Topse WSA Technology

for
Sulphuric Acid Production
in the Metallurgical Industry



WSA = Wet (gas) Sulphuric Acid
Technology
Main Features:

Fixation of SO
2
in off-gases &
Conversion of sulphurous feeds

Reduces SO
2
by up to 99.6% (99.9+% with scrubber)

Only one (1) end product = 98% H
2
SO
4,

Process gas drying not required

No waste produed, no chemicals used
Topse WSA Technology
Applications
Refineries
Petrochemical industry
Coke and coke chemicals industry
Metallurgical and minerals industry
Power plants
Topse WSA Technology
References
56 industrial references in total
Largest flow = 1,000,000 Nm3/h
Largest acid capacity 1,100 MTPD

9 references in the metallurgical
industry
4 references by Molymet on
molyroasting
Principles of the WSA Process
Process Lay-out of WSA Plant
in the Metallurgical Industry
SO
Converter
2
Feed Gas
Blower
Natural
Gas
Feed Gas
Preheater
Feed
Gas
Pre-
heater
Interbed
Cooler
Gas
Cooler
Feed Gas
Boiler
Salt
Circulation
System
Start-up/
Support Burner
Acid Pump
Acid Cooler
Product Acid
Air
Stack Gas
WSA Condenser
Air
Blower
Salt
Tank
Salt Pump
Principle Design of the WSA Condenser
Hot Air Outlet
Cooling Air
Inlet
Clean Gas Outlet
Product Acid Outlet
Acid Gas
Inlet
WSA Condenser Details
Cooling air inlet
Hot air outlet
Sulphuric acid
(to acid cooling system)
98% 70%
Acid
strength (%)
Clean gas outlet
Acid
gas
inlet
WSA Condenser with 8 Modules
Handling 90,000 Nm
3
/h Process Gas







WSA Condenser Bottom Section
Moving the WSA Condenser Module
Installation of
WSA Condenser Module
Acid Cooling System Handling 37,500 kg/h Acid
Reactions in WSA Plant
Oxidation SO
2
+ O
2
= SO
3
+ 99 kJ/mole
Hydration SO
3
+ H
2
O = H
2
SO
4
(gas) +
101 kJ/mole
Condensation H
2
SO
4
(gas) = H
2
SO
4
(liquid) +
90 kJ/mole

Secures autothermal operartion or steam
export
WSA Plants Supplied by Topse
to the Metallurgical Industry
Client Type of
Up-stream
Plant
Initial
Content of
SO
2

Process Gas
Nm
3
/h
H
2
SO
4
Prod.
MTPD
Start-up
Year
N.V. Sadaci S.A.,
Belgium

MoS
2
Roaster 0.6 - 2.8% 35,000 106 1990
Molibdenos y Metales S.A.,
Chile

MoS
2
Roaster 2.0 - 2.4% 40,000 104 1993
Metaleurop S.A.,
France

PbS Roaster 3.4% 110,000 380 1993
Molymex S.A. de C.V.,
Mexico

MoS
2
Roaster 2.0 - 4.5% 20,000 65 2001
Zhuzhou Smelter,
Peoples Republic of China

PbS Roaster 2.2 - 4.6% 110,000 525 2001
ZAO Karabashmed,
Russia

CuS Smelter 6.5% 170,000 1,140 2003
OAO Kazzinc,
Kazakhstan

PbS Sinter
ZnS Roaster
6.5% 125,000 895 2004
Molibdenos y Metales S.A.,
Chile
MoS
2
Roaster 1.4 - 3.8% 60,000 170 2007
Model of WSA Plant at
O.A.O. Kazinc, Kazakhstan
125,000 Nm
3
/h Process Gas
from PbS Sinter Machine and ZnS Roaster
Design Data for WSA Plant
at OAO Kazinc, Kazakhstan
Process Feed Gas:
Flow, Nm
3
/h 125,000
Composition, % vol.:
O
2
14.0
H
2
O 5.0
SO
2
6.5
Temperature,
o
C 32
Pressure, mbarg -29
Product Acid:
Flow, kg/h 37,500
Concentration, % wt. 98.0/93.5
SO
2
Conversion, % 98
Consumptions:
Power, kWh/MT acid 50
Cooling water m
3
/MT acid (t = 10
o
C) 10.5*
* Including approx. 2.5 m
3
to remove heat of dilution
Conclusion
Up to 99.6% sulphur recovery as concentrated
sulphuric acid
No process gas drying
No consumption of chemicals / no effluents
High energy efficiency due to heat recovery
from SO
2
oxidation, SO
3
hydration and H
2
SO
4

condensation
Low power consumption
Low cooling water consumption
Simple and flexible process lay-out / easy to
operate / low investment cost