METHOD OF PRODUCING SULPHURIC ACID FROM SULPHUR DIOXIDE AND APPARATUS THEREFOR

摘要

TITLE A METHOD OF PRODUCING SULPHURIC ACID FROM SULPHUR DIOXIDE AND APPARATUS THEREFOR INVENTORS Karl T. Chuang David R.P. Thatcher A process and an apparatus are described for producing sulphuric acid from sulphur dioxide (SO2) wherein two fluid streams, in the form of a gaseous SO2 gas and oxygen (air), and a liquid, primary sulphuric acid and water, are contacted with each other and a catalyst assembly at a temperature in the range 150.degree. to 280.degree.C, the catalyst assembly comprising, for example, non-combustible, sulphuric acid resistant, porous ceramic supports with an outer, porous membrane coatings on them of, say, polytetrafluorethylene, which is a process temperature and sulphuric acid resistant, water repellent, gaseous sulphur dioxlde and oxygen gas permeable, high molecular, organic polymeric material, and platinum crystallites dispersed on the support in the polytetrsfluorethylene so that: i) gaseous sulphur dioxlde and oxygen are catalytically combined to form sulphur trioxide, ii) exothermic heat generated in the catalyst assembly by the formation of sulphur trioxide therein dissipated by the sulphuric acid and water, iii) the sulphur trioxide and the water combine to form secondary sulphuric acid, and iv) the primary sulphuric acid combines with the secondary sulphuric acid to form a relatively more concentrated sulphuric acid solution therewith which is collected.