What are the effects of high altitude on sulfuric acid plants?
Thread Content
The newly launched pyrite project is located at an altitude of over 2,700 meters, where the atmospheric pressure is only 73.7 KPa. The oxygen content is low, the average annual temperature is 3.1 degrees Celsius, the highest extreme temperature is 32.4 degrees Celsius, and the lowest extreme temperature is -33.1 degrees Celsius. The high altitude and cold climate, along with low precipitation levels, have a significant impact on the operation of the sulfuric acid production plants. Only by taking targeted measures during design and construction can such plants operate stably and reliably. Therefore, I would like to ask what aspects need to be considered during the design and construction process. That is, compared to areas at lower altitudes, what are the differences when maintaining the same production capacity? Examples include equipment capacity, fan selection, boiling furnaces, and so on.
Things such as gas capacity and equipment specifications can be calculated by ordinary design institutes; for catalysts, it is necessary to consult catalyst manufacturers.
There seem to be papers on this topic in the sulfuric acid industry; I remember one written by Tang Guihua
Mr. Tang Guihua writes very well; his articles are worth reading carefully. Last year I worked in Tibet on a project for producing sulfuric acid at an altitude of 4,500 meters, and it’s working well now. In high-altitude areas, it’s important to pay attention to how the volume of gas used changes with altitude, as well as to any changes in gas resistance. In fact, it’s sufficient to consider just a few locations where resistance is high. For my project in Tibet, I replaced all the motors with those designed for high altitudes; however, this isn’t necessary for your project. For your project, you also need to take into account the impact of low temperatures on the system. For example, low-carbon steel can only withstand temperatures down to minus 20 degrees Celsius.
Are you referring to that project in Yulong?
Sulfuric acid plants are built at high altitudes; during the construction phase, it is important to keep in mind that cement has difficulty setting in low temperatures, so it is best to carry out the work on sunny days. During the production phase, the air at high altitudes is thin with a low oxygen content, and this mainly affects the operation of the boiling furnace. Under normal circumstances, the sulfur dioxide concentration in the furnace gas is not very high. If a higher sulfur dioxide concentration is desired, a large amount of oxygen will be consumed, resulting in less oxygen in the furnace gas. This also makes it easy for sublimed sulfur to form, which is detrimental to the conversion process. Therefore, boiling furnaces operating at high altitudes must have secondary air; without it, operation becomes difficult ； Additionally, at high altitudes where the air is thin, the power required for the fans must be higher; it is generally about 30% greater than that needed in flat areas. These are my personal opinions; please feel free to correct me.