Reductive combustion of ammonium salts of sulfuric acid

This invention relates to the oxidation of ammonium salts of sulfuric acid contained in aqueous media; and, more particularly, to a reductive combustion process which produces a combustion gas containing a divalent sulfur compound such as hydrogen sulfide and/or carbonyl sulfide, and further to the conversion of such divalent sulfur compound to other useful sulfur products. A process is provided for the combustion of ammonium salts of sulfuric acid contained in aqueous media. More particularly, a reductive combustion process which produces a combustion gas containing a divalent sulfur compound having a high concentration of hydrogen sulfide. The process is suitable for combusting ammonium salts of sulfuric acid produced during manufacture of 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutanoic acid (HMBA) or methionine. The divalent sulfur compounds in the combustion gas may be further converted to other useful sulfur products and recycled for use in the manufacture of HMBA or methionine.