Sulphuric Acid - Enhancing Sulphuric Acid Production with Configurations of CANSOIV SO2 and BAYQIK Technologies

摘要

Sulphuric acid production presents many challenges for smelter operators including variable concentration of SO2 in the off gases, fugitive emissions from multiple sources with weak SO2 concentrations, off gases with high concentrations of SO2 that must be diluted with ambient air and environmental regulations that impose increasingly reduced SO2 emissions. These last two points are also relevant to sulphur burning operations, especially those using oxygen enrichment. Bayer Technology Services (BTS) has developed the BAYQIK~R process for the catalytic oxidation of SO2 that can be easily integrated into an existing plant. The BAYQIK~R converter enables sulphuric acid production from constant or fluctuating gas streams with up to 50% SO2. The resulting acid plant has a smaller footprint, lower catalyst demand and a higher capacity for steam production when compared to single absorption (SA) and double absorption (DA) sulphuric acid plants. Shell's CANSOLV SO2 Scrubbing system enables sulphuric acid production from lean gas streams by concentrating SO2 into a pure gas stream, with the added value of reducing emissions to levels lower than DA with a smaller pressure drop. The combination of the BAYQIK and CANSOLV generates synergies that amplify the added value of each individual technology. Moreover, the BAYQIK-CANSOLV line-up addresses the abovementioned challenges thanks to the flexibility of these two technologies. The combined lineup may prove to be a game changer with respect to sulphuric acid production in the mining & metallurgy markets. The advantages of such a line-up are also applicable to any operator looking to optimize their sulphuric acid production. This paper presents the advantages of several possible configurations of a BAYQIK-CANSOLV line-up with a focus on the production of sulphuric acid in the metallurgical industry although said configurations are also applicable to any sulphuric acid production operation.