Control and optimization of metallurgical sulfuric acid plants

Abstract

The pyrometallurgical processing of copper concentrates produces SO₂-bearing offgas. SO₂ in the offgas is catalytically oxidized to SO₃ and absorbed into a ∼98.5% H₂SO₄-H₂O mixture in a sulfuric acid plant. This research provides an analysis of a copper smelter sulfuric acid plant and discusses the control and optimization necessary to attain the following goals: (a) minimize smelter SO₂ emissions; (b) maximize acid plant capacity and availability. The objectives of this work are to: (a) prepare mathematical descriptions of sulfuric acid plant operations; compare the mathematical predictions with plant data; (c) use the mathematical descriptions to: (i) predict acid plant behavior with varying feed SO₂ strengths and gas flow rates; (ii) determine control strategies to minimize smelter SO₂ emissions; (iii) evaluate requirements for an existing acid plant to accommodate future increased feed gas flows and SO₂ strengths.