Section: CRUSU Market & Features

Rheinhütte Pumpen has further developed its GVRN sulphuric acid pump so it can also be used in high-temperature applications such as in heat recovery systems.

The Self-Cleaning Liquid Sulphur Candle Filter (LSCF) is setting a new benchmark in liquid sulphur filtration. With its innovative candle arrangement and advanced back-flushing technology, it enhances filtration rates significantly and minimises downtime for cake discharge. Jan Hermans of Sulphurnet explores the LSCF design, process parameters, and operational advantages.

Wood presents the pros and cons of leaving a refinery SRU on hot standby versus long-term idle taking into consideration reliability, safety, and operations responsibilities during extended downtime.

Fluor discusses the main causes, detection techniques, management methods and prevention procedures of SO2 breakthrough in the quench water system of a TGTU, with some unique design features for Fluor’s Desuperheater Contact Condenser.

• Sulphur prices have been revised higher in the latest forecast after supply from the Middle East was lower than expected in February, and buyers with uncovered demand were forced to chase prices upwards. UAE sulphur exports normally fall at the start of the year due to scheduled maintenance, but sales in February this year were 200,000 tonnes short of what is typical. Prices may climb more than expected as buyers scramble to cover their shorts. If supply is slower to return than currently anticipated, momentum may push prices even higher in the short term.

Sulphur’s key role as a plant nutrient means that its use as a fertilizer continues to be a major area of demand.

Tight supply limits availability as China maintains export restrictions.

Global sulphur benchmarks rallied at the end of February, underpinned by strong demand in Indonesia and stock drawdowns in China as fresh European sanctions on Russia targeted the port of Ust-Luga. Chinese buyers paid up to $225t/t c.fr for a cargo, with unconfirmed rumours of business at even higher levels. However, delivered prices still lag domestic port spot prices in China, which are now assessed at a delivered-price equivalent of around $242/t c.fr. China’s delivered sulphur price jumped significantly as port inventories declined, and new arrivals were limited. Only two new cargoes were reported in the last week of February, one from a mainstream source into southern China at $205/t c.fr, and the second at $225/t c.fr by a phosphate producer for the Yangtze River. The sulphur port spot transaction price is reported at around 2,0402,050 yuan/t FCA ($281-283/t), with the low-end up $26/t and high-end up $25/t compared with previous settlements. That port price indicates delivered values at around $242/t c.fr, which is $17/t higher than the import price on the Yangtze. Phosphate producers need to purchase more sulphur to meet the increased buying activity in northeastern market and the improving spring application season demand in northern China. Still, market sales availability is limited, as most port tonnes are held by traders instead of end-users, while traders are selling limited quantities now to push prices higher. Chinese total port inventory dropped to 1.89 million tonnes by 26 February 2025. The quantity at Yangtze river ports declined 59,000 tonnes to 633,000 tonnes, while Dafeng port inventory decreased 20,000 tonnes to 450,000 tonnes.

Rapidly increasing lithium production is projected to require several million t/a of sulphuric acid in the next few years, with China, the USA and Australia the main consumers.

Building on the success of its previous conferences, SulGas Mumbai 2025 brought together 154 sulphur and gas treating stakeholders, representing 68 companies for its 7th technical forum in the Indian subcontinent. We report on some of the key topics on the agenda.