SULPHURIC ACID (H

2
SO
4
)
On industrial scale, sulphuric acid can be prepared by the following two methods.
Contact process
Lead Chamber process

CONTACT PROCESS
Now a days, sulphuric acid is prepared by contact process all over the world.
Preparation of sulphuric acid by contact process is based upon the catalytic oxidation of SO
2
to
SO
3
.
DETAILS OF
CONTACT PROCESS

Following steps are involved in the preparation of H
2
SO
4
.
PREPARATION OF SO
2
.
PURIFICATION OF SO
2
.
OXIDATION OF SO
2
.
ABSORPTION OF SO
3
.
DILUTION OF OLEUM.
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PREPARATION OF SO
2

SO
2
is obtained by burning sulphur or by heating iron pyrite (FeS
2
) in pyrite burner.
S + O
2
SO
2
4FeS
2
+ 11O
2
2Fe
2
O
3
+ 8SO
2
PURIFICATION OF SO
2

SO
2
contains a number of impurities such as dust particles, Arsenous oxide, vapours, sulphur etc.
These impurities must be removed otherwise catalyst loses its efficiency (catalyst poisoning).
DUST CHAMBER:
SO
2
is first passed through the dust chamber where steam is spread over the gas to remove dust
particles, which settle down. Fe(OH)
3
also sprayed over to remove oxides of Arsenic.
WASHING TOWER:
SO
2
is then passed through a washing tower after cooling. Here it is sprayed by water to remove
any other soluble impurities.
DRYING TOWER:
The gas is now dried by passing through drying tower where conc. H
2
SO
4
(dehydrating agent) is
sprayed. H
2
SO
4
removes moisture from SO
2
.
TYNDALL BOX (TEST BOX):
Arsenic oxide is a poison for the catalyst. It is removed when the gas is passed over ferric
hydroxide.
As
2
O
3
+ 2Fe(OH)
3
2FeAsO
3
+ 3H
2
O.
In order to remove traces of As
2
O
3
, it is passed through a test box, where a strong beam of light
is thrown against the gas. If there is no scattering of light in the box, it indicates that gas is free
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from As
2
O
3
.
OXIDATION OF SO
2
TO
SO
3

CONTACT TOWER:
Oxidation of SO
2
is carried out in contact tower where V
2
O
5
is filled in different pipes. SO
2
here
reacts with air (O
2
) to produce SO
3
. Under above conditions 98% SO
2
is converted into SO
3
.
2SO
2
+ O
2
2SO
3
+ 45Kcal
CONDITIONS NECESSARY FOR MAXIMUM YIELD OF SO
3
:
Oxidation of SO
2
is a reversible and exothermic process in which volume of product is less than
the volumes of reactants. In order to obtain maximum amount of SO
3
, according to Le-Chateliers
Principle following conditions are necessary.
CONCENTRATION:
Excess of O
2
.
TEMPEATURE:
A decrease in temperature favours reaction in forward direction. Optimum temperature for this
process is 450
o
C to 500
o
C.
PRESSURE:
Since volumes of reactants are greater than the product (3:2), therefore, according to
Le-Chateliers Principle a high pressure is favourable. Optimum pressure is about 1.5 to 1.7
atmosphere.
USE OF CATALYST:
At low temperature, rate of reaction decreases. To increase rate of reaction a catalyst vanadium
pentaoxide (V
2
O
5
) is used.
ABSORPTION OF
SO
3
IN H
2
SO
4

SO
3
is not directly passed in water, because a dense fog of minute particles of H
2
SO
4
is
produced. It is therefore, dissolved in conc.H
2
SO
4
to form pyrosulphuric acid (oleum).
SO
3
+ H
2
SO
4
H
2
S
2
O
7
(OLEUM)
DILUTION OF OLEUM
Oleum is now diluted with water to form H
2
SO
4
of required concentration.
H
2
S
2
O
7
+ H
2
O 2H
2
SO
4
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