Process for eliminating carbon deposition on sulfur dioxide reduction catalyst in a staged reactor system

This invention relates to a process for the prevention of carbonaceous deposits from forming on the surfaces of catalytic materials employed in the reduction of sulfur dioxide in a gas stream with a gaseous reductant to produce elemental sulfur by a process consisting essentially of preheating separately the sulfur dioxide gas stream to a temperature above the initiation temperature of the reduction reaction and the gaseous reductant stream to a temperature below the initiation temperature of the reduction reaction, preferably mixed with elemental sulfur vapor, rapidly mixing the two preheated streams just prior to their introduction into a reaction zone, passing the resulting mixture through the reaction zone under reaction conditions, including an initiation temperature, sufficient to effect reaction of said gaseous reductant with the sulfur dioxide and recovering a product stream containing elemental sulfur.