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Sulphuric acid is an odourless, colourless liquid that consists mainly of sulphur, hydrogen
and oxygen molecules with a chemical formula of H2SO4.It a highly corrosive compound that
is also well known as the oil of vitriol. Sulphuric acid is one of the most vital and important in
the chemical industry mainly because it is found in nearly all consumer goods with respect
to their respective productions.
Sulphuric acid is produced through the lead chamber (John Roebuck, 1718-1794) and the
contact process (English Vinegar, Peregrine Philips), both these processes are available
commercially in different number of grades and concentration. The process that is recently
used by many manufactures of the acid is the contact process(of which is the particular
process used when conducting an in-depth study of the reactor), usually sulphur dioxide or
sulphur are used as raw materials .However , sulphur dioxide is oxidised and dissolved in
water in the presence of a catalyst to produce sulphuric acid. The raw material sulphur
dioxide is obtained by burning sulphur, pyrites/iron sulphide, and hydrogen sulphide.
Sulphuric acid may also be produced from ferrous sulphate waste solutions from prickling
iron and steel and from waste acid sludge from oil refineries.
Basically both processes are not that different except that some alterations were made
since we know that in a plant design we retrofit existing processes to make profit. Over the
years, there was a high demand of sulphuric acid. The lead chamber was basically complex
process and could not meet this demand, some alterations were made in the lead chamber
by Philips, they included the installation of a tower for the improvement of surplus nitrogen
oxides and thus the final concentration for the acid increased from 65% to 78% resulting in a
stronger sulphuric acid and as well as the the catalyst vanadium (V2O5) also ensured a
stronger sulphuric acid production. This project main focus is on the fixed bed reactor,
where the catalyst vanadium speeds up the process of the conversion sulphur dioxide to
sulphur trioxide. Around the reactor our main aim is to determine the optimum
temperature at which it should operate and also give us high yields of sulphur trioxide that
would lead to high concentrations of sulphuric acid production.
Physical and chemical properties of sulphuric acid
Assumptions cost
The following equations were used to determine the total manufacturing cost:
a) Fixed manufacturing cost( FMC)= 0.708COL+0.068FCI (Where COL is the direct labour
cost and FCI is the fixed capital instrument).
b) Direct manufacturing cost (DMC) = CRM + CWT + CUT + 1.33COL+ 0.0069FCI (Where
CRM is the raw material cost, CWT is the waste treatment cost and CUT is the
utilities.