Fall Winter 2019

Covering Best Practices for the Industry

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Sulfuric acid at center of new multi-function complex in Turkey Page 7

IN THIS ISSUE > > > > An unexpected year for sulfuric acid. page 10

Nuova Solmine installs new MECS ® ZeCor ® final absorption tower. page 12

Paper producer installs NORAM sulfur combustion plant. Page 14

Clean Technologies

Making everyday life better, safer, cleaner For 100 years, we have partnered sulfuric acid producers with innovative technology and expert trouble-shooting technical support. And our tradition of designing advanced solutions to solve site-specific challenges continues – so we can together deliver cleaner air productively, efficiently and reliably.

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MECS® Sulphuric acid & environmental technologies Copyright © 2019 DuPont. The DuPont Oval Logo, DuPont™, is registered trademarks or trademarks of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

Sulfuric Acid

Covering Best PraCtiCes for the industry

Sulfuric Acid T

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Fall/Winter 2019

Sulfuric acid at center of new multi-function complex in Turkey Page 7

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IN THIS ISSUE > > > > nuova solmine installs new MeCs ® ZeCor ® final absorption tower. page 12

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Paper producer installs noraM sulfur combustion plant. page 14 an unexpected year for sulfuric acid. page 16

On the Cover …

7 Multi-function sulfuric acid unit plays key role in new metals/fertilizer complex in Turkey.

Departments 4 Product News News items from the sulfuric acid industry 5 Industry Insights News items about the sulfuric acid and related industries 16

Dear Friends,

Welcome to the Fall/Winter 2019 issue of Sulfuric Acid Today magazine. We have dedicated ourselves to covering

the latest products and technology for those in the industry,

and hope you find this issue both helpful and informative.

In this edition you will find articles regarding some inter-

esting case studies from sulfuric acid plants worldwide. Our

cover story delved into how Eti Bakır recently commissioned a brand-new combined roasting/leaching/fertilizer complex in Mazıdağı, the site of an abandoned phosphate mine in south-

western Turkey (page 7); Nuova Solmine of Italy installed

a new final absorption tower constructed with a state-ofthe-art alloy (page 12); a large Canadian pulp and paper

producer on the east coast of Canada incorporated a small sulfur dioxide combustion and quench sys-

Lessons Learned Case histories from the sulfuric acid industry

tem for their high-quality corrugating medium facil-

ity (page 14); Mosaic’s Uberaba Complex in Brazil repaired a severely damaged acid distributor in its

36 Faces & Places

Covering sulfuric acid industry events 38

EDITOR April Smith

10), “Lewis Expert Blog: The importance of material selection in centrifugal pumps and valves” (page 18), “Confined space rescue: Be prepared when an emergency arises” (page 20), “Further reflections from an acid cooler technical representative” (page 26), and “Sulfur gun advancements” (page 30).

I would like to welcome our new and returning Sulfuric

Acid Today advertisers, including: Acid Piping Technology Inc., Alphatherm Inc., Beltran Technologies, Breen, Central Maintenance & Welding, Chemetics Inc., Clark Solutions, DuPont MECS, Koch Knight LLC, Mercad Equipment Inc., NORAM Engineering & Constructors, Optimus, Sauereisen, SensoTech, Southwest Refractory of Texas, Spraying Systems Co., VIP International, and Weir Minerals Lewis Pumps.

We are currently compiling information for our Spring/

and AngloGold Ashanti Brazil Mineracao installed

to contact me via email at kathy@h2so4today.com. I look for-

copper smelter plants in Mufulira and Kitwe, Zambia

or other information you would like included, please feel free

advanced WESP technology to achieve and exceed

ward to hearing from you.

plant in California integrated a dew point measure-

Sincerely, Kathy Hayward

22

10 An unexpected year for sulfuric acid 12

Nuova Solmine installs new MECS® ZeCor® final absorption tower

14 Paper producer installs NORAM sulfur combustion plant 18

Marketing ASSISTANT Tim Bowers DESIGN & LAYOUT

Today include: “An unexpected year for sulfuric acid” (page

FEATURES & GUEST COLUMNS

PUBLISHED BY Keystone Publishing L.L.C.

EDITOR April Kabbash

Other informative articles in this issue of Sulfuric Acid

Summer 2020 issue. If you have any suggestions for articles

ment system for measuring continuous process gas

PUBLISHER Kathy Hayward

drying tower (page 22), Mopani Copper Mines Plc

government guidelines (page 24); and a sulfuric acid

Calendar of Events

dew point temperatures (page 28).

Lewis Expert Blog: The importance of material selection in centrifugal pumps and valves

20

Confined space rescue: Be prepared when an emergency arises

28

22 Acid distributor restoration 281-545-8053 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 3502 Covington, LA 70434 Phone: (985) 807-3868 E-Mail: kathy@h2so4today.com www.h2so4today.com SUBSCRIPTIONS U.S. Plant Personnel —‑Complimentary U.S. Subscription —‑ $39 per year (2 issues) Internat’l Subscription —‑$59 per year (2 issues) Subscribe Online: www.h2so4today.com

24

Wet electrostatic precipitators excel in sulfuric acid gas cleaning

26

Further reflections from an acid cooler technical representative

28 Process gas dewpoint/moisture leak detection measurement system 30

Sulfur gun advancements

32

Central Florida engineers host 43rd Clearwater conferencea

34

Roundtable gathers industry minds for focused review

34

Department

Product News WASTE HEAT RECOVERY BOILERS SUPERHEATERS ECONOMIZERS

Monitoring sulfuric acid alkylation: inline, real-time, and maintenance-free JERSEY CITY, NJ —Sulfuric acid has many beneficial characteristics, mak-

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by generating a clear signal in the

LiquiSonic® analyzer, using ultrasonic

furic acid to provide reliable, real-time

into different sulfuric acid processes.

detection (within seconds) of process

used in sulfuric acid processes such

reaction. Discovered deviations are sent

and wet sulfuric acid procedures, in

that operators can respond within sec-

oil refining, and syngas drying.

sary to monitor the strength of sulfuric

ments, saving laboratory and material

adding fresh acid. By incorporating a

measuring systems include easy, user-

as a density measurement, both concen-

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an accuracy of ± 0.03 wt%.

operators. SensoTech has developed a

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Op�mus delivered its rst sulfuric acid plant waste heat recovery system in 1996. Across the power and process industries, we’ve produced more heat recovery boilers, HRSGs, superheaters, and economizers than any ac�ve company in the USA.

LiquiSonic ® analyzer, three-component assembly.

The LiquiSonic® sensors are robust,

ally coated with special materials. The automation of process monitoring is

very important to running a plant safely and economically. With the LiquiSonic®,

cess safety, and product yield. By using

system processes become lean and effi-

or tantalum, corrosion is completely

special materials, like Hastelloy C2000 avoided and with the high sensitivity of

sonic velocity to sulfuric acid concentration, the LiquiSonic® sensors achieve

cient, reducing waste to a minimum.

For more information, please con-

tact Harald Schroth at harald.schroth@ sensotech.com or (973) 997-4585; or visit www.sensotech.com. q

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PAGE 4

The LiquiSonic® analyzer, using ultrasonic velocity, can easily be integrated inline into different sulfuric acid processes.

