Sulphuric Acid Manufacturing Process

Sulphuric Acid, also known as Vitriol is composed of elemental sulphur, Hydrogen and Oxygen.

The molecular formula is : $H_{{2}} SO_{{4}}$

Physical Characteristics : Colourless; Odorless; Soluble in water and is highly exothermic in nature. Considered as Strong Acid.

Chemical Characteristic : Highly corrosive in nature, Hygroscopic, Produces severe chemical and thermal burns when in contact.

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Urea Production and Manufacturing

Industrial Sulphuric Acid Production

In industry sulphuric acid is mainly produced by

Contact Process :
Wet Sulphuric Acid Process
Lead Chamber Process : Produces Dilute Sulphuric Acid (67-78% $H_{2}}SO_{4}$ )

Sulphuric Acid1 — ImageCredits : Desmet Ballestra

Chemical Reactions Involved :

Step 1 : Sulphur is burned to produced Sulphur Oxide

$S + O_{{2}} \to SO_{{2}}$

Step 2 : Then Sulphur Oxide is oxidized to sulfur trioxide using oxygen in the presence of a vanadium(V) oxide catalyst $V_{2}}O_{5}$ . This formation of sulphur trioxide is a reversible and highly exothermic reaction.

$2S O_{2}+ O_{{2}} \rightleftharpoons 2SO_{{3}} ( In Presence of V_{2} O_{5} catalyst)$

The sulfur trioxide is absorbed into 97–98% $H_{2}}SO_{4}$ to form oleum ( $H_{2}}S_{2}}O_{7}$ ), which is also known as fuming sulfuric acid. Thenafter oleum ( $H_{2}}S_{2}}O_{7}$ ) is diluted with water to form concentrated sulfuric acid $H_{2}}SO_{4}$ .