Iron Sponge
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What is an Iron Sponge?

An iron sponge is an enclosed tank or vessel that contains a bed of materials such as hydrated iron oxide and wood chips inside which remove hydrogen sulfide from "sour" natural gas and biogas streams.  

The iron sponge was invented and first used in Europe approximately 120 years ago for H2S removal or "gas sweetening."

The process of removing hydrogen sulfide with an iron sponge with the sour gas entering the inlet side of the iron sponge. The sour gas flows across the H2S removal materials iron oxide / wood chips)

H2S, or Hydrogen Sulfide, also known as "sour gas" is a very hazardous and corrosive element found in the production of oil, natural gas and biogas which can also be deadly within 1-2 breaths if the H2S is in high enough concentration.  

H2S must be removed from the natural gas or biogas stream before it can be sold or used for three reasons;

• First of all, low concentrations of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) present a health and safety hazard.  At low concentrations, H2S has an odor that resembles "rotten eggs." At higher concentrations, H2S has no odor but is deadly.
  

• Secondly, hydrogen sulfide is highly corrosive to natural gas gathering systems and natural gas pipelines made from iron or steel.
   

• Hydrogen sulfide as an emission is a hazardous air pollutant that contributes to "acid rain."

H2S, or Hydrogen Sulfide, also known as "sour gas" is a very hazardous and corrosive element found in oil and natural gas which can also be deadly within 1-2 breaths, if in high enough concentrations.  H2S must be removed from hydrocarbons before the oil or natural gas can be sold.

H2S is removed in a natural gas treating by one of two technologies; the first one being an "iron sponge" or secondly, an amine plant. This process of removing H2S is also referred to as "gas sweetening."

H2S removal is required to meet "pipeline quality gas" standards, which are typically no more than 0.25 grains of H2S.