Coso Case Study: 22 Years of Reliable Sulfur Removal
Coso Operating Company LLC operates a 300-megawatt electric generation facility at the China Lake Naval Weapons Station. The geothermal steam wells at the Coso facility provide a renewable source of energy. The non-condensable vapors from the steam well cannot be vented to the atmosphere until small amounts of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) are removed. The LO-CAT® process has been successfully removing H2S at this site for the past 22+ years. Using LO-CAT® technology greatly reduced sulfur emission exceedances and operating costs relative to previously used technologies.
The facility has three LO-CAT® units. This paper analyzes over 500 hundred data points obtained during a 22-year period and calculates the current cost of removing sulfur at this facility. It also discusses typical operational issues including routine operator duties, H2S removal efficiency and long-term unit reliability (planned and unplanned shutdowns). The paper also explains how the solid sulfur product is used in agricultural applications.