Sulfuric Acid Today • Fall/Winter 2019

$174 million acid plant up and running at Trail smelter

VANCOUVER, Canada—After two years of construction valued at $174 million, the No. 2 acid plant is now in service at the Tech Trail smelter. Teck Trail operations officially announced the plant’s completion on Thursday, though the new facility has been fully operational since late spring.

“This investment supports our ongoing focus on sustainability and the longterm viability of our operation,” Thompson Hickey, general manager, Trail Operations, said. “Using the best available technology, the new plant will enhance productivity and operational efficiency here at Trail Operations.”

The new structure is a state-of-the-art replica of the No. 1 acid plant, which was completed in 2014. The new plants replace 1970s technology, and are expected to have a lifespan of over 40 years.

Ground broke on the second site in early 2017. Over the course of the build, the No. 2 acid plant created roughly 160 jobs, with local hires as the majority of contractors.

“Our employees and contractor partners have exemplified safety as a core value on the project, which was completed with zero lost time injuries,” said Hickey.

“The No. 2 acid plant is the latest major investment to further strengthen Trail’s position as a world-class metallurgical facility and an important part of our business,” Shehzad Bharmal, vice president, North America operations, base metals, said. “Teck, as a company, is committed to the future of Trail Operations. That is why we have worked hard over the years to strengthen the operational and environmental performance of every aspect of the smelter.”

The acid plants are part of zinc production processes, and convert SO2 gas into sulfuric acid. Sulfuric acid is sent to Warfield Operations for use in fertilizer production and it is sold in the open market for other industrial applications.

Teck Trail Operations houses one of the world’s largest smelting and refining complexes, which produces refined zinc and lead and a variety of precious and specialty metals, chemicals, and fertilizer products. The smelter employs approximately 1,400 people and has been in operation for over a century.

For more information, please visit www.teck.com.

SNC-Lavalin wins Ioneer contract

NORTH SYDNEY, NSW, Australia— Ioneer Ltd. recently awarded SNC-Lavalin Sulfuric Acid Today • Fall/Winter 2019

Group Inc. an engineering and design contract for the sulfuric acid plant of the Rhyolite Ridge lithium-boron project in Nevada. The plant—which is rated to produce 3,500 tonnes per day of sulfuric acid for the leach process and the steam/ heat necessary for the process plant—will incorporate DuPont Clean Technologies’ MECS sulfuric acid production technology.

In the bidding process, SNC-Lavalin projected a budget of approximately $111 million for the supply and installation of the sulfuric acid plant, $59 million lower than the estimated $170 million envisaged under the October 2018 pre-feasibility study.

The reduced capital expenditure for the sulfuric acid plant’s construction and installation resulted in a change in the contracting strategy, from lump sum turnkey to an engineering and procurement contract, and a focus on fit for purpose construction and cost optimization.

For more information, please visit www.ioneer.com.

Trafigura Group Pte Ltd becomes majority owner of Nyrstar’s operating business

GENEVA – Trafigura Group Pte Ltd., a market leader in the global commodities industry, recently became the majority owner of the operating business of Nyrstar, a global multi-metals business.

“The closure of this capital restructuring is excellent news for both Trafigura and Nyrstar,” said Jeremy Weir, executive chairman and chief executive officer of Trafigura. “Nyrstar is a significant global business that has been built on strong foundations. The macro economic environment is positive for zinc concentrate and refined zinc metal markets on a forward looking basis, and Nyrstar will be very complementary to our existing trading activities. As an independently operated company within the Group and with its restructured and strengthened balance sheet, there is now the opportunity for Nyrstar to realise its full potential.”

Daniel Vanin has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of the operating business of Nyrstar. With 40 years in the industry, he brings extensive international mine and smelting development experience, alongside strong management skills to the role.

“I’ve already visited almost every Nyrstar operation around the world.

I’ve been impressed by the fundamental strength of the assets, by the depth of technical knowledge of the teams and by their passion for the work that they do.

I’ve seen many opportunities and solutions

that could be implemented quickly. We will also be able to draw on Trafigura’s technical, economic, and other commercial expertise,” said Vanin.

Over the next few months, a new headquarters will be established at Nyrstar’s operations at Budel, in the Netherlands.

Members of Zurich-based staff whose roles are affected have already been informed of these plans, with the employee consultation process having taken place during July.

For more information, please visit www.trafigura.com.

Sauereisen receives its second Presidential “E Star” Award for Exports

PITTSBURGH—Sauereisen, a world leader in the production of protective linings, coatings, and ceramics for industrial users, was recently awarded its second President’s “E Star” Award for Exports— the highest recognition any U.S. entity can receive for making a significant contribution to the expansion of U.S. exports. The honor was presented to Sauereisen and 47 other U.S. companies by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., in May. Sauereisen is one of only four companies to receive a second President’s “E Star” Award for

Exports in the history of the program.

Secretary Ross praised Sauereisen for demonstrating “a sustained commitment to export expansion” in a congratulatory letter that was sent to the company.

“Sauereisen’s commitment to exporting has always been an integral part of our long-term strategy, as we know that substantial growth in our customer base will come from overseas markets,” said Eric Sauereisen, president of Sauereisen.

“To help meet these growth objectives, we often rely on our relationships with others, most notably the U.S. Commercial Service.” In 2018, U.S. exports were the highest on record with U.S. services at $821.1 billion and U.S. exports of goods reaching $1.7 trillion, demonstrating how American private enterprise can not only survive, but thrive, in the international market. American companies are nominated for “E” Awards through the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service office network, located within the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration. Record years of successive export growth and an applicant’s demonstration of an innovative international marketing plan that led to the increase in exports is a significant factor in selecting the overall winners.

For more information, please visit www.sauereisen.com. q

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PAGE 5

Department

Industry Insights

Cover Story

Sulfuric acid at center of new multi-function complex in Turkey By: April Smith, editor, Sulfuric Acid Today

View from WESPs upstream onto the Outovent and hot ESP.

Ductwork configuration around the converter.

View of roaster and hot ESP.

W

hen you have a pyrite source and an abandoned phosphate mine located in an underemployed farming region that is reliant on imported fertilizer, what do you do? If you’re metals producer Eti Bakır, you help revitalize the area by building a multipurpose metals/ fertilizer plant there.

Eti Bakır recently commissioned a brand-new combined roasting/leaching/ fertilizer complex in Mazıdağı, the site of an abandoned phosphate mine in southwestern Turkey. The new facility uses the onsite phosphate along with pyrite concentrate transported from another site to produce base metals and phosphate-based fertilizers. The sulfuric acid unit is central to the process, capturing SO2 from pyrite roasting, delivering calcine feedstock to the leaching function, and supplying acid to feed both the leaching and fertilizer Sulfuric Acid Today • Fall/Winter 2019

processes. The unit also generates enough steam to power the entire complex.

For Eti Bakır, the installation provided a way to extract metals from its pyrite operation in the north while delivering fertilizer and jobs to Turkey’s neediest communities in the southeast.

is the only plant in Turkey capable of producing cathode copper from ore. Its Küre plant produces 1,000,000 tons of raw copper ore and 90,000 tons of copper

concentrate annually.

The Küre facility, located on the Black Sea in northern Turkey, also produces 400,000 tons of pyrite concentrate per year.

