Sulfur and Sulfuric acid

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Forms of sulfuric acid

Although 100% sulfuric acid can be made, this loses SO3 at the boiling point to produce 98.3% acid. The 98% grade is also more stable for storage, making it the usual form for "concentrated" sulfuric acid. Other concentrations of sulfuric acid are used for different purposes. Some common concentrations are: 10%, dilute sulfuric acid for laboratory use (pH 1) 33.5%, battery acid (used in lead-acid batteries) (pH 0.5)

62.18%, chamber or fertilizer acid (pH about 0.4)

98%, concentrated (pH about 0.1)
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Uses of Sulfuric Acid

Fertilizer production fluoroapatite is treated with sulfuric acid to produce superphosphate Paper production Ore processing Wastewater processing Nitration production of explosives Acid batteries Dehydrating agent

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Extraction of Sulphur by Frasch Process

The Frasch process uses three concentric pipes driven into the ground. Superheated steam (a temperature of 160C) is pumped under pressure through the outermost pipe into the sulfur-bearingrock formation. This heats the rock above the melting point of sulfur, 119 oC. The molten sulfur is heavier than water and collects in a pool. Heated, compressed air pumped through the innermost pipe works the sulfur in the pool into a froth that rises to the surface through third pipe.

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CONTACT PROCESS CHEMISTRY

In the first step, sulfur is burned to produce sulfur dioxide. S(s) + O2(g) SO2(g) This is then oxidised to sulfur trioxide using oxygen in the presence of a vanadium(V) oxide catalyst. 2 SO2 + O2(g) 2 SO3(g) (in presence of V2O5) Finally the sulfur trioxide is treated with water (usually as 97-98% H2SO4 containing 2-3% water) to produce 98-99% sulfuric acid. SO3(g) + H2O(l) H2SO4(l) Directly dissolving SO3 in water is impractical due to the highly exothermic nature of the reaction. Mists are formed instead of a liquid. Alternatively, the SO3 is absorbed into H2SO4 to produce oleum (H2S2O7). H2SO4(l) + SO3 H2S2O7(l) Oleum is reacted with water to form concentrated H2SO4. H2S2O7(l) + H2O(l) 2 H2SO4(l)
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Material Processing
Conversion of SO2 into SO3
The design and operation of sulphuric acid plants are focused on the following gas phase chemical equilibrium reaction with a catalyst:SO2 + O2 <-> SO3 H = 99 kJ.mol -1 This reaction is characterized by the conversion rate, which is defined as follows:conversion rate = (SO2)in(SO2)out x 100(%) (SO2) in
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Conversion of SO2 into SO3(cont.)

The Lechatelier Principle is usually taken into account in deciding how to optimise the equilibrium. For SO2/SO3 systems, the following methods are available to maximise the formation of SO3 : Removal of heat a decrease in temperature will favour the formation of SO3 since this is an exothermic process Increased oxygen concentration Removal of SO3 (as in the case of the double absorption process) Raised system pressure Selection of the catalyst to reduce the working temperature (equilibrium)
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Absorption of SO3

Sulphuric acid is obtained from the absorption of SO3 and water into H2SO4 (with a concentration of at least 98%). The efficiency of the absorption step is related to: The H2SO4 concentration of the absorbing liquid (98.5-99.5%) The range of temperature of the liquid (normally 70C-120C) The mist filter The temperature of incoming gas The co-current or counter-current character of the gas stream in the absorbing liquid

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Process description( The single absorption

process)
In the contact process, elemental sulfur is melted, filtered to remove ash, and sprayed under pressure into a combustion chamber. The sulfur is burned in clean air that has been dried by scrubbing with 93 to 99 percent sulfuric acid. The gases from the combustion chamber cool by passing through a waste heat boiler and then enter the catalyst (vanadium pentoxide) converter. Usually, 95 to 98 percent of the sulfur dioxide from the combustion chamber is converted to sulfur trioxide, with an accompanying large evolution of heat. After being cooled, again by generating steam, the converter exit gas enters an an oleum tower that is fed with 98 percent acid from the absorption system. The gases from the oleum tower are then pumped to the absorption column where the residual sulfur CHEMICAL PROCESS INDUSTRIES dioxide is removed. 12

Dual Absorption Process

In the dual absorption process the SO3 gas formed in the primary converter stages is sent to an interpass absorber where most of the SO3 is removed to form H2SO4. The remaining unconverted sulfur dioxide is forwarded to the final stages in the converter to remove much of the remaining SO2 by oxidation to SO3, whence it is sent to the final absorber for removal of the remaining sulfur trioxide.

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