French Sulfuric Acid Outdoor Power Supply

Provide an overview of design considerations for the sulphuric acid plant equipment and systems. Waste gases from the metallurgical processes must be treated to reduce the sulphur dioxide emissions to the atmosphere.

To achieve this the sulphur dioxide in the gas is converted to sulphur trioxide for the production of sulphuric acid in the sulphuric acid plant. The metallurgical off-gases must be cleaned prior to entering the contact section of the acid plant to enable the plant to produce a product acid of acceptable quality for use and sale.

The amount of SO2 and water entering the sulphuric acid plant must be in the correct proportions or balance in order to produce sulphuric acid of the desired concentration. Acid is made up of SO3 and water. In a sulphur burning plant, a small amount of water comes in with the atmospheric air required for sulphur combustion.

Sulphuric acid plants are robust plants capable of handling a variety of conditions. However, over the long term, this type of operation will begin to show up in increased maintenance and equipment failures. Consideration should be given to upgraded materials of construction, installed spares, upgraded equipment, etc.

If there was no requirement to minimize acid production, the preference would be to operate the sulphur burner at a continuous minimum rate to maintain the operation of the plant during the reduction stage. The smelting gas would be added to the sulphur burner gas without changing the sulphur burning rate.

Waste gases from the metallurgical processes must be treated to reduce the sulphur dioxide emissions to the atmosphere. To achieve this the sulphur dioxide in the gas is converted to sulphur trioxide for the production of sulphuric acid in the sulphuric acid plant.