially controlling and dry contacts created high level disturbances in
control system when supplied un proper signals.
PROBLEMS AND CONSEQUENCES
Following table illustrates the equipments which quickly accept effects of carbonization.
The table also explains the nature of problems and consequences.
Parts of
Control
S.NO Equipments which Nature of Problems Remarks
Equipments
get easily defects
01 Control Cards Sliding Contact area Flickering low voltages a) In case of ignoring
or missing After couple equipments could be failed
of days complete failure b) disturbance of system
02 Electronic Ionization of Wrong communications Wrong signaling is more

Control Neighboring circuits and shut off the dangerous than shut of
Relays or or failure of some equipments because if you are getting
Signaling parts control signals of some
equipments power electronics or any
heavy equipments resulting
a unpleasant situation can
be occurred.
03 Magnetic Silver tips of moving Improper crossing of Dangerous for equipments
Contractors and fixed contacts voltages
PROBLEMS AND CONSEQUENCES
Parts of
Control Equipments
S.NO Nature of Problems Remarks
Equipments which get easily
defects
04 Circuit Breakers Contacts Take temperature and Carry minimum load to
some times failure of comparative its rated load
phase and failure of is a serious
hazard for electrical
installation
05 Air Conditioners / Copper coils of Copper pipes Equipments failed to

Refrigerators / Dryers Condensers and carbonized and finally provide expected services
radiators damaged
06 Boilers Steam tubes and Tubes leaked due to H2S condense at high
economizer deposition of H2S temperature
tubes
(Data of above tables taken our survey reports of 2011 and 2012)
H2S GAS DAMAGES EQUIPMENTS AS
PER THEIR APPLICATIONS
It is also observed that H2S gas effects or sulfur deposition damage equipments as per their
applications
 Signal/reference equipments as milli Amperes or low D.C voltages got failed shortly
 24 Volt and 48 Volt equipments and their dry contacts also effected but provide more service
then serial No 1
 Low A.C Voltage equipments also are equal to serial#2
 At medium Voltages and high Voltages equipments provide longer service then serial # 1,2
and 3 but age of equipments reduced and provide less service then normal working
conditions
 Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Equipments. Copper pipes of condensers and Evaporators
of above items carbonized resulting became weak and finally got pin holes or leaks from
joints. This occurrence of gas leakage leads to damage the compressor of equipments
 Tubes of Economizers and Boilers
 H2S gas deposition on boiler tubes in the area of furnace and economizer damages got pin
holes and leaks from joints, damages of tube mostly seemed in economizers because un-
burnt gases passes through economizer, where temperature is low and sulfurized gas
condense make layers of M.S tubes actually this layer or deposition is the responsible of
leakages.
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
AVOID OR MINIMIZE GENERATION OF H2S GAS
 Generation of sulfur starts from the field of cane due to the consumption of
some fertilizers as Zink Sulfate and SOP. These fertilizers are necessary for the
nutrition of plant. However the small quantity of sulfur digested by the plant
which is un diffusible but beome the reason of sulfer availability
 Some Sugar Mills use Sulffitation process, which is another reason of sulfur
availability in molasses
 Mostly distilleries are using Sulphuric Acid in their process which became the
reason of sulfur in spent wash
CONTROL ON THE DIFFUSION OF H2S GAS

 Diffusion of H2S is already mentioned in this paper
RECOMENDATIONS
 Spent Wash store in closed tank and cool down by circulation process
 Damage and expired Membrane of Bio gas digesters to be replaced in case of UEM Plant
 Stop the open operation of clarifier and degassing tank in case of Prosepol plant
 Emergency Vent ultimately open at flare or in closed vessels
 Shutoff all leakages of blower rooms and bio gas lines
 Improved all improper traps
 To be installed proper biogas burner at Boiler
 Single passage Boilers are main reasons of these un burnt gases . If line treatment of
biogas to be made then can be got rid off from these un burnt gases which is the main
cause of economizer tubes losses
 Drains of treated spent wash must be closed , but try to prepared in agriculture water
etc as reported in this paper earlier
 All control rooms should be complete dust free all passages of incoming air should be
closed
RECOMENDATIONS
 All Windows and doors equipped with blower curtains
 No window ACs to be installed in control rooms
 Temperature of control rooms to be maintained at 22 Centigrade
 All panels should be closed all cable entries must through proper glands filters must be
provided at air in coming passages, and filters should be cleaned on regular basis or as
per needs
 Bus Bars and other current caring installation should be tin coated
 At the time of procurement must be explained your atmosphere and insist on supplier
that they must provide anti rust coated equipments
 Anti sulfur smaller bags as anti moisture bags should be placed in panels
 Rubber paint to be provided at the cooling coils of air conditioners and refrigerators
 Anti corrosion contact cleaner must be used at Ag contacts
 New distilleries to be designed in wind opposite direction of Sugar Mills and Bio gas
also design in opposite direction of Distilleries and other installations

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INTRODUCTION

Carbonization & rust is always dangerous for electrical and electronic

02 Electronic Ionization of Wrong communications Wrong signaling is more

05 Air Conditioners / Copper coils of Copper pipes Equipments failed to

CONTROL ON THE DIFFUSION OF H2S GAS

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