A metals producer branches out

Eti Bakır is owned by Cengiz Holding A.S., a huge family of 35 companies that has been investing in infrastructure projects since its inception in 1987. In the early 2000s, Cengiz began investing in mining operations and in 2004 acquired Eti Bakır, Turkey’s largest copper mining and metallurgy company. Eti Bakır operates multiple locations throughout the country. Its Samsun smelting facility

Overall plant flowsheet, with roaster, gas cleaning, and sulfuric acid plant highlighted.

PAGE 7

Cover Story

Roasting, gas-cleaning, and acid plant components.

The company had been looking for a way to extract that mineral’s base metals—zinc, copper, and cobalt. It wanted an efficient extraction solution that made good use of all the byproducts of the production value chain.

“We performed detailed evaluations of bio leaching, the albion process, and pyrite roasting technologies, and decided the roasting technology was the most economical and efficient,” said Emre Kayisoglu, general manager of the Mazıdağı plant complex. Pyrite roasting creates calcine and SO2. The calcine is further processed to extract metals while the SO2 feeds sulfuric acid production.

Producing sulfuric acid from roasting pyrite is not common practice today because of the widespread availability of refined sulfur. But Eti Bakır needed this technology for its metals recovery process. The company chose Outotec for its expertise in this area. “Outotec is the expert for pyrite roasting and sulfuric acid plants,” said Kayisoglu. “We’ve had many positive experiences with them, and we knew they had the best technology for

our requirements.”

With a relatively small portion of the sulfuric acid production capacity used in leaching, the company resurrected the old phosphate mine in Mazıdağı so that it could produce fertilizer using the bulk of the sulfuric acid and the locally mined phosphate.

The company considered building the new complex near the pyrite source in northern Turkey and transporting the phosphate there, but instead chose the Mazıdağı location because of the local region’s need for fertilizer, which had been largely imported to the area. Southwestern Turkey also experiences the highest levels of unemployment in the nation, so a capital investment of this size would provide much needed jobs.

Project specifics

Cengiz Holding acquired the Mazıdağı mine in 2011, construction began in 2015, and the facility was commissioned in the first quarter of 2019. Total investment was approximately $1.1 billion, the largest private sector investment in the region.

The new complex consists of six basic units: a pyrite roaster/offgas/sulfuric acid plant, a phosphate beneficiation plant, a phosphoric acid plant, an ammonia plant, a fertilizer plant, and a hydrometallurgical plant.

Annual phosphate rock production is expected to be 550,000 tons—all from the local mine. Total annual fertilizer production is estimated to be 750,000 tons (200,000 tons of DAP and 550,000 tons of NP). This represents 20 percent of the nation’s fertilizer market and is expected to meet the fertilizer requirements of the entire Harran Plain, the largest area of agricultural land in the region.

Annual metals production is expected to be 2,000 mt cobalt, 2,000 mt copper cathodes, and 1,000 mt zinc. Gold and silver is also recovered on site based on Outotec’s technology, depending on the pyrite concentrate input feed.

Acid at the core

“The sulfuric acid plant is the heart of the whole complex,” explained Kenan Soybelli, roaster operations manager.

“What makes this plant different from others is that we produce three products— steam, calcine, and sulfuric acid—all of which feed further processes.” Steam generates power for the entire complex, calcine is the raw material for the hydrometallurgical leaching plant, and the acid is used for both leaching and fertilizer production.

The basic components of the acid plant are pyrite roasting, offgas cleaning, and sulfuric acid production. The roaster’s function is twofold: to capture the SO2 offgas for sulfuric acid production and to produce the calcine for downstream metals extraction.

Roasting pyrite

The standard method for processing pyrite involves roasting in a fluidized bed reactor. “This technology has been in largescale commercial use since the 1950s,”

Overall view of Eti Bakır’s sulfuric acid plant in Mazıdağı, Turkey.

PAGE 8

said Taygun Bayram, senior construction manager at Outotec, “but the difference today is improved process controls that optimize plant performance.”

In Eti Bakır’s application, strict monitoring and control of process temperatures are necessary to balance the different output requirements. Roasting temperatures that are too high could lock up the sub-microscopic gold particles in the calcine while temperatures that are too low would lower steam production and plant performance.

Outotec provided integrated digital tools for process monitoring, controlling, and advisory activities. One of these offerings is Outotec’s roasting plant optimizer, which is configured independently from the plant’s distributed control system (DCS).

“DCS functionality remains untouched by the optimizer,” said Bayram. “Process variables, such as feed belt speeds, are exchanged between the instrumentation and DCS, but control, such as the shut-down procedure, remains in the DCS.” Another system supports the acid plant’s heat recovery system from hot acid (HEROS™) which employs extended instrumentation coupled with Outotec’s Plant Operability Reliability and Safety (PORS) philosophy.

“These systems will enable future employment of a full plant optimizer,” Bayram explains. “In essence, a further step has been made towards ‘digital readiness.’”

Gas cleaning

Since most prime ore deposits have been depleted globally, metal producers are increasingly processing more complex ores and concentrates. These complex materials contain less metal and typically greater levels of impurities, like arsenic and mercury. So the gas cleaning function of the acid plant must be able to capture these pollutants in the off gas, and, as in the case of Eti Bakır’s Mazıdağı plant, assure both the smooth operation of the downstream acid plant and the purity of the sulfuric acid for

Configuration of the roasting plant optimizer and the PORS philosophy.

Sulfuric Acid Today • Fall/Winter 2019

Cover Story

fertilizer production.

In the Mazıdağı installation, off gas with an SO2 concentration of 12.6 percent (vol) flows from the roasting process at a rate of 152,000 Nm3/h and undergoes a two-step cleaning process.

First, hot electrostatic precipitators (hot ESP) remove solids. Next, the dedusted off gas enters the wet gas cleaning plant where the remaining impurities are removed using Outotec’s industryproven Otovent scrubber and packed gas cooling tower configuration, coupled with primary- and second-stage Editube wet electrostatic precipitators (WESP). The uprising volatiles from the roaster contain mostly mercury, which is captured using Outotec’s B-N mercury removal system, the benchmark industry process technology. After mercury removal, the gas enters the drying tower and then on to a traditional contact section for the catalytic oxidation of SO2 to SO3.

Production rate of the acid plant is 2,080 t/day with very low impurities: arsenic < 0.1 mg/kg acid and mercury < 1 mg/kg acid.

Independent heat recovery

The sulfuric acid plant has the distinct feature of recuperating low-pressure steam from hot acid. The 20 t/h, low-pressure 7bar(g) steam, produced via Outotec’s heat recovery HEROS™ process, operates independently from the plant’s primary acid producing function.

“In a metallurgical operation with interdependencies of upstream and downstream demands, it is critical that interruption of production is minimized,” said Bayram. “The fact that the acid plant need not be shut down in case the heat recovery system is taken out of operation, deliberately or forced, is a key element of the HEROS™ design.”

Mathematical models monitor the heat transfer between the acid side and the water side to allow for early leak detection based on the PORS (Plant Operability Reliability and Safety) system of process algorithms. When upset conditions are detected, the hot acid is separated quickly, via gravity, into brick-lined equipment, thus mitigating hydrogen formation and minimizing equipment corrosion. The system’s material of construction is an alloy that also offers a wide operational window, Sulfuric Acid Today • Fall/Winter 2019

View of B-N mercury removal system and WESPs.

View of the two roaster calcine bunkers.

and commissioned together, we sometimes had difficulties with integration,” said Soybelli. “But by having good supervision and expertise on site, we were able to work through that quickly.”

