Sulphuric acid

Meaning :

Stage 1 : in the furnace, molten sulphur is burnt in dry air to produce suphur dioxide,SO2. The gas
produce is purified and cooled.

S(1) + O2(g) SO2(g)

Stage2 : In the converter, sulphur dioxide,SO2 and excess oxygen gas,O2 are passed over a few plates of
vanadium(V) oxide,V2O5 catalyst at 450oC to produce sulphur trioxide,SO3

2SO2(g) + O2(g) 2SO3(g)

About 99.5% of the sulphur dioxide, SO2 is converted into sulphur trioxide,SO3 through this reversible
reaction.

Stage 3 : in the absorber, the sulphur trioxide, SO3 is first reacted with concentrated sulphuric acid,H2SO4
to form a product called oleum,H2S2O7

SO3(g) + H2SO4(l) H 2S2O7(l)

The oleum, H2S2O7 is then diluted with water to produce concentrated sulphuric acid, H 2SO4 in large
quantities.

H2S2O7(l) + H2O(l) 2H2SO4(l)