Plant Design Project for the Production of 72 MT/day of

98 % Sulfuric Acid (Proposal).

Submitted to:
Prof.Dr.Mahmood Saleem
Submitted by:
Umar Draz
CE-M10-24
Institute of Chemical Engineering and Technology
University of the Punjab
Lahore





Abstract
Our objective is to design a 72 MT/day of Sulfuric Acid
plant. This plant is comprised of a number of unit operations and
process equipments including sulfur melter, sulfur furnace, waste heat
boiler, 4 pass converter, hot and cold heat exchangers, Economizers #
1&2, inter pass absorption tower, final absorption tower, air drying
tower, circulation tank, cooler and storage tank.
These operations and processes are explained in detail
and their material and energy balances data is (will be) provided.








Processes and Operations
Following Process and operations are involved in production of sulfuric
acid at LCFL.
1) Melting of Sulfur.
Sulfur is fed to melting pits through belt conveyer. Here steam is used as
heating medium. Pits are provided agitator and temperature in pits is 135-140
o
C
2) Combustion of Sulfur.
Furnace is made of mild steel lined with refractory bricks. In furnace
molten sulfur is pumped at the top of furnace with the help of a gear pump. The rpm of this
pump is 1500. At the top of furnace molten sulfur is mixed with air (Air comes from main
blower after drying) and in the furnace combustion takes place and the following reaction took
place;
S
(liq)
+ O
2
(g) SO
2 (g)
H = -296 kJ mol
-1

The combustion of sulfur is an exothermic reaction. Temperature of
combustion gases increases to 800- 850
o
C. Temperature of combustion gases depends upon
quantity of sulfur fed to the furnace.
3) Waste Heat Boiler.
As the combustion gases are at above 800
o
C. This heat is recovered in
waste heat boiler. This waste heat boiler at Lyallpur Chemicals is water tube boiler. There are 6
headers and 198 tubes in the boiler. Boiler feed Water comes from water R.O (Reverse Osmosis)
plant after passing through Economizer # 1 and 2 and is fed through multi stage pump. The level
of water in boiler is controlled by a pneumatic operated level control globe valve.
Steam is generated at 40 bar pressure and 270
o
C temperature; this steam
produced is saturated steam and is used to melt the sulfur in melting pits. This saturated steam is
further passed through super heater to make super heated steam which is used for power
generation in turbines.
4) Converter.
This converter is a reactor and contains four beds of catalyst. Vanadium pent
oxide is used as a catalyst. Gas comes at about 430
o
C after passing through waste heat boiler
and mixing with bypass line. Sulfur dioxide and oxygen is fed at the top of the converter. At first
bed the amount of catalyst is 2400 liters. Catalyst beds are supported at grids, quartz is placed at
the top of catalyst which acts as a filter and removes any unwanted impurities. Quartz is there
also to save the catalyst from any losses. Sulfur dioxide reacts with the oxygen in the presence of
catalyst and sulfur trioxide is formed;
2SO
2
+ O
2
2SO
3
H= -196 kJmol
-1
5) Super Heater.
Gases after passing through 1
st
bed of converter are passed through super
heater to decrease their temperature to an optimum value suitable for the conversion of SO
2
to
SO
3
. This is a shell and tube type heat exchanger.
6) Hot Heat Exchanger.
Gaseous mixture after passing through 2
nd
bed of converter is passed
through hot heat exchanger to reduce its temperature. The gases are entered to shell side of
the heat exchanger. There is cold gaseous mixture on the tube side of heat exchanger coming
from tube side of cold heat exchanger which is heated for further processing in 4
th
bed of
converter.
7) Economizer # 1&2.
Gaseous mixture coming from the shell side of cold heat exchanger is
passed through economizer no. 1 to regain the heat energy present in hot gases. Gases are
introduced to the shell side and water is introduced to the tube side of this economizer. Water
comes from the water treatment plant which after passing through the economizer no. 2 is
introduced to the waste heat boiler for steam generation. No. of tubes in economizer # 1 is 60.
Gaseous mixture coming from the 4
th
bed of converter is passed through
economizer no. 2 to regain the heat energy present in hot gases. Gases are introduced to the
shell side and water is introduced to the tube side of this economizer. Water comes from the
tube side of economizer # 1 which is finally introduced to waste heat boiler. No. of tubes in
economizer # 2 is 105.
8) Intermediate and final absorption tower.
Gaseous mixture after passing through the economizer # 1 is introduced to
the bottom of the intermediate absorption tower. Sulfuric acid is showered from the top of the
tower. Sulfuric acid of 98.5% concentration in water is sprayed with the help of shower. The
shower is not exactly at the top of the tower; it is almost at the centre of tower and a mist
eliminator is provided in the upper most portion of tower to remove any water or acid vapors
from the un- absorbed gaseous stream coming out from the top of the tower. This is done as
gaseous mixture has to pass through the 4
th
bed of converter, it will deactivate the catalyst if
contains moisture.
Gaseous mixture after passing through the economizer # 2 is introduced to
the bottom of the final absorption tower. The entrance temperature of gaseous mixture in final
absorption tower is 160
o
C. Sulfuric acid is provided from the top of the tower. Sulfuric acid of
98.5% concentration in water is supplied with the help of dip pipes. The dip pipes are 56 in
number and are of 5-6 feet height. The ends of these pipes are dipped in the packing. Dip pipes
are provided with ceramic nozzles.

















F
i
g

1
:

S
u
l
f
u
r
i
c

A
c
i
d

P
l
a
n
t