Coordinating the activity of many different groups working in the same area was also tricky. But to ensure the safety of everyone, the permitting system “had to work uncompromisingly,” said Soybelli.

“And it was strictly enforced. No one could enter without permission.”

HEROS™ low pressure steam production from hot acid.

as compared to materials traditionally employed in sulfuric acid applications.

Challenges

A project of this magnitude naturally

had its challenges. One of them was finding skilled labor locally. “Due to the

remote location, our main challenge was insufficient experienced personnel,” said Kayisoglu. “But we compensated for this

by relying on our contractors, like Outotec, to provide the expertise.”

Other challenges related to the size

and complexity of the project. “With so many different plants being constructed

View of the two roaster/hot-ESP process trains.

The result

Since commissioning earlier this year, plant performance has met with standards and Eti Bakır feels secure in the quality of the design and equipment.

“And our plant is so quiet,” Soybelli said, reflecting on one of the project’s more intangible aspects. “Anyone who visits asks whether it’s even operating because it’s so clean and silent.”

The staff who work in the plant are also pleased. “It’s operator-friendly,” said Kayisoglu. “The design was determined according to ergonomic use, making access and maintenance quite easy.”

The smooth operability of the plant is also attributed to proper training and preparedness. Operators were hired and started training well before construction was complete. “All equipment suppliers provided training on each individual piece of equipment on site and in the classroom,” said Kayisoglu. “Many classroom trainings were done with Outotec and our shift engineers.” Experienced foremen have also been hired to facilitate regular operator training going forward.

“Even with such a big integrated plant, by using the best available technology, we were able to train the local labor force in a much shorter time than we could have predicted,” said Kayisoglu. q PAGE 9

Feature

market outlook

An unexpected year for sulfuric acid

By: Fiona Boyd and Freda Gordon, Directors of Acuity Commodities

2019 has thus far been an unexpected year for sulfuric acid after price gains throughout 2018. Since the start of 2019, sulfuric acid values have been under downward pressure, as the market has been clouded by rising supply, slowing demand, and geopolitical concerns. To illustrate this, spot sulfuric acid in Japan and South Korea was trading at $14-19/t freight-on-board (FOB) at the time of writing, much lower than the $50-60/t FOB recorded at the same time in 2018, while not far from the $2-7/t FOB recorded at the same time three years ago in 2016.

The consistent price decline since November last year appeared dramatic because of an unforeseen surge in pricing in 2H 2018. The price in Japan and South Korea reached $85/t FOB in late 2018, driven by global production constraints and firming demand, including that from Chile. Even then, this price level was widely viewed as unsustainable. As a comparison, between June 2016 and now, Acuity’s spot assessment for FOB Japan/South Korea had mostly been under $40/t.

This year’s acid price has undoubtedly been dragged down by an oversupply situation–the market has faced expanding supply, particularly from China, and relatively stable demand. Moreover, this year has been remarkable and unlike the previous years because market sentiment and prices have both been heavily influenced by a series of unexpected events.

Firstly, the price of sulfur has been under significant downward pressure throughout 2019. This was caused by weaker than expected demand from the phosphate fertilizer sector, the primary consuming market of sulfur. Global demand for phosphate fertilizers this year has lowered because of high stocks and therefore delayed needs to import. Typical buying markets, such as India, have shown waning interest to import during the high seasons, therefore delaying the need to procure raw material sulfur. A direct consequence has been the retreating of sulfur prices, while buyers who have their own sulfuric acid production capacity have a stronger argument in putting further downward pressure on the price of smelter acid.

Those with on-site sulfuric acid production capacity may want to maximize their sulfur purchases, but due to existing contracts, in reality they have little room in reducing their acid offtake quantities during 2019. Product replacement will happen when, and if, the price of sulfur is sitting much lower than the equivalent price of smelter acid for a sustained period. We are of the opinion that if the price of sulfur continues to drop, such buyers will displace sulfuric acid imports with sulfur to take advantage of the co-product steam generation.

Copper and cobalt prices have also been shrinking for most of 2019. This resulted in diminished demand for the two products. The drop in cobalt’s price has resulted in reduced production in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). In August this year, Glencore announced its intention to halt production at Mutanda in the DRC from the end of 2019, in response to the price decline of copper and cobalt. Mutanda is the world’s largest cobalt mine, as well as a large-scale copper producing site. It has sulfurburning capacity that allows it to produce up to 250,000 t/yr of acid, while it has also been importing acid from Mopani in Zambia. With the shutdown, we assume there will no longer be acid exported from Mopani, which produces up to 650,000 t/yr of smelter acid, to Mutanda from next year onwards. The shutdown of Mutanda will affect regional acid distribution within Southern Africa.

Global geopolitical and financial turbulence shed market confidence

Poor downstream demand pulls acid prices down

The price fluctuation of related and downstream products has influenced the price of sulfuric acid indirectly.

PAGE 10

Fiona Boyd, Acuity Commodities

Freda Gordon, Acuity Commodities

2018 to the $70s/t CFR in mid-September, interest from speculative traders to enter the spot market and take position has been relatively weak. This is highly unusual and unlike previous years, when speculative buying often happens when there is a dramatic fall in spot pricing.

The trade war also resulted in a series of tit-for-tat tariffs between China and the United States. This has affected the trade of crops, for example. As for sulfuric acid trade between the two countries, it is relatively negligible.

Policy changes lead to further market uncertainties

Policy wise we have also been expecting a major change that will affect the sulfur and sulfuric acid markets, likely beginning in the third quarter of 2019. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has ordered all marine fuel to contain no more than 0.5% of sulfur beginning January 2020, a sharp decline from the current allowance of 3.5%. This is the most impactful, sudden global change for shipowners and refiners, and we have been expecting significant market turbulence between the fourth quarter of 2019 and the third quarter of 2020. Acuity’s base case scenario in early 2019 indicated an expected increase of 2m t of incremental sulfur production due to the implementation of this new rule, but indications are shifting. As an example, we have seen projects being cancelled in the U.S. Gulf Coast and one European refiner indicating less sulfur production in 2020.

For sulfuric acid, some ship owners have been reluctant to commit to contracts of affreightments (CoAs) for 2020 because of the uncertainties in bunker costs as well as compliant fuel availability. At the time of writing, some shipowners have asked for a premium charge for agreements for 2020 in case of a surge in freight costs. Freight is a key component for the price of sulfuric acid, and we should watch this space in the coming 12 months.

Expectations for 2020

All markets respond to supply and demand fundamentals. So far this year, sulfuric acid prices have declined as

To call 2019 a year of geopolitical turbulence is no exaggeration. In Europe, Brexit has negatively affected the value of the British pound against the U.S. dollar, which is a headache to UK-based operations–including sulfuric acid buyers–importing or paying in other currencies.

More significantly, the trade war between the United States and China has cast a shadow on the global financial market. Since the dispute began in late 2018, we noticed a more cautious approach from Chinese importers. This is partly a result of the devaluation of the Chinese yuan against the U.S. dollar. For the sulfur market, the negative impact in investor sentiment is particularly evident because despite the price dropping from $180/t cost-in-freight (CFR) in October Sulfuric Acid Today • Fall/Winter 2019

shutdown resulted in higher sulfur imports in 2018 and the

are expected to progress in October. There are expecta-

tion. India’s sulfuric acid imports also grew due to a lack

nomics, impacted mainly by the ongoing US-China trade

while global demand has stayed relatively flat.

