1
SULFURIC ACID:
HIISTORY AND PRODUCTION PROCESS:
2 GOUP MEMBERS:
ALI HASSAN UW-14-CH.E-BSC-016
MUHAMMAD MUBASHIR UW-14-CH.E-BSC-017
ADIL SANA UW-14-CH.E-BSC-018
ZAIN ALI UW-14-CH.E-BSC-020
BILAL ANAYAT UW-14-CH.E-BSC-051
3 OUTLINE:
SULFURIC ACID
HISTORY
FAVORABLE PROCESS
MANUFACTURING PROCESS
PLANT COST
ANNUAL PRODUCTION
USES AND HAZARDS
4 SULFURIC ACID:
Sulfuric acid is a
Highly corrosive strong mineral acid
Molecular formula H2SO4
Molecular weight 98.079 g/mol
Pungent
Colorless to slightly yellow
Viscous liquid
Soluble in water
5 HISTORY:
The origin of the first sulfuric acid is unknown.
But it was mentioned as far back as the tenth century.
Its preparation, by burning sulfur with saltpeter, was first described by
Valentinus in the fifteenth century.
In 1746, Roebuck of Birmingham, England, introduced the lead chamber
process.
Sulfuric acid was called "oil of vitriol" by medieval European alchemists
because it was prepared by roasting "green vitriol“
6 OCCURRENCE:
Pure sulfuric acid is not encountered naturally on Earth.
Dilute sulfuric acid is a constituent of acid rain.
Venus
Europa
7 NUMBER OF PROCESS:
The process for manufacturing the sulfuric acid are
Metabisulfite method
Lead chamber process
Vitriol plants
Wet sulfuric acid process
Contact process
8 MOST FAVORABLE PROCESS:
Contact Process
Low cost
Automatically controlled
Continuous process
Pure
More Concentrated acid
9 HISTORY:
The contact process was first discovered in 1831 by Phillips, an
Englishman.
Phillips’ invention was not a commercial success for more than 40 years
10 REASONS:
There was a lack of demand for strong acid
Less knowledge of catalyst
The slow progress of chemical technology
11 MANUFACTURING:
12 BURNER:
In burner the molten sulfur is burnt in dry air to produce sulfur dioxide.
This gas contains some impurities
Carbon dioxide
Nitrogen
Chlorine
Flourine
13 TREATMENT:
To prevent the corrosion of burner gas
Dry the air
Oxidize sulfur dioxide until moisture content is below 35 mg/m3.
14 HEAT EXCHANGERS AND COOLERS:
Before the gasses are fed to converter they are adjusted to minimum
temperature.
REASON:
So that the catalyst rapidly increase the speed of reaction.
The temperature should be 425 to 440c.
This temperature is availed by passing cool air or by adjusting heat
exchangers.
15 SULFUR PUMPS:
They are vertical shaft centrifugal pumps which pump sulfur from pit to
atomizer in the sulfur burner.
The are made up of cast iron.
16 ACID PUMPS:
They are vertical shaft centrifugal pumps which circulate acid over
drying and absorption tower.
The are made up of cast iron.
17 CONVERTER:
In converter the conversion of so2 to so3 is take place
There are four catalyst bed.
In first catalyst bed 60 to 75% conversion take place.
It works on 425 4o 440c.
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19 CONSTRUCTION:
Heart of contact process
Cast iron
Stainless steel
4 beds
V2O5
Inlet outlet
Gate 3 and 4
20 CATALYST:
Function of catalyst is to increase the reaction.
Converter has 7% V2O5
It can last up to 20 years. If not poison with florine.
Dust particles can also be a problem.
21 SULFURIC ACID:
After the converter sulfur trioxide goes to absorbing tower then it reacts
with water and forms approximately 100% sulfuric acid.
22 DOUBLE CONTACT DOUBLE
ABSORPTION METHOD:
IN 1963 BAYER AG discovered this method
In this process so2 and so3 are passed through absorption tower twice
to achieve high grade sulfuric acid
23 MANUFACTURING PROCESS:
24 GAS PURIFICATION:
The sulfur dioxide gas leaving process have some impurities.
These impurities are removed by
Electrostatic dust precipitators
Wash tower
Scrubbing
25 PLANT COST:
It is difficult o give general plant cost because it depend o
Regional equipment cost
Plant design
But the double absorption plant capacity of 1800ton/day cost 25 million
dollar I 1980.
26 PRODUCTION:
Asia 35%,
North America (including Mexico) 24%,
Africa 11%,
Western Europe 10%,
Eastern Europe and Russia 10%,
Australia and Oceania 7%,
South America 7%.
27 ANNUAL PRODUCTION:
World 200 million tonnes
Europe 19 million tonnes
US 35.8 million tonnes
Russia 8.6 million tonnes
28 INDUSTRIES IN PAKISTAN:
Ittehad Chemicals Ltd..
Global Chemical Industries Ltd. karachi
Fazal Chemicals Pvt Ltd (FCL) lahore
Fauji Fertilizer Bin Qasim Ltd-Rawalpindi Sheikhupura
Pak Chemical (Pvt) Ltd. karachi
Sitara Chemical Industrial Ltd. Lahore
Suraj Fertilizer Industries (Pvt) Ltd-Lahore
29 USES:
A nation’s sulfuric acid production is a good indicator of its industrial
strength.
The major use for sulfuric acid is in the "wet method" for the production
of phosphoric acid, used for manufacture of phosphate fertilizers.
Another important use for sulfuric acid is for the manufacture
of aluminum sulfate, also known as paper maker's alum.
Sulfuric acid acts as the electrolyte in lead-acid (car) batteries (lead-acid
accumulator).
Sulfuric acid at high concentrations is frequently the major ingredient
in acidic drain cleaners.
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Sulfuric acid is used for a variety of other purposes in the chemical
industry.
Sulfuric acid is used in large quantities by
the iron and steelmaking industry to remove
oxidation, rust and scaling from rolled sheet and billets prior to sale to
the automobile and major appliances industry.
31 HAZARDS:
contact with metals in the event of a spillage can lead to the liberation
of hydrogen gas.
The dispersal of acid aerosols and gaseous sulfur dioxide is an additional
hazard of fires involving sulfuric acid.
skin contact leading to burns
Exposure to aerosols at high concentrations leads to immediate and
severe irritation of the eyes, respiratory tract and mucous membranes
risk of subsequent pulmonary edema
chance of lung cancer
The spinal cord is most often affected
32 REFERENCES:
Shreve Chemical Process Industries
Wikipedia
Thenewencyclopedia
Encarta
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