Tag: Sulphuric Acid

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

The ongoing recovery from Covid-19 has led to an uptick of sulphur from refineries in regions including the US compared with a year ago. As travel around the global improves, increasing fuel demand points to higher operating rates and improved sulphur recovery.

The Sulphur Institute’s (TSI’s) annual Sulphur World Symposium was held in Tampa, Florida this year, from May 9th-11th.

E. Almeida and B. Ferraro of Clark Solutions discuss how regular monitoring by simple testing of the towers in sulphuric acid plants can improve the reliability and lifespan of the plant.

Acid output is expected to increase as copper mining and smelting increases; the copper market is moving moves from deficit to surplus, with copper output expected to rise 5% in 2022 as demand increases for electric vehicles.

Condensate formation in sulphuric acid plants can cause severe corrosion problems leading to high maintenance and plant downtime. Santhosh S . of Metso Outotec discusses the importance of carrying out regular monitoring and maintaining accurate and detailed data about condensate to increase equipment life and avoid downtime. Different sources of condensate formation in the plant are discussed as well as the typical locations in the plant where the condensates end up.

Copper leaching and smelting projects in Zambia and Zimbabwe continue to dominate acid production and consumption, with output expected to increase from the Kamoa-Kakula project.

We profile leading suppliers of tailor-made pumps and pipes to the phosphates and sulphur industries.

Erosion and corrosion are two of the biggest challenges faced by equipment used in phosphate fertilizer production. This harsh operating environment requires exceptionally well-designed pumps made from sophisticated and robust construction materials. Hani Tello of ITT Rheinhütte and Harvinder Bhabra of ITT Goulds Pumps outline the range of options.

Heat recovery systems at sulphuric acid plants have been providing carbon-free energy for decades now and continue to improve. There is also potential to combine the clean power generated at acid plants with hydrogen production from water electrolysis. This could provide the basis for green fertilizer production.