SULFURIC ACID STORAGE TANK

Design Description:

The sulfuric acid storage tank is a vertical cylindrical shell with flat heads and bottoms.

Design Assumptions:

1. Thirty days capacity often is specified for raw materials and products, but depends on
connecting transportation equipment schedules (Butterworth-Heinemann, 1990).
2. H/D = 2 (Butterworth-Heinemann,1990)
3. One tank was assumed and designed to hold the feed for 30 days.
4. 16 hours of operation per day

Design Calculations:

 Temperature : 25˚C
 Pressure:

Calculations for Tank Volume:

0 . 14 kmol 98 .079 kg
mSufuric Acid= ×
hr kmol

13.731 kg 16 hrs
mSufuric Acid= × ×30days
hr day

mSufuric Acid= 6590 . 909 kg

kg
ρSulfuric acid=1 826 . 7
m3
 1m 3
v Sulfuric acid =6590.909 kg × = 3 .608 m3
1 826 .7 kg

Assuming 10% Allowance (Butterworth-Heinemann, 1990)

3
Volume of Tank = 3.608 m × 1.1

Volume of Tank = 3 .969 m3

Calculations for Tank Height:

3
Volume of Tank = 3 .969 m
π
Volume of Cylinder = ×D2 ×H
4
 But H = 2D (Butterworth-Heinemann, 1990)

π
Volume of Tank= ( ×D2 ×2D)
4

π
3 . 969 m3 = ( ×D2 ×2D)
4

D= 1.362 m

H = 2 × 1.362 m

H = 2.724 m

Calculations for liquid Height:

3
 v Sulfuric acid = 3 .608 m

π
Total Volume= ( ×D2 ×H )
4
 π
3 .608 m3 = ( ×D2 ×H mixture )
4

π
3 .608 m 3 = ( ×1 .3622 ×H cumene )
4

H liquid =2. 476 m

Calculations for Shell Thickness:

PD
t= +C
2Se−P ; (Hesse and Rushton, 1975)

Where:

t = Shell thickness

P = Maximum allowable working Pressure (psi)

D = Inside Diameter (inch)

S = Maximum Allowable Tensile Stress

e = efficiency of welded Joint

C = Corrosion allowance

For Smax allowable working pressure

S = Su × Fm × Fs × Fr×Fa
where:

Su = minimum Specified tensile strength = 55 000 psi (Carbon Steel A285)

Fm = Material Factor = 1

Fs = Temperature Factor = 0.25

Fr = Stress relief factor = 1

Fa = Radiographing Factor = 1
 S = Su × Fm × Fs × Fr×Fa

S = 55000 psi ×1×0.25×1×1

S = 13,750 psi

 Corrosion Allowance = 1/4

Working Pr essure ( P )= Vapor Pr essure + ρgH

Vapor Pressure lifted is based from the graph by T.T. Bump And W.L. Sibbitt, Aqueous
Solutions of Nitric Acid and of Sulfuric Acid,” Industrial And Engineering Chemistry, 47
(1955), Pp. 1665-1670.
Vapor Pressure = 0.07psia = 482.633 Pa
1826 . 7 kg 9 . 81 m
P= 482. 633 Pa + ( × ×2 .724m )
m3 s2

P= 49 296 .514 Pa

With 20% excess pressure

Pressure = 49 296.514 Pa (1.2) = 59 155.817 Pa

Substituting values to the t equation

PD
t= +C
2Se−P

14.7 psi 3 . 28ft 12inches

59 155 . 817 Pa ( )(1 . 362 m)( )( )
101325 Pa m 1ft 1
t= +
14 .7 psi 4
2(13,750)(1 )−59 155 .817 Pa ( )
101325 Pa
 1m 1000 mm
t = 0.267 in × × = 6. 775 mm
39.37 in 1m

Calculations for Shell Thickness:

L = D − 6 inch ; (Butterworth-Heinemann, 1990)

39 .37 in
L = (1. 362+(2(6 . 775×10−3 ))m( )− 6 inch
1m

1m
L =48.981 in × = 1.244 m
39.37 in

Calculations for Knuckle Radius:

Kr= 0.06 D ; (Butterworth-Heinemann, 1990)

−3
Kr= 0.06 ×(1.362+(2(6. 775×10 ))m

Kr=0. 083 m

Calculation for Nozzle Outlet:

o From Process Engineering and Design using visual basic by Arun Datta,
liquid outlet nozzles are generally designed based on the liquid superficial
velocity of 1m/s.
V = Av
3.608 m3 1 day 1 hr π d 2 1m
× × =( )( )
30 days 24 hrs 3600 s 4 s

d= 1.6304 mm

Calculation for Diameter of Nozzle inlet

  From Process Engineering and Design using visual basic by Arun Datta, liquid
outlet nozzles are generally designed based on the liquid superficial velocity of
1.04m/s.

V = Av

3.608 m3 1 day 1 hr π d 2 1.04m

× × =( )( )
30 days 16 hrs 3600 s 4 s

d= 1.5988 mm

Design Consideration for Manhole

 Standard on all A.S.M.E. Tanks is 42 in. diameter and larger. (Parker Boiler Co.)