CL-455: Design Lab 1

Task 5: Simulation of a sulphuric acid plant

Maximum Marks: 10
Submission on 31-08-2017 at 2 PM
Groups: Same as for Task-4

This is an exercise in process intensification of your sulphuric acid plant in Task 4. You need
to submit a brief report on your work along with the report of Task 4 returned to you after
evaluation. You may correct your model/results/design if you want. Your score for task 4 will
however not change. Be ready to demonstrate your calculations on the same day. The report
must carry roll numbers and names of only those who have actively participated in
accomplishing the task. Each team member must sign against his/her name as an affirmation
that he/she has indeed contributed and can explain everything that is submitted if asked to do
so.

The statement of Task 4 is reproduced here for ready reference.

Task 4:

A copper manufacturing plant produces a lot of sulphur dioxide as copper concentrate is

smelted to produce elemental copper. Copper manufacturing plants, therefore, also have
sulphuric acid plants which oxidize this SO2 to SO3 over vanadium catalyst and then absorb
this SO3 in water or dilute sulphuric acid to make concentrated sulphuric acid. In this task,
you are going to simulate and carry out simulation based design of the converter part of such
sulphuric acid plants for the given feed conditions, expected product specifications and the
reactor dimensions.

The feed:

Composition:

SO2: (13 + 0.05i)%

O2: (14 - 0.05i)%
N2: Balance

Temperature: 413 0C
Pressure: 1.47 bara
Flow rate: (100000 - 500 i) Nm3/hr

Standard conditions are 20 0C and 1 bara pressure.

The reaction being reversible and exothermic, it is important to divide the catalyst into
several stages in series with inter-stage cooling. SO2 being a pollutant, it is important to
achieve maximum conversion (say 99% or higher) before the product gas goes to absorber
section.

The reactor diameter is 10 m and the total catalyst quantity is (450 + 5i) m3. The catalyst bulk
density is 500 kg/m3 and the bed voidage is 0.5. 'i' is your group number. For example, i = 7
if your group is G7.
Search for the kinetics and thermodynamics of the SO2 oxidation reaction. Dividing your
available catalyst quantity into 4 or 5 stages with inter-stage coolers, maximize the overall
conversion of SO2.

You can make simplifying assumptions such as plug flow in the reactor, ideal gas behaviour,
negligible pressure drop across the reactor, etc. However, do incorporate temperature
dependence of reaction rate constant, thermal effect of the reaction, temperature dependence
of the equilibrium constant and specific heats of the gas components etc.

Present your results showing cumulative conversion up to each stage, exit temperature of gas
from each stage, temperature differential across each stage, etc. Assume the reactors as
adiabatic.

In this task, you need not design the inter-stage heat exchangers. However, your choice of
catalyst amount in each stage and the inlet temperature of gas to stages 2 onwards must be
such that the overall conversion of SO2 is maximized in your design.

Preserve whatever calculator/simulator you develop in this task for use in the next task where
we would attempt process intensification to improve upon the performance you get as best
possible in this task.

Task 5:

You need to further improve your process performance by trying out addition Nitrogen,
Oxygen or their mixture to stage 1, 2 and 3 if you so desire. Output from any stage will also
enter the next stage. As you add the additional gas to a stage, it plays with the inlet
temperature and composition. It could enhance reaction, create higher or lower temperatures
and play with conversion. It would also alter space time and change conversion accordingly.
Your overall target is to improve upon your best performance without this modification
achieved in task 4.

Assume that the Nitrogen and Oxygen gases are available at 30 C. Nitrogen is pure while
Oxygen is 95% oxygen with the balance as Argon. These two gases are available in unlimited
quantities. You may preheat these gases before entering any stage if that helps achieving
higher conversion.

You could also try splitting your feed gas appropriately between stages 1 and 2 if that helps
in increasing overall conversion.

You could consult Prof. Moharir on this task on 21/24/28-08-2017, 2-6 PM, if required.