Problem set

1. Pure sulfur is burned with 20% excess air based on conversion of SO 3. Thirty percent of the
sulfur forms SO3; the remainder forms SO2.

a. What is the analysis of the burner gas?

b. The burner gas is passed through a converter. If the gases leaving the converter have a
mole fraction of oxygen of 0.043, what is the ratio of mole SO 3 to mole SO2.

2. A mixture of pure sulfur and of pyrites analyzing 85% FeS 2 and 15% gangue is burned in a
standard pyrites burner. The burner gas contains 10% SO 2, 7% O2, and 83% N2 on an SO3-free
basis and contains 1 mole SO3/100 mole SO3-free burner gas. The cinder contains 2% S as SO 3.
Calculate the percentage of FeS 2 in the charge.

3. One hundred pounds per hour of pyrites containing 90% FeS 2 and 10% gangue are burned with
20% excess air based on conversion to SO3. The cinder discharged from the burner contains no
sulfur. No conversion to SO3 occurs in the burner. The burner gas is passed through a converter
which effects a 98% conversion of SO2 to SO3. The converter gas is passed to an absorber where
all the SO3 is absorbed by 80% H2SO4 solution, which becomes 100% H2SO4 solution in the
process. Calculate the following:
a. The burner gas analysis
b. The converter gas analysis
c. The absorber gas analysis
d. The pounds of 100% H2SO4 produced per 24-h day.

4. A single absorption tower is to absorb SO3 from a gas containing 12 % SO3 fed at 64 oF. Of the
SO3 in the feed gas, 50 % is to be absorbed. The gas is to leave the tower at 70 oF. The product
from the tower will be 104.5 % H2SO4. Four volumes of acid are to be recycled for every volume
withdrawn as product. Make-up water at 64 oF will be fed to the recycle line. In addition, 98 %
acid at 150 oF will be added to the recycle line at a rate such that it will provide one-third of the
total SO3 in the product. Coolers will be installed in the product line and in the recycle line just
before it enters the tower to cool streams to 64 oF. Calculate the concentration of the acid
entering the top of the tower?