Note on Ammonia addition to Sulphur System

Introduction
The quality of the bulk sulphur will affect the design of the sulphur handling system
and for this reason pretreatment is required. Poor quality sulphur may require special
handling that is not required for good quality sulphur.
Specification of Elemental Sulphur
The required specifications of solid sulphur as a raw material to the production of
sulphuric acid are as follows:

S content (Purity) % wt./wt. 99.00 (Min)

Ash Content % wt./wt. 0.50 (Max)
Organic matter % wt./wt. 0.1-0.4
Acidity (As H2SO4) % wt./wt. 0.1 (Max)
Moisture % wt./wt. 3% (Max)

Neutralization
Bulk sulphur contains sulphuric acid generated by autoxidation in the presence of
water, which adheres to the sulphur. The water and acidity content in the sulphur
forms dilute acid, sulphuric and sulphurous, which will attack the carbon steel in
storage tanks, piping and the concrete in the sulphur pits.
For protection of all equipment, the acid content is need to be reduced to about 10
ppm by neutralization. Neutralization is accomplished by injection of NH3 at various
places inside the melting pit.
Caustic soda lye (48%), lime are also used in other industries as an alternative of NH3
to neutralize the acidity in the incoming sulphur.

Consumption of NH3 in Neutralization

The design specific consumption of ammonia is 0.182 kg/MT of H2SO4 production or
0.55 kg/MT of Sulphur
Ammonia injection Points
Green lines indicating ammonia dosage in the melting pits