China will remain the wild card in 2020. For a country

that was a net importer, the rising production of involuntary acid has forced newly commissioned smelters to export

amid lower local demand and prices for acid. China, as a

relatively new net exporter of acid, lacks the experience of

selling at low or negative values. Therefore, many smelters have been relatively reluctant to lower their price offers significantly to compete with neighboring export markets Japan and South Korea. However, if local Chinese demand

deteriorates further in the medium term, we are of the opin-

ion that China will quickly adopt to the reality and begin exporting at levels lower than now as long as they have to.

Chile’s production has been constrained this year

because of the necessary smelters re-modifications to comply with new environmental regulations. In the coming

year, smelter operating rates will be a key component in determining Chile’s balance.

Between now and next year, we will also be watching

closely whether two Asian production sites will be resum-

ing full operating rates–India’s Sterlite copper smelter in

Tuticorin and the Pasar copper smelter in the Philippines, operated by Glencore.

Sterlite has been shut since March 2018 and whether it

can restart remains a highly political question in India. Its

first half of 2019, supporting more domestic acid producof local smelter acid supply from this smelter, estimated at around 1m t/yr.

Pasar has been under a force majeure (FM) since

January 2018, and was, at the time of writing, under a turnaround that was widely thought to be pivotal in its resump-

tion of full production of copper, and thus around 1m t/yr of smelter acid.

European supply, on the other hand, has been rela-

tively predictable until August this year with a flurry of

unplanned production issues being reported. This includes the FM announced by Atlantic Copper in late August, along with outages elsewhere in Europe.

Demand has been a concern, as discussed ear-

lier. While contractual offtake of sulfuric acid has been healthy, particularly evident in Europe, global spot demand is lackluster.

As we reach the end of the year, Chile’s price and

volume expectations for 2020 are seen by many as a guiding point of how global pricing will shape up in the

coming year. Currently, spot interest in Chile is limited amid high inventories and some slower consumption.

Consumers are readying consumption estimates in order

to engage in contractual discussions for next year, which

tions of lower demand because of prevailing copper eco-

war. The current high acid inventories, copper fundamentals and questions on the availability of sulfuric acid from China next year will be key factors in the discussions.

In the first half of 2019, China was the second-largest

supplier to Chile behind Peru with volumes more than

tripling from around 120,000t supplied in the first half of 2018 to 484,000t in 2019.

Fertilizer production capacity expansion will likely

be driving demand for sulfur/sulfuric acid in India and

Morocco. For India, producer Coromandel has the inten-

tion to increase its phosphate output and therefore its need

of imported sulfuric acid in the coming year. Morocco is also on track to ramp up its various production units that will see its own sulfuric acid production rising, too. But

for 2020, there is no doubt Morocco will still be importing sulfuric acid to complement its own production.

Acuity Commodities provides insight into the sulfur and

sulfuric acid markets through price assessments, data, and supporting analysis. Offerings include weekly reports on the global sulfur and sulfuric acid markets and a bi-weekly report focusing on North America as well as bespoke consulting work. Please visit www.acuitycommodities.com for detailed information. q

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PAGE 11

Feature

involuntary acid from China has continued to be exported

Feature

Nuova Solmine installs new MECS® ZeCor® Final Absorption Tower

The new MECS® ZeCor® FAT tower being lifted into position at the Nuova Solmine plant in Scarlino, Italy, in August 2018.

S

pecialty chemicals company Nuova Solmine owns and operates a double absorption sulfuric acid plant with a capacity of approximately 1,700 MTPD in Scarlino, Italy. From here the company supplies sulfuric acid to Italy, other countries in the Mediterranean basin,

PAGE 12

and to Central and South America. The plant was originally built in the 1960s to treat SO2 gas from a pyrite roaster and was revamped in 1994 with sulfur burning when the pyrite roaster was shut down.

At that time, all the towers were constructed with brick lining. In early

2017, Nuova Solmine decided to replace the Final Absorption Tower (FAT) due to the deterioration of the brick lining in the old FAT tower which had started to require frequent maintenance. Since the Nuova Solmine plant works in a continuous production cycle, 365 day per

year, this increase in maintenance time can affect production.

In July 2017, Nuova Solmine awarded the turnkey contract for the design, execution, supply and erection of a new FAT tower made with MECS® ZeCor® alloy to DuPont Clean Technologies. The

company knew of the reputation of the MECS® ZeCor® proprietary alloy, its light weight and corrosion resistance, as well as the DuPont Clean Technologies experience in sulfuric acid plant and tower design.

“We wanted to replace our old final absorption tower with a highly efficient new tower that would guarantee constant reliable emissions control and not require as much maintenance as the last one did,” said Gabriele Pazzagli, Scarlino site manager, Nuova Solmine. “DuPont Clean Technologies is the established expert in sulfuric acid emissions reduction technology and could provide us with both a performance and mechanical guarantee. What was also very important was that they could help us to achieve our goal of limiting lost production time when replacing the old tower with the new by providing a definite delivery and installation schedule.”

Nuova Solmine had

specified that it wanted the new final absorption tower to guarantee outlet acid mist below 30 mg/Nm3.

New technology benefits over brick-lined FAT towers

DuPont Clean Technologies therefore set about designing and engineering a new FAT tower with tower internals that could guarantee that Nuova Solmine would be able to stay well below its target emissions threshold. Other key criteria in the choice of equipment and design strategy were optimal performance efficiency, low lifecycle costs, and reduced maintenance.

The new FAT tower therefore included proprietary equipment such as an MECS® UniFlo® acid distributor to deliver continuous, precise distribution of acid for optimum absorption efficiency, minimal mist production, and maximum service life for

Sulfuric Acid Today • Fall/Winter 2019

Feature

Installation of the new MECS® ZeCor® FAT tower only took around two weeks.

equipment that is downstream of the FAT. The fact that the acid distributor–like the tower itself–is made of the highly corrosion-resistant MECS® ZeCor® alloys also reduces installation, maintenance, and lifecycle costs.

The quality of the packing support grid in a FAT tower is also vital for its overall long-term performance. For that reason, DuPont Clean Technologies fitted the new Nuova Solmine FAT tower with MECS® ZeCor® alloy packing support that has a greater than 80% flow area. This allows for very good gas distribution and enables the lowest possible gas pressure drop combined with high efficiency.

Effective acid mist control was ensured by supplying the new FAT tower with MECS® Brink® CSII Plus mist eliminators which can collect the most difficult-to-capture aerosol mists as small as submicron size.

Key to achieving the fast turnaround Nuova

Assembling Nuova Solmine’s MECS® ZeCor® FAT tower, August 2018.

Solmine wanted while also keeping in mind the performance and longevity of the new FAT tower was the use of MECS® ZeCor®, a family of proprietary alloy materials produced by DuPont Clean Technologies. ® MECS ZeCor® is not only extremely resistant to corrosion from acid and other substances, but also very light in weight. This combination of characteristics

Sulfuric Acid Today • Fall/Winter 2019

Positioning the pre-fabricated MECS® ZeCor® FAT at Nuova Solmine.

means the alloy can be used to engineer high performing, lightweight towers that have a very long, cost-effective life.

