Rapid methods for the determination of low concentrations of total sulphur in liquids and gases. Part II. The determination of total sulphur in natural gas and synthesis gases

Abstract

A rapid method developed for the determination of total sulphur in light petroleum distillate is applied to the determination of total sulphur in natural gas. The sulphur compounds present in the gas are adsorbed on to a small amount of active carbon, which is then allowed to react with a suspension of Raney nickel in a water-propan-2-ol mixture and the sulphur determined as sulphide as described in Part I of this paper. An alternative procedure for the determination of total sulphur in gases containing compounds that are not reduced by Raney nickel is also described. The compounds of sulphur are adsorbed on to active carbon, desorbed into a stream of hydrogen, which then passes through a furnace at 900 °C, and the resulting hydrogen sulphide is determined as a stain on paper impregnated with lead acetate. Methods involving the use of a carbon adsorption tube give results with a precision of ±0·5 mg m^–3 of sulphur on samples of stenched natural gas.