Section: CRUSU Market & Features

Restrictions and lockdowns across the globe have significantly reduced oil demand, impacting refinery run rates. This has aided in reducing sulphur liquidity, supporting the short term view.

Automatic identification and optimum online monitoring using sonic velocity measurements can now be used to determine the concentration of both sulphuric acid and oleum.C. Kahrmann and T. Knape of SensoTech report on a new user-friendly method of measurement providing a significant step towards automated process control.

All acid towers eventually require replacement. In this article, K. Sirikan, A. Mahecha-Botero et al of NORAM Engineering and Constructors Ltd discuss two recently executed acid tower replacement projects. The first project involved the replacement of a brick-lined tower by an alloy acid tower for a sulphur burning plant in North America. The second project involved the replacement of a brick-lined acid tower with a NORAM designed brick-lined tower for a smelter off gas acid plant in South America. The impacts of various design considerations on acid tower replacement projects are compared, including in-situ replacement versus a new location; brick-lined versus alloy shell, and selection criteria for mist eliminators.

Meena Chauhan, Head of Sulphur and Sulphuric Acid Research, Argus Media, assesses price trends and the market outlook for sulphur.

A complete listing of all articles and news items that appeared in Sulphur magazine during 2020.

The coronavirus outbreak necessitated a ‘virtual’ CRU Sulphur + Sulphuric Acid conference last year, held in November 2020.

Meena Chauhan, Head of Sulphur and Sulphuric Acid Research, Argus Media, assesses price trends and the market outlook for sulphur.

Ron Olson of The Sulphur Institute considers sulphur’s important role in plant health.

Process and simulation models can be valuable tools when troubleshooting to solve operational issues in sulphur recovery units. Two examples are provided. In the first case study it is shown how a tuned model was useful in troubleshooting an SRU that was experiencing lower than expected recovery efficiency and apparent channelling in the first catalytic converter. In the second case study an SRU simulation tool is used to investigate sulphidic corrosion in a waste heat boiler.

Continuing rationalisation in China’s phosphate industry has been reducing demand for sulphur and sulphuric acid at the same time that the country is producing more of both.