HEALTH AND SAFETY
SULPHURIC ACID PRODUCTION
OPTIMISING
How increased output of sulphuric acid using upgrades and new technologies helped an African Copper belt mine improve OPEX and efficiency
The image shows an ultrasonic atomisation nozzle S SO4 ulphuric acid (H2 SO4 ) plays
a central role in industrial applications, particularly in mining, where it is used for the
leaching of copper, cobalt, and precious metals. In beneficiation processes, H2
extracts these metals from
their ores. Additionally, it supports phosphoric acid production for fertilizers and helps descale equipment to prevent mineral buildup, ensuring machinery operates smoothly. As global demand for sulphuric
acid rises, plants face the challenge of increasing output while minimising operational expenditures (OPEX) and unplanned downtimes. This article looks at a sulphuric acid plant in the African copper belt, where production capacity was boosted from 2200 MTPD to 3000 MTPD. Through targeted upgrades by burner and combustion specialist CS Combustion Solutions, such as ultra- sonic nozzles and advanced combustion technologies, major efficiency and cost improvements were achieved.
34
www.engineerlive.com
CHALLENGES BEFORE OPTIMISATION The plant had multiple efficiency issues that hampered performance:
1. Incomplete combustion: Traditional pressure atomisers caused large sulphur droplets to pass into the waste heat boiler (WHB) and catalyst beds, resulting in fouling, increased pressure drops, and unscheduled maintenance shutdowns.
2. Frequent nozzle plugging: Regular nozzle blockages forced production stoppages for replacement. Over US$200,000 was spent in under two years on nozzle tips and guns alone.
3. Pressure drop and overheating: Large droplet sizes and poor atomisation caused hotspots in the refractory lining. Inappropriate chamber design amplified overheating, leading to structural risks.
Temperature distribution inside the furnace before revamp
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