To limit time spent on site, the new FAT tower for Nuova Solmine was prefabricated in a DuPont Clean Technologies workshop, shipped in four separate sections to the port of Piombino, Italy, and transported by road to the site in Scarlino, 40 km away, where final assembly and installation took place.

Outcome

From start to finish, the complete project took about 11 months.

The replacement of the brick-lined tower with the new MECS® ZeCor® FAT was carried out on schedule during a planned plant turnaround in August 2018.

Nuova Solmine project manager Francesco Luvisi said, “Installation was very fast. It only took about two weeks and it was great that the new tower

could be positioned in exactly the same location as the old one.”

Operation of the tower was handed over by DuPont Clean Technologies to Nuova Solmine just after startup in August 2018.

Final testing of the new MECS® ZeCor® tower took place in the period from September to December 2018 to assess mg/Nm3 levels of acid mist. The results came in well below the contractual performance guarantee (30 mg/ Nm³) and below the limits imposed by the local authorities (35 mg/Nm³).

“The new MECS® ZeCor® FAT tower is performing very well and provides a pressure drop that is under the contractual limit, as well as SO3 acid mist emissions that come in well below the environmental limits,” Luvisi said.

State-of-the-art tower engineering combined with the latest generation of MECS® ZeCor® alloy, the high efficiency MECS® UniFlo® acid distribution systems and MECS ®

Final testing of the new tower showed acid mist to be well below the performance guarantee of 30 mg/Nm3.

Nuova Solmine tower manufacture before installation.

Brink® mist eliminators, all custom-built to site requirements by DuPont Clean Technologies and adapted to the most stringent environmental regulations, provided Nuova Solmine with a very effective and timely solution to its emissions, maintenance, and installation goals.

This design is the result of several years of research, during which DuPont Clean Technologies designed alloy towers with improved absorption efficiency and

acid distribution. The results have led to reduced pressure drop across towers and bring sulfuric acid plant operators the added benefit of decreased packing height and lower operating cost.

More than 100 of these high efficiency towers have now been realized and are currently operating in new and existing plants around the world.

For more information, please visit www.mecsglobal.com. q PAGE 13

Feature

Paper producer installs NORAM sulfur combustion plant By: Kim Nikolaisen, Werner Vorster, Arie van Muyen, and Erin Kwan, NORAM Engineering and Constructors Ltd.

A large Canadian pulp and paper producer on the east coast of Canada contacted NORAM to design and supply a small sulfur dioxide combustion and quench system for their high-quality corrugating medium facility. The SO2 produced will be quenched and absorbed in an existing absorption tower for use in their downstream digester.

Design constraints

The project posed a number of challenges during the implementation phase in 2018. The most important criteria to be met were as follows: • Equipment had to be installed within an existing building adjacent to continuously operating equipment with minimal impact on existing operations.

• High SO2 concentration (up to 18.5mol%, dry basis).

• Wide turn-down capacity operating between 25-100 percent of design capacity of 12 MTPD. • Maximum of 10 hours startup time from cold.

• Extremely tight project schedule, dictated by an overall plant shutdown scheduled for October 2018.

Technology

NORAM’s Cellchem-style,

spiral-flame sulfur burner, first developed in the 1960s in Sweden and acquired by NORAM in

2013, was selected as the most suitable burner style to meet the first four criteria listed previ-

ously. There are in excess of 160 Cellchem sulfur furnaces installed worldwide.

Process

The main operating param-

•

Feedstock: Liquid sulfur,

eters are summarized as follows:

delivered from an existing storage facility and positive

•

NORAM was responsible for the main process design from the inlet of the liquid sulfur to the furnace, to the outlet of the quench gas from the quench tower. A 3D schematic of the sulfur burner is shown in Fig. 1.

NORAM completed the detailed design of the sulfur burner and quench tower while NORAM’s fabricator, Axton, in Vancouver, fabricated these vessels (shown in Fig. 2). The balance of the main equipment (including quench circuit strainers, pumps and heat exchanger, and start-up burner) were sourced

displacement pump.

Process

gas

product:

Between 820 kg/h and 3,500 kg/h of 18-19mol% SO2 gas

at 60°C at a slightly negative

pressure (acid plants typically operate with a concen•

•

tration of 11-12mol%).

Steam product: No steam generation was required for

Turndown rate: The plant is designed to allow for

rapid change or production

rate from 25 to 100 percent capacity.

Fig. 3: Comparison of plant design 3D model (left) superimposed on scan of existing facility and completed installation (right).

from various suppliers.

Detailed engineering for the

balance of the plant components (structural steel, piping, civil

work, and instrumentation) were completed by the client and the client’s engineer.

Fig. 4: Complete installation.

As much preparation work as possible was completed before the delivery of the sulfur burner and quench tower, which was road transported 5,200 km from the fabrication shop in Vancouver to the client’s facility on the east coast of Canada.

Installation and construction of the plant were completed by the client and the client’s constructors, with NORAM’s subcontractor installing the refractory brick in the burner under NORAM’s supervision. The final installed plant is compared to the 3D model, developed during the design phase by the client’s engineer, in Fig. 3.

Start-up

this project.

Fig. 1: 3D Model of NORAM’s Cellchem-style spiral flame sulfur furnace.

PAGE 14

Project execution

Fig. 2: Shop fabrication and installation of NORAM equipment.

Top: Carbon steel sulfur burner assembly during fabrication. Installation of the “horse’s head” section of the spiral flame burner. Bottom: The quench tower during hydrotesting at Axton, NORAM’s fabricator.

Precommissioning, water testing, and refractory curing using the permanently installed natural gas burner were completed in approximately two weeks, prior to the scheduled plant startup date.

An overall plant shutdown was scheduled after refractory curing to complete the final plant tie-ins and the plant was successfully started up over a twoday period at the end of October 2018, meeting the production requirements and overall schedule.

NORAM Engineering and Constructors Limited performs engineering studies, provides training and supplies improved equipment at attractive prices for sulfuric acid plants. For more information, visit www. noram-eng.com, email sulfuric@noram-eng.com, or call (604) 681-2030 q Sulfuric Acid Today • Fall/Winter 2019

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Maximize sulfur gun performance and minimize the chance for problems such as sulfur impingement on walls with our modeling services. Using Computational Fluid Dynamics, we can determine the best gun placement in the furnace, ideal drop size for complete vaporization and more to ensure maximum production and minimal maintenance.

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Feature

lessons learned: Case histories from the sulfuric acid industry

Troubleshooting in the sulfuric acid plant By: Jurgens Hanekom, MME & GES Acid Manager, Sulphur EMEA and John C. Burk, Vice President Global Product Strategy, DuPont Clean Technologies

Sulfuric acid plants can expect to operate at 90-105 percent nameplate capacity. Failing equipment, bottlenecks, and increased pressure drop are all common causes of reduced operating rates. How can sulfuric acid plant operators spot problems in the plant and address them to prolong plant life and maintain productivity? The aim of regular health checks and troubleshooting measures is to prevent unplanned shutdowns and to maximize on-stream time and operating rates.

There are three key equipment areas that should be monitored to ensure overall plant health: the converter, towers and plumbing. Regular performance checks, trending process data, uptime, and the plant operating rate are all helpful indicators as are operational costs. If sulfur, fuel gas, or electricity consumption increases, the cause may be equipment issues. Here are a few items to be aware of:

Converter Differential pressure of the catalyst ∆P

As a plant runs, the catalyst pressure drop will rise over time. A high pressure drop can slow both the plant and the operating rate, as well as lead to higher energy costs.

