Foam process for treatment of sour water

Industrial use or disposal of sour water usually requires reduction of the hydrogen sulfide content to less than 1 to 2 ppm. Traditional stripping by an inert gas results in a gas stream requiring further treatment. A foam process utilizing chemicals which structurally are of a surface-active type, that is, one or more polar groups, and a long chain hydrocarbon has been developed. These chemicals react to hydrogen sulfide producing sulfur. In a process for the treatment of sour water, separation and recovery of the chemicals from the water are the design limiting variables. Hydrogen sulfide levels of 1 ppm and recovery of 20% of the sulfur as elemental sulfur have been achieved. (14 refs.)