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Contact Process

Sulphuric acid is manufactured through the contact process, which involves catalytic oxidation of sulphur dioxide to sulphur trioxide. Sulphur dioxide is obtained by burning sulphur, hydrogen sulphide from crude oil, or other sulphur-containing materials. The sulphur dioxide then reacts with oxygen over a vanadium pentoxide catalyst to produce sulphur trioxide, which is absorbed in concentrated sulphuric acid to form oleum. Oleum is then diluted with water to produce sulphuric acid.

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Adil Yaqub - 74665/TCHR/CNTB
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334 views12 pages

Contact Process

Sulphuric acid is manufactured through the contact process, which involves catalytic oxidation of sulphur dioxide to sulphur trioxide. Sulphur dioxide is obtained by burning sulphur, hydrogen sulphide from crude oil, or other sulphur-containing materials. The sulphur dioxide then reacts with oxygen over a vanadium pentoxide catalyst to produce sulphur trioxide, which is absorbed in concentrated sulphuric acid to form oleum. Oleum is then diluted with water to produce sulphuric acid.

Uploaded by

Adil Yaqub - 74665/TCHR/CNTB
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Manufacture of Sulphuric Acid

(Contact Process)
 Sulphuric acid is made by the Contact
process during which catlytic oxidation of
anhydride of sulphuric acid i.e sulphur(VI)
oxide, (SO3) is the main step
 It is made by the oxidation of sulphur(IV)
oxide (sulphur dioxide), which is obtained
from the following sources.
Sources of Sulphur(IV)
Oxide
1. Sulphur is burned in air.
2. Hydrogen sulphide from crude oil.
3. Burning of nnatural gas /coal in air.
4. Sulphide metal ores roasted/smelted in
air.
5. Flue-gas desulphurisation in coal-fired
power stations.
6. CaSO4 is heated with coke to manufacture
cement, sulphur (IV) oxide is a by-
product.
First buring reaction of sulphur takes place to
form SO2

2S(s) + O2(g) → SO2(g)


When sulphur(IV) oxide and oxygen combine
sulphur(VI) oxide is produced
2SO2(g) + O2(g) 2SO3(g)
H° = -197 kJ mol-1
Reaction Conditions
Le Chatelier’s Principle would favour:
low pressure and moderately high temperature
for the process.
 However, at high pressures the sulphur(IV)
oxide liquifies and is expensive as well while
at low temperatures,although there is
maximum %age yield of SO3 but the rate of
reaction is too slow.
 Similarly,at low pressure below tha
atmospheric pressure the reaction rate
slows down while at high temperature %age
yeld of SO3 dcreasesas as reaction is
Addition of Catalyst
 The vanadium(V) oxide is so effective that
a 95 % conversion is achieved at 450 °C
which favours forward reacto and a pressure
of 1-2 atm at which greater proportions i.e
96% conversion of SO2 into SO3 can be
ahieved at economical rate.
 With the way of recycling of the gases
through heat exhangers 99.8% conversion
ofSO2 into SO3 is possible.
 Catalytic oxidation of SO2 to SO3 is a key
step in sulfuric acid production. It produces
the SO3 required for subsequent H2SO4(ℓ)
Addition of Catalyst
 The catalyst is easily ‘poisoned’ by
absorbing impurities (dust particles and
arsenic oxide).
 These block the active sites on the
surface of the catalyst and impair its
efficiency which need to be removed using
electrostatic precipitation by passing air
through electrically cahrged plates where
it gets ionized and charged particles are
collected in a reserviour once dislodged
from elctrically charged plates.
Conversion to Sulphuric Acid
 The sulphur(VI) oxide is not absorbed in
water because the reaction is so intensely
exothermic as to vaporise the sulphuric acid
formed which form dense fog around the
walls of the chamber which is difficult to
condense.
 It can be safely absorbed in 98 % sulphuric
acid(freshly prepared laboratory sample) to
form fuming sulphuric acid/oleum,also called
pyrisulphuric acid, H2S2O7, which is then
diluted with water to form the sulphuric
acid.
Equations
SO3(g) + H2SO4(l)  H2S2O7 (l)
H2S2O7(l) + H2O(l)  2H2SO4(l)
Uses of Sulphuric acid
Uses of Sulphur

1. Used to vulcanise rubber (harden


the rubber).
2. Used in gunpowder.
3. Used to make matches.
4. Used as a fungicide.
Uses of Sulphur(IV) oxide
(Sulphur dioxide)
1. Used as a food preservative by killing
bacteria in jams,canned food and fruit juices.
2. Used to bleach straw, silk and wool.
3

3. Used as a fungicide.
4. Sulfur dioxide is also a widely-used pest
control product.
5.As a fumigating agent to eliminate insects
and other pests.
6. As sterlisong tablets to sterlise brewing
equipment

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