Differential pressure accumulates primarily due to gas contaminants in the sulfur or other feedstocks and will impact the first bed of the catalyst. The reasons may be lack of (or poor) sulfur filtration and neutralization, inadequate air filtration, inefficient gas cleaning, moisture breakthrough, and/or acid mist carryover. Optimization of bed inlet temperatures by sequential adjustment of inlet gas temperature to maximize DT through all catalyst beds is a useful step to adjust to pressure drop increases. While a catalyst bed turnaround of two years is typical, the right management of differential pressure can extend turnarounds to five years.

from any of these points should be less than 1 liter per day, often only a few hundred milliliters per day. Changes in flow should be noted. There is a problem if the drain is more than DT-1 liter, IPAT-4 liter, FAT-3 liter. If much more than that, there is a significant problem! The risks are corrosion of downstream equipment, damage to the catalyst, and an increase in stack emissions.

Mist eliminators assessment during shutdown.

Screening losses

Screening catalyst can improve both conversion and pressure drop, however high screening losses are costly.

Screening more than 10 percent is a necessity and 20 percent is optimal to maintain catalyst activity in the long term. A benchmark screening pattern for a two-year turnaround cycle is: Pass 1: Every TAR Pass 2: Every other TAR Pass 3: Every 3rd TAR Pass 4: Every 3rd/4th TAR (off cycle with pass 3)

Plants should adjust screening in accordance with the increase of pressure over the catalyst beds over time and the capacity of the main blower.

It is always recommended to sample beds and to analyze catalyst activity during turnarounds. This will be helpful when deciding how much new catalyst needs to be added during the next turnaround. DuPont Clean Technologies offers analysis of catalyst samples.

Stack SO2 levels

Catalyst activity is a key determinant of stack emissions. A temperature increase in each bed is a rough indicator of conversion, and drop off here indicates reduced activity. In this scenario, operators should try to optimize bed temperature or reduce their production rate and replace the catalyst during the next turnaround.

DuPont Clean Technologies has a proprietary gas chromatography-based system, MECS® PeGASys, for troubleshooting and optimizing the performance of sulfuric acid converters and catalysts. This portable system uses gas samples and converter-heat exchanger test readings to assess plant operations performance. In combination with a proprietary computer simulation program SO2OPT, this data provides comprehensive insight into plant performance and issues.

Tower and mist eliminator ∆P

After the first few days following a plant start-up, mist eliminator ∆Ps should be stable with DT at 6 inches WC, IPAT up to 18 inches WC, and FAT up to 18 inches WC also.

A steady upward trend indicates a carryover/pluggage issue. A long-term trend is more important than snapshot readings, so regular monitoring is required. Sometimes, tower pressure drop can be a bottleneck; cleaning is problematic. Thorough, manual pressure surveys are excellent tools to evaluate many areas of the plant.

If pressure drop decreases, then the mist eliminators are likely damaged and need to be replaced. If pressure drop increases, it is possible to wash the mist eliminators, but in many cases, they will need to be replaced. Although it is possible to run a plant with partially blinded candles, i.e. a blocked mist eliminator, there is a substantial risk of damaging the cages. In the case of sulfur sublimation, the best approach is to shut down the plant and wash or replace the mist eliminator elements. Hanging elements should never be operated with a dP of more than 680 mm WC (27 inches WC).

Drying tower dew point

The tower dew point determines the amount of moisture in the process gas. High moisture content will result in acid mist formation, corrosion, damage to catalyst, and visible stack emissions. The typical operating range is about -35 °C to -45 °C. The main reasons for the dew point to fall outside these parameters is poor drying tower performance which can be caused by acid concentration, flow and temperatures, acid distribution, and a high moisture content in the gas of the drying tower.

If a high dew point is noted, it is worth looking at distribution and other drying tower parameters to identify the cause. While more sophisticated techniques exist, the “Lectrodryer” is an inexpensive and accurate form of adsorption technology.

Stick test results

Stick tests should be carried out monthly to identify

Towers

Troubleshooting to keeping your sulfuric acid plant healthy.

PAGE 16

Drip acid rate

Common causes for high drip acid are poor mist eliminator performance, poor acid distribution, acid temperatures, and concentration.

To check the acid drip rate, plant operators need to drain acid downstream of the acid tower. This complex and dangerous procedure needs to be undertaken with great care and should be carried out regularly–as often as daily—depending on the likelihood of acid carry over. Normally, the drain

Field data collection and measurement from DuPont MECS® team.

Sulfuric Acid Today • Fall/Winter 2019

Plumbing/piping Acid leaks

Acid leaks can occur in piping, towers, or storage tanks.

They are typically caused by corrosion and can be spotted through sulfate forming or acid weeping. Typical acid leak locations are on welds, fittings, and flanges. Even a small acid leak can cause serious injury to people in the vicinity.

Acid leaks can be remedied by covering flanges to prevent

acid spraying away from the leak. However, it is critical to use the correct material and the correct type of gaskets.

Gas leaks

Gas leaks are a leading cause of downtime, particularly in older sulfuric acid plants. The most common type of gas leak is a combination of SO2 and SO3, but steam leaks can also cause issues.

Gas leaks are more obvious in pressure parts around the converter, but can be equally problematic in the vacuum section of the sulfuric acid regeneration and metallurgical plants. Gas leaks are most often found in the hot segments of the plant. Expansion joints are a particularly weak point.

Thermal cycling, which is associated with shutdowns, will exacerbate the situation. Rain exposure is another common cause, so good weather-proofing is critical. In heat-affected areas, carbon can start to migrate and lead to carbon steel crystallization, which will accelerate corrosion of equipment. Gas leaks can be repaired by welding plates over the leak, replacing expansion joints, or replacing large sections of ducts or vessels where the metal is damaged.

Unfortunately, there is no ‘silver bullet’ to optimize overall performance of a sulfuric acid plant. Plant equipment and operation must be viewed holistically to sustain efficient operation and profitability. The operational performance, and ultimately the profitability of many sulfuric acid plants, will be improved only by incorporating and maintaining efficient tower acid distribution and superior mist elimination.

This holistic approach is likely to reduce maintenance costs, avoid loss of production, and reduce stack acid mist emissions. To assist operators, DuPont Clean Technologies offers a troubleshooting service that helps pinpoint issues and will

work with the plant to develop long-term, cost-effective solutions with minimal downtime.

Summary of testing/troubleshooting methods • Pressure drop and flow rate history: from plant records & while operating • Stick test: while operating • Drip acid measurements: while operating • Physical inspection: during plant shut down • View ports: requires planning and shut down to install • Smoke test: primarily for checking leaks at gaskets, liquid seals and tube sheet • Tyndall beam: while operating, requires some finesse/ practice • Water dew-point: while operating • Acid dew-point: while operating, not commonly used/ expensive equipment • MECS Method 104: requires planning and hot shut down to install sampling nozzles and/or full bore 4-inch gate or ball valves. Last resort if other troubleshooting methods do not identify root causes.

The Clean Technologies division of DuPont is a global leader in process technology licensing & engineering, offering critical process equipment, products, and services that enable an array of industrial markets to minimize their environmental impact. We provide extensive global expertise across our portfolio of offerings in key applications–MECS® sulfuric acid production, STRATCO® alkylation, BELCO® wet scrubbing, and IsoTherming® hydroprocessing.

