VIII ROUND TABLE, SULPHURIC ACID

PUERTO VARAS, CHILE

17- 21. OCTOBER 2010

Dr. Andreas Hopp
Head of Application Technology Department
Steuler Industrieller Korrosionsschutz GmbH
Corrosion Protection in Plants
producing and handling
sulphuric acid
Year of Foundation: 1908
Turnover 2009: 320 Mio. Euro
Employees: 1800



Certification:

Steuler Group
Hoehr-Grenzhausen

Corrosion protection materials Acid proof (chem. resistant) materials

Refractory (Fire resistant) materials

Especially in sulphuric acid plants the
corrosion protection materials have to
withstand extreme chemical, mechanical
and thermal demands.
Protection of structures,
components, equipment

Protection of environment around
the plant

A broad variety of different types of
corrosion protection systems is suitable
for the possible types of chemical,
thermal or mechanical attack which will
occur in sulphuric acid plants:
Acid proof materials:
Bricks and tiles
Coatings and Floorings
Self levelling, Spray or Trowel applied, FRP
Rubber linings (workshop/on-site quality)
NR, IR, IIR, CIIR, BIIR, SBR, CSM
Thermoplastic linings (anchored/non anchored)
PE, PP, PIB, PVC, PVDF, PTFE

Refractory materials:
Bricks
Masses, Mortars, Fibres
Ceramic bricks and tiles
Carbon bricks, -tiles/graphite bricks
Fusion-cast basalt bricks
Stoneware
Natural stone grade (Granite)
Acid proof bricks and tiles
Brick lining criteria: chemical stress

thermal stress

mechanical stress

geometry of the tank or vessel
Acidproof materials for
bedding and jointing:
Synthetic resin materials

Epoxy resin (EP)
(moderate chemical attack)
Polyester (UP) and Vinylester (VE) resin
(Allround systems)
Furane (FU) and Phenolic (PF) resin
(highly resistant against acids)

Potassium silicate materials
Waterglass (WG)
Refractory materials
Bricks (Formed materials)
Schamottebricks
Bauxite bricks
Andalusite bricks
Silica bricks
Silicon carbide bricks
Corundum, Chromecorundum bricks

Non formed materials
Chemical bonded fire proof mortars
Ceramic bonded fire proof mortars
Masses and Fibres
Double catalysis (wet catalysis) Sulphuric acid production
Tail gas to stack
Air
420C
Converter Catalysis
SO
2
to SO
3

H
2
SO
4

98.5%
Final Absorption Tower;
180-200C
Interpass Absorber Drying Tower
Gas-Gas Heat Exchangers
600C
Intermediate Heat
Exchanger
100C


SO
2
Gas


Incineration of elemental sulphur
at arround 1200 C - 1600 C


S + O
2
SO
2



Problem:
- high operation temperature
- corrosive atmosphere of SO
2
- dew point
- discontinous operation

Sulphurdioxide
Roasting of metalsulphides
at ~ 1200C in a fluid bed roaster

e.g.

2 ZnS + 3 O
2
2 ZnO + 2 SO
2


Problem:
- corrosive atmosphere of SO
2
- high operation temperature


Sulphurdioxide
Thermal cracking of waste
Sulphuric acid at ~ 1000 - 1600 C


2 H
2
SO
4
2 SO
2
+ 2 H
2
O

Problem:
- corrosive atmosphere of SO
2
- high operation temperature
- discontinous operation
- slag generation by impurities of
metalsalts

Sulphurdioxide
Dry Gas
Cleaning
Gas Scrubbing
and Cooling
Gas
Cooling
Dust Drop Out
300 - 350C
to Contact
Section
30 - 40C
Residual Dust
0.1 - 0.2 ppm
Removal of SO
3
, Chloride,
Fluoride, fumes, dust
Impurities of Chloride,
Fluoride, Arsenic
Converter Off Gas
4 - 9 % SO
2
600 - 700C
Smelter Off Gas
10 - 50% SO
2
1200 - 1300C
Gas Cleaning:
Gascleaning: Venturi (upper part)


Requirements to the lining in
venturies are:

- Chemical resistance against acids
- Temperature resistance in the gas inlet
- Wear resistance against fluegas
Hot/wet temperature changes make
special bricklining necessary:

- Graphite bricks up to 400 - 450 C
- Highly refractory grades (> 450 C):
- Fused quartz
- Nitride bonded Silicon carbide
Self supporting dome for packed
towers
Absorption towers



