Multiobjective Optimization and Sustainability Assessment of an Improved Wet Sulfuric Acid-Based Ionic Liquid Process for the Utilization of Hydrogen Sulfide Using a Symmetry Approach

Ramsha Jahan; Zulfan Adi Putra; Muhammad Ayoub; Bawadi Abdullah

doi:10.1021/acsomega.2c03066

Multiobjective Optimization and Sustainability Assessment of an Improved Wet Sulfuric Acid-Based Ionic Liquid Process for the Utilization of Hydrogen Sulfide Using a Symmetry Approach

ACS Omega. 2022 Nov 16;7(47):42700-42710. doi: 10.1021/acsomega.2c03066. eCollection 2022 Nov 29.

Authors

Ramsha Jahan¹, Zulfan Adi Putra², Muhammad Ayoub¹, Bawadi Abdullah^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Chemical Engineering Department, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, 32610Bandar Seri Iskandar, Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia.
² PETRONAS Group Technical Solutions, Process Simulation and Optimization, Level 16, Tower 3, Kuala Lumpur Convention Center, Kuala Lumpur50088, Malaysia.
³ Centre of Contaminant Control and Utilisation (CenCoU), Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, 32610Bandar Seri Iskandar, Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia.

Abstract

Ionic liquids (ILs) are efficient media for the liquid-phase sulfuric acid reaction. Under mild situations, the reaction of H₂S with CH₄ in ILs happens extremely quick and virtually complete, resulting in liquid sulfuric acid (H₂SO_4(l)). 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([hmim][Cl]) ILs were formerly the most effective at capturing and converting H₂S. It can convert H₂S to H₂SO_4(l) with a proportion of up to 96%. This study aimed to develop cutting-edge techniques and assess their applicability for different acidic gas capacities and H₂S amounts by considering three sustainability metrics which are people (safety), planet (ecological), and profit. Then, to maximize profit while lowering the global warming potential (GWP), fire explosion damage index (FEDI), and toxicity damage index (TDI), a multiobjective optimization (MOO) case was performed. The trade-off between economic, environmental, and safety performance was expressed through Pareto-optimal solutions. The improved wet sulfuric acid (WSA)-based IL method was safer (lower fire and explosion damage index), ecologically friendly (lower GWP), and portable. The findings indicate that the improved WSA-based on IL gives the optimum results compared to conventional WSA processes, such as the profit of 5688$/h increased from 1896$/h, the GWP of 0.0138-ton CO₂-eq decreased from 0.0275-ton CO₂-eq, the TDI of 6.72 decreased from 13.44, and the FEDI of 6.18 decreased from 20.6, respectively. This discovery opens the door to a viable strategy for capturing and converting H₂S from an acid gas stream.