Commodity Production Costs Report
Sulfuric Acid from Sulfur (Double-Contact Process)
Sulfuric Acid Operating Costs & Plant Construction Costs
This report presents the economics of Sulfuric Acid production from sulfur in the United States. In this process, sulfur is burned to form sulfor dioxide, which is then converted to sulfur trioxide. Sulfor trioxide is converted to sulfuric acid by double-contact double absorption (DC/DA) with a high concentration sulfuric acid solution in water.
The report provides a comprehensive study of Sulfuric Acid production and related Sulfuric Acid production cost, covering three key aspects: a complete description of the Sulfuric Acid production process examined; an in-depth analysis of the related Sulfuric Acid plant capital cost (Capex); and an evaluation of the respective Sulfuric Acid plant operating costs (Opex).
The Sulfuric Acid production process description includes a block flow diagram (BFD), an overview of the industrial site installations, detailing both the process unit and the necessary infrastructure, process consumption figures and comprehensive process flow diagrams (PFD). The Sulfuric Acid plant capital cost analysis breaks down the Capex by plant cost (i.e., ISBL, OSBL and Contingency); owner's cost; working capital; and costs incurred during industrial plant commissioning and start-up. The Sulfuric Acid plant operating costs analysis covers operating expenses, including variable costs like raw materials and utilities, and fixed costs such as maintenance, labor, and depreciation.
Key reference(s): ?

The process under analysis comprises two major sections: (1) Sulfur burning; and (2) Double contact process.
Sulfur burning. Elemental sulfur (in molten form) and dried air are fed to a combustion furnace, in which the sulfur is burned to produce sulfur dioxide. The proportion between air flow and sulfur feed rate is controlled so that sufficient concentration of oxygen is maintained in the process gas, ensuring proper conversion of SO2 to SO3 in the subsequent steps. This combustion furnace is equipped with a waste heat boiler that cools down the reaction gas and generates high pressure steam, which, in turn, is fed to a turbine for generating electricity. The cooled reaction product gas is directed to the SO2 converter.
Double contact process. In the SO2 Converter, the sulfur dioxide is oxidized to sulfur trioxide. This step occurs in five catalyst beds within a single vertical converter. The gases from the third bed leave the reactor and are directed to an Intermediate absorption step downstream, in which part of the sulfur trioxide formed reacts with existing water in the recirculating sulfuric acid, forming more sulfuric acid. After such intermediate absorption step, the column off-gas is routed to the fourth and fifth beds for the last catalytic oxidation stages. The oxidation product is sent to the final absorption step, which is analog to the intermediate absorption. The concentrated sulfuric acid obtained is then fed to the intermediate absorption circuit - the final product (98.5 wt% sulfuric acid) is discharged from the intermediate absorber circuit.
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Content Highlights
Plant Capital Cost Summary
Summary outlining the capital cost required for building the Sulfuric Acid production plant examined.
Plant Capital Cost Details
Detailing of fixed capital (ISBL, OSBL & Owner’s Cost), working capital and additional capital requirements.
Plant Cost Breakdowns
Breakdown of Sulfuric Acid process unit (ISBL) costs and infrastructure (OSBL) costs; plant cost breakdown per discipline.
Operating Costs Summary
Summary presenting the operating variable costs and the total operating cost of the Sulfuric Acid production plant studied.
Operating Cost Details
Detailing of utilities costs, operating fixed costs and depreciation.
Plant Capacity Assessment
Comparative analysis of capital investment and operating costs for different Sulfuric Acid plant capacities.
Production Process Information
Block Flow Diagram, descriptions of process unit (ISBL) and site infrastructure (OSBL).
Process Consumptions
Raw materials and utilities consumption figures, by-products credits, labor requirements
Process Diagrams
Process flow diagrams (PFD), equipment list and industrial site configuration
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Sulfuric Acid from Sulfur (Single-Contact Process)
This report presents the economics of Sulfuric Acid production from sulfur in the United States. In this process, sulfur is burned to form sulfur dioxide, which is then converted to sulfur trioxide. This sulfur trioxide is converted to sulfuric acid by absorption with recirculating sulfuric acid solution in water in only one column.
Details: 1480 kta United States-based plant | Q3 2024 | 107 pages | Issue B | From $999 USD

Sulfuric Acid Production from Iron Pyrite Gases
This report presents the economics of sulfuric acid production from iron pyrite gases in the United States. In this process, iron pyrite gas is treated for undesirable compounds removal and then, sulfur dioxide contained in the gas is converted to sulfur trioxide, which passes through double-contact double absorption to generate sulfuric acid.
Details: 300 kta United States-based plant | Q3 2024 | 107 pages | Issue C | From $999 USD

Sulfuric Acid Production from H2S Gases
This report presents the economics of recovering hydrogen sulfide gases to generate sulfuric acid in the United States. In this process hydrogen sulfide is initially burned, forming sulfur dioxide and water. The sulfur dioxide is then converted to sulfur trioxide, The sulfur trioxide reacts with the water previously generated and yields sulfuric acid.
Details: 180 kta United States-based plant | Q3 2024 | 107 pages | Issue D | From $799 USD
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Laurolactam from Cyclododecane (Oximation with Hydroxylamine)
This report presents the economics of Laurolactam production from cyclododecane in the United States. Initially, cyclododecane is oxidized to cyclododecanol. Subsequently, the cyclododecanol obtained is dehydrogenated to cyclododecanone. Then, the cyclododecanone is submitted to an oximation reaction with hydroxylamine. Finally, the cyclododecanone oxime produced is converted to laurolactam by Beckmann rearrangement.
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