Design of Absorption Column in a Sulphuric Acid Plant - Case Study Example

Various figures and diagrams are used throughout the document to illustrate the points discussed. Tables have been used in calculations of mass and energy balances. Sulphuric acid manufacture is a delicate affair and care needs to be taken into consideration. During implementation, it is noble that engineers follow each detail to be able to achieve desired results and meet environmental requirement standards.Utilizing molten elemental sulphur as raw material, the plant will engender 660 tonnes in one day of sulphuric acid.

The design will operate safely and in an environmentally amicable manner. The main unit processes include an air-dehydrating unit, sulfur-burning furnace, a 4-stage catalytic converter with inter-stage cooling and makes use of two absorption columns. A 3:1 set-up, designating the effluent from the third reactor bed is put through an intermediate absorption column, afore passing through the final, fourth bed, where effluents pass through to the final absorption column.The air dryer in the configuration is required for abstracting the dihydrogen monoxide vapor present in the feed air in order to avert corrosive sulphuric acid from composing in the process before the substance enters the absorption columns.

Dry air, which is 40% in excess of the theoretical requisite, is then fed to the sulfur-burning furnace utilizing a centrifugal blower. The second furnace input is molten sulphur at 150°C, a temperature culled in for reasons of reducing sulfur viscosity to minimum levels while remaining sufficiently distanced from 160°C at points where the viscosity of sulphur shoots and increases 10,000 fold. It is postulated that 100% of sulphur is oxidized to sulphur dioxide and results in a furnace effluent that has in them oxygen, nitrogen and sulphur dioxide at 998°C (LOUIE 2005).

Prior to entering the catalytic converter, cooling the process stream must be done for it to enter the reactor at temperatures, which allows optimal catalyst action while continuing to minimize the likelihood of deactivation by sintering.