Sunday, 1 June 2014

5.27 describe the manufacture of sulfuric acid by the contact process


  1. Sulfur Dioxide is made by burning sulfur in air
  2. Sulfur dioxide is reacted with oxygen to form sulfur trioxide
  3. Sulfur trioxide is absorbed into concentrated sulfuric acid to make oleum:

H2SO4(l) + SO3(g) à H2S2O7(l)

(Take note of the state symbols)

The oleum is then diluted to form a solution of sulfuric acid:
H2S2O7(l) + H2O(l) à 2H2SO4 (aq)

Process:
  1. Air and Sulfur Dioxide are inputted 
  2. The mixture of gases is cleaned, dried and heated to 400-500C and compressed to 2 atm. 
  3. The mixture of gases is passed over the catalyst vanadium(V) oxide. Oxygen and sulfur combine to form sulfur dioxide and the yield is 98%.
  4. Any unreacted gases are recycled. Sulfur trioxide is dissolved in concentrated sulfuric acid to form oleum. 
  5. The oleum is diluted to form sulfuric acid.
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6 comments:

  1. Unknown22 April 2016 at 07:13

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. Unknown22 April 2016 at 07:16

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  3. Unknown22 April 2016 at 07:16

    The final product, H2SO4 is preferably written as liquid since by the addition of H2O, we produce twice as much CONCENTRATED sulfuric acid. (the equation is self-explanatory)

    H2S2O7(l) + H2O(l) -> 2H2SO4 (l) *

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  4. Unknown22 April 2016 at 07:23

    Another bonus point could be added to the step 2 of the process
    **Cleaned through electrostatic precipitation

    ReplyDelete
  5. Unknown22 April 2016 at 07:23

    Another bonus point could be added to the step 2 of the process
    **Cleaned through electrostatic precipitation

    ReplyDelete
  6. alfachemistry11 August 2018 at 07:08

    As a global Contract Research Organization (CRO), headquartered in New York, USA, Alfa Chemistry has served the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries for eight years. ACID VIOLET 43

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