Stripped Sour Water Analysis

Measuring Hydrogen Sulfide in Stripped Sour Water

In the context of petrochemical refining and wastewater treatment, water containing H₂S is referred to as "sour." The sulfide loading lends an unpleasant odor and makes the water corrosive. Additionally, the presence of H₂S in certain water pipes can serve as an indicator of equipment problems, e.g. heat exchanger leaks.

In a refinery, sour water must be cleaned of its sulfide content before being recycled or released to the environment. This cleaning process is known as "stripping" because it flows gas (air or steam) through the sour water to strip H₂S and NH₃ out of the water. To verify that the sour water is being effectively stripped, online analysis is required in the stripped water stream.

The OMA system applies the power of dispersive UV-Vis absorbance spectroscopy to this analysis. In applications where the water is too dark or dirty to transmit a light signal, Applied Analytics utilizes our expertise in headspace sampling design, thus providing a proven analytical solution for water streams where other analyzers have failed.

Measuring Ammonia in Stripped Sour Water