PLANT DESIGN FOR SULFURIC ACID MANUFACTURE

CHU492 PROJECT
Harshadul Faseem.P Minas. VP Muhammed Dhanish

Guide: Dr.Lity Alen Varghese

CONTENTS
Objective Process Plan Mass balance Further steps

OBJECTIVES
Design a plant for manufacturing sulfuric acid with a capacity of 1000 tones/day of 98% sulfuric acid Optimization of processes Maximize the heat recovery Reduce the emission of sulfur dioxide

PROCESS
Lead chamber process Contact process
Single absorption Double absorption (DCDA)

Among these the DCDA process is the most modern process which has got increased yield and reduces stack emission of SO2

The DCDA process

Raw Materials
Molten Sulfur Air Water

Reactions

Process Flow Chart

PLAN
The whole project has been divided to seven different stages
Stage 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Work Identification of the best process Mass balance and heat balance of the selected process Design of heat transfer equipments (two heat exchangers, two waste heat boilers) Design of mass transfer equipments ( two absorption columns and drying tower) Design of four stage catalytic converter and burner Selection transport equipments (pumps and blower) Optimization and cost analysis

MASS BALANCE
Assumption
Complete burning of S in the burner 99.8 % conversion of SO2 to SO3 in the reactor Overall absorption of SO3 in the process is 100% 40% excess oxygen is provided Humidity of entering air is 65% at 300 C

Simplified flowchart for mass balance

Burner
Absorption column Absorption column

Reactor Dryer

Tank 1
Molten sulfur

Tank 2

Calculation
Product = 1000 tones/day of 98% H2SO4 Taking basis of 1hr operation Primary estimations:
SUBSTANCE Final product :H2So4 Equivalent SO3 required So2 needed (SO3/0.998) O2 required O2 supplied (40% excess) Total amount of dry air N2 present Moisture present AMOUNT (kmole) 416.67 416.67 417.502 626.25 876.75 4175.01 3298.26 110.98

Drying tower
4175.013 kmole Dry air

4285.99 kmole Moist air

DRYER

2141.23 kmole 98% H2SO4

2251 kmole 97% H2SO4

The Burner

3298.26 kmole N2 876.75 kmole O2

BURNER

417.502kmole SO2 459.248 kmole O2 3298.26 kmole N2

417.502 kmole Molten sulfur

Reactor (4 stage catalytic converter)

417.502kmole SO2 459.248 kmole O2 3298.26 kmole N2

Stage 1 2 3 4 Overall conversion

% conversion 74.0 18.4 4.3 3.1 99.8

First three stages

13.778 kmole SO2 257.385 kmole O2 403.724 kmoleSO3 3298.26 kmole N2

Inter-pass absorber
13.778 kmole SO2 257.385 kmole O2 158.01 kmoleSO3 3298.26 kmole N2

2450.718 kmole 98 wt% H2SO4 Absorber 1

13.778 kmole SO2 257.385 kmole O2 403.724 kmoleSO3 3298.26 kmole N2

2450.718 kmole 100 % H2SO4

Reactor (fourth stage)

13.778 kmole SO2 257.385 kmole O2 158.01 kmoleSO3 3298.26 kmole N2

0.835 kmole SO2 250.91 kmole O2 170.95 kmoleSO3 3298.26 kmole N2

Final absorber
0.835 kmole SO2 250.91 kmole O2 3298.26 kmole N2

1709.6 kmole 98 wt% H2SO4

Absorber 2
0.835 kmole SO2 250.91 kmole O2 170.95 kmoleSO3 3298.26 kmole N2

1709.6 kmole 100 % H2SO4

Final absorber circulating tank

1709.6 kmole 100 % H2SO4 1709.6kmole 98 wt% H2SO4

189.95 kmole 98 wt% H2SO4

Tank 2

189.95 kmole water

Inter pass absorber circulating tank

2450.718 kmole 100 % H2SO4 2450.718 kmole 98 wt% H2SO4

2141.23 kmole 98% H2SO4

161.32 kmole water

Tank 1
2251 kmole 97% H2SO4 189.95 kmole 98 wt% H2SO4

462.25 kmole 98% H2SO4

FURTHER STEPS
Energy balance Equipment design and selection Optimization and cost analysis

Reference

THANK YOU