Sulphuric Acid

Presentef by:
Orlanda Ellis
Keneisha Malcolm
Industrial Manufacture of Sulphuric Acid
• The Contact process is usually employed to make sulphuric acid.
• The raw materials required for this process include:
° sulphur
° air
° vanadium (V) oxide in silica gel as the catalyst.
Industrial Manufacture of Sulphuric Acid
• The four (4) stages of the Contact process:
° production of sulphur dioxide;
° oxidation of sulphur dioxide to sulphur trioxide
° hydration of sulphur trioxide (the production of oleum)
° dilution of oleum to concentrated sulphuric acid.
Industrial Manufacture of Sulphuric Acid

• Stage 1: production of sulphur dioxide

Sulphur is heated in an excess of air at 1000°C
S(s) +O2(g)  SO2(g)
 Industrial Manufacture of Sulphuric Acid
• Step 2: oxidation of sulphur dioxide to sulphur trioxide (Contact process name
was developed at this stage)
Sulphur dioxide is cooled to 450°C and mixed with excess air.
Mixture is then purified by the passage of hot gas filters which removes dust
particles and other impurities by electrostatic precipitation.
Dried sulphur dioxide is then combined with oxygen from the air and passed over
vanadium (V) oxide in silica gel catalyst to form sulphur trioxide :
2 SO2(g) + O2(g)  2 SO3(g) (Exothermic reaction)
Industrial Manufacture of Sulphuric Acid
Industrial Manufacture of Sulphuric Acid
Industrial Manufacture of Sulphuric Acid
Industrial Manufacture of Sulphuric Acid
Industrial Manufacture of Sulphuric Acid
Industrial Manufacture of Sulphuric Acid
Uses of Sulphur dioxide
Uses of Sulphur dioxide
Uses of Sulphur dioxide
The impact of the sulphuric acid industry
The impact of the sulphuric acid industry
 Bibliography
• CHEMISTRY FOR CAPE EXAMINATIONS , MACMILLAN