Sulphuric acid towers:
One layer acid resistant bricks


Two layers acid resistant bricks




Three layers acid resistant bricks
Self supporting dome for packed
towers
Absorption towers
Bilfinger Berger AG * Carl-Rei-Platz 1-5 * D - 68165 Mannheim WINGRAF (V11.63-99) 7.12.2003
X Y
Z
-22.9
-21.0
-20.1
-19.1
-18.0
-
1
8
.
0
-
1
8
.
0
-17.9
-16.7
-16.3
-
1
6
.
0
-
1
6
.
0
-15.4
-14.0
-13.5
-10.2
-10.1
Sector of system Area-Elements Group 15 16
Maximum main pression stress in Nodes, Loadcase 3 Betrieb, from -22.9 to
-1.67 step 2.00 MPa
- 2 2 . 9
- 2 2 . 9
- 2 2 . 3
- 2 1 . 8
- 2 1 . 3
- 2 0 . 7
- 2 0 . 2
- 1 9 . 7
- 1 9 . 1
- 1 8 . 6
- 1 8 . 1
- 1 7 . 5
- 1 7 . 0
- 1 6 . 5
- 1 6 . 0
- 1 5 . 4
- 1 4 . 9
- 1 4 . 4
- 1 3 . 8
- 1 3 . 3
- 1 2 . 8
- 1 2 . 2
- 1 1 . 7
- 1 1 . 2
- 1 0 . 6
- 1 0 . 1
- 9 . 6
- 9 . 0
- 8 . 5
- 8 . 0
- 7 . 4
- 6 . 9
- 6 . 4
- 5 . 8
- 5 . 3
- 4 . 8
- 4 . 3
- 3 . 7
- 3 . 2
- 2 . 7
0.00 -1.00 -2.00 -3.00 m
1 0 . 0 0
9 . 0 0
8 . 0 0
7 . 0 0
Bilfinger Berger AG * Carl-Rei-Platz 1-5 * D - 68165 Mannheim WINGRAF (V11.63-99) 21.03.2004
Seite
X Y
Z
20.4
19.4 18.5
18.0
17.8
17.6
17.3
17.3
17.2
16.7
1
6
.
0
1
6
.
0
15.2
14.8
1
4
.
0
13.5
12.8
12.5 12.1
12.0
1
2
.
0
12.0
11.1
11.0
10.8
10.7
10.3
1
0
.
0
8.20
7.02
Systemausschnitt Flchenelemente Gruppe 15 16
Maximale Hauptzugspannung im Knoten, Lastfall 4 Auerbetriebnahme, von 6.97 bis 20.4 Stufen
2.00 MPa
7 . 0 7 . 1 7 . 4 7 . 7 8 . 1 8 . 4 8 . 7 9 . 1 9 . 4 9 . 8 1 0 . 1
1 0 . 4
1 0 . 8
1 1 . 1
1 1 . 4
1 1 . 8
1 2 . 1
1 2 . 4
1 2 . 8
1 3 . 1
1 3 . 5
1 3 . 8
1 4 . 1
1 4 . 5
1 4 . 8
1 5 . 1
1 5 . 5
1 5 . 8
1 6 . 1
1 6 . 5
1 6 . 8
1 7 . 2
1 7 . 5
1 7 . 8
1 8 . 2
1 8 . 5
1 8 . 8
1 9 . 2
1 9 . 5
1 9 . 9
2 0 . 4
0.50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00 m
1 0 . 5 0
1 0 . 0 0
9 . 5 0
9 . 0 0
8 . 5 0
8 . 0 0
7 . 5 0
Sulphuric acid towers:
Sulphuric acid towers:
Different lining designs
Ceramic Bricks
Potassium silicate mortar (Steuler S 50 HF)
Teflon (PTFE) sheet (0,25 mm)
Pecora Mastic

Sand blasted Steel
A
B
Ceramic Bricks
Potassium silicate mortar (Steuler S 50 HF)
Polyisobutylene Membrane (Rhepanol ORG)
Adhesive system
Sand blasted Steel
Examples:
Acidproof linings:

The requirements to the lining on
floor surfaces in all areas are similar:

- Resistance against H
2
SO
4
up to 98 %
- Temperature resistance up to 100 C
- Resistance against mechanical attack
- Crack bridging characteristics
Floor areas H
2
SO
4
-plant Acidproof linings:
Bricks, Tiles
Mortar
Concrete
Primer,
impregnation
Membrane
Concrete
Primer, impregnation
Membrane
Option 1:
Option 2:
Sumps, pits and drains H
2
SO
4
-plant
Membrane:
Oxydur UP 82
Mortar:
Steuler
Cement AE
Tiles:
Steuler SF
FRP-Grid

Concrete

with Tiling

without Tiling
Acidproof tilings:
Mechanically anchored thermoplastic linings
Thank you very much
for your kind attention
Dr. Andreas Hopp
Head of application technology department


Steuler Industrieller Korrosionsschutz GmbH
Georg-Steuler-Str.
56203 Hoehr-Grenzhausen