For more information, please contact John Burk at 314275-5845 or john.c.burk@dupont.com; or Richard Martinez at +33-6-86497164 or richard.martinez@dupont.com. q

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PAGE 17

Feature

a change in appearance. The condition of the stick after 30 seconds, 1 minute, or 3 minutes gives a sound qualitative assessment of acid mist carryover. Spots on the stick are indicative of acid mist/droplets. Charring likely means unreacted SO3 slip. SO3 slippage from the inter-pass tower can reduce overall conversion while slippage from the final tower will result in a visible plume at the stack.

Stack opacity

If operations are not running at a steady rate, the appearance of stack emissions may change. If the sulfuric acid plant is using a downstream ammonia or caustic scrubber, the cause may be fiber corrosion. Another cause can be SO3 slip due to issues with packing, the distributor, downcomers, or process conditions. On a plant without a downstream scrubber, the first indication will be on the stick test. More sophisticated mist sampling can also be carried out to determine the cause. SO3 absorption can normally be improved by adjusting acid volumes, temperature, and concentration.

If this fails, then the likely cause is a mechanical problem inside the tower.

Feature

Lewis expert blog: The importance of material selection in centrifugal pumps and valves

By: Weir Minerals

Widely used across the industrial world, sulfuric acid

Capable of extended service in 98 percent sulfuric acid at

chemicals. While there are several pump and valve material

ties and abrasives. The ability to operate in highly aggres-

(H2SO4) is one of the most important, and corrosive, of all

temperatures up to 140°C, they can withstand high veloci-

sive environments means Lewmet® is ideal for applications

options available when processing sulfuric acid at tempera-

where mechanical components must maintain a high level

tures below 60°C, hot concentrated sulfuric acid presents

of integrity.

a major challenge as the material is subject to extreme

corrosion, erosion, and wear. Processing this substance at

sulfuric acid processing equipment that is safe, reliable,

elevated temperatures requires the use of robust equipment

and cost-effective. Lewmet® material is ideal to use when

with high corrosion resistance.

Weir’s industry leading Lewis pumps, valves, and

manufacturing close clearance critical components for

®

alloys have been operating in sulfuric acid applications

pumps and valves due to its excellent galling and abrasion

since 1914 and have built a commendable reputation when it comes to corrosion resistance. We continually improve

our alloys to keep pace with process technology improvements and aim to develop materials and equipment that will

perform for extended periods in sulfuric and phosphoric acid processes.

It is important to assess the corrosion resistant proper-

ties of materials that are exposed to sulfuric acid. Factors

resistance.

Lewis® products along with Lewmet® alloys are manufactured in St. Louis, Missouri.

saddles. Accelerated corrosion occurs when pumping acid at temperatures up to 140°C. Under these conditions, the most commonly used materials rapidly deteriorate.

We developed the Lewmet® family of nickel-based

that determine how fast a material will corrode include

alloys specifically for sulfuric acid applications. Providing

presence of impurities such as brick chips and ceramic

to 500 Brinell for increased wear and abrasion protection.

temperature, acid concentration, acid velocity, and the

Decades of research and development have led to

optimum corrosion resistance, Lewmet® alloys are hardened

H2SO4 Alkylation

Process monitoring with LiquiSonic · inline measurement of H2SO4 and ASO

When pumping H2SO4, operators should ensure that

equipment can handle the high liquid velocities that occur

during this process. The internal parts of centrifugal, acid circulating pumps must be closely fitted and main-

tain dimensional integrity throughout their service life.

Impellers, wear rings, casings, and shaft journals require very high corrosion resistance and must be able to withstand the erosive effects of abrasive solids. Corrosion of

these parts can cause reduced hydraulic efficiency and

capacity, vibration, and eventually mechanical failure.

Bo ®

Su

oth at

70

a

+ S lphu ulp r2 hu ric 019 Ac id

· safe and stable alkylation process · no acid runaway

In liquids, we set the measure.

PAGE 18

Sulfuric Acid Today • Fall/Winter 2019

made of Lewmet® alloys, available in

can withstand acid velocities exceeding

butterfly, globe, and gate designs. Like

30 meters/second at the impeller exit. Our

pumps, valves are also exposed to high

Lewis® pumps, which feature close toler-

acid velocities, making material resistance

ances for high efficiency and heavy-duty

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We also produce sulfuric acid valves

Operating for over 125 years, we under-

Mammoet replaced converter on Gulf Coast Known for largescale industrial moves, Mammoet recently replaced a spent acid regeneration plant’s converter with a new 750ton unit. Complicating the work, the switch had to be made in a restricted space with as little disturbance as possible to surrounding components. Plus, strict ground bearing pressures made the use of heavy-duty cranes and lifting equipment challenging.

So Mammoet designed a tailor-made solution–a jack and slide system that could cradle the vessel’s foundations in order to elevate and slide it in and out of place with the vessel riding on top.

Mammoet installed custom beams that were narrow enough to slide

Mammoet devised jack and slide system to replace converter in tight-space conditions.

between the foundation and still have the capacity to cradle the 750-ton vessel. The beams were attached to jacking components on each side of the vessel and rested on a pair of climbing jacks at each end.

To remove the old converter the entire arrangement was jacked up, lifting the converter in the process. It was then skidded onto SPMTs for transport out of the

facility. Mammoet then reversed this operation to safely install the new converter vessel. This included aligning the skid track on SPMTs at precisely the right angle to ensure that the vessel would clear the existing structures. Once cleared, the converter was skidded into its final position.

For more information about Mommoet’s services, visit www.mammoet.com. q

416.444.4880 admin@mercad.com ● www.mercad.com

Sulfuric Acid Today • Fall/Winter 2019

PAGE 19

Feature

Pump impellers made of Lewmet® alloys

Feature

Confined space rescue: Be prepared when an emergency arises

By: Alan Williamson, Safety Coordinator, Graduate Safety Practitioner, VIP International

There is no harm in hoping for the best as long as you are prepared for the worst.

Rescuing a worker from a confined space is something employers hope is never necessary, but they should be prepared to take action in the worst-case scenario.

OSHA developed its confined space safety standard to protect workers from injury or fatality when working in confined spaces.

OSHA defines a confined space as “large enough that a person can bodily enter, has limited means of entry or exit, and is not designed for continuous occupancy.” OSHA requires the space be classified and marked as “Permit Required” if the space contains one or more of the following: potential for a hazardous atmosphere, potential for engulfment, internal configuration that could result in entrapment or asphyxiation, or any other recognized serious hazard.

Rescue personnel must be available to respond in a “timely manner” any time entry is made into a permit-required space. It is important to note that there is one concession to this. If entering a permit-required confined space designated “Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health” (IDLH), the rescue team is required to be present at the space prepared for rescue before entry and remain at the space until all entrants have exited.

Two options are available when it comes to permit-required confined space rescue services. The employer can designate rescue and emergency services to a third-party provider, or the employer can designate its employees to provide permit space rescue and emergency services. If your company chooses to use its own rescue teams, you must fulfill all training requirements by OSHA, as well as sitespecific and customer requirements if applicable.

Some confined spaces are unique and encompass harsh internal environments that require extensive training and specialized personal protective equipment (PPE) to enter. Companies that specialize in working in these particular kinds of permit-confined spaces benefit from having their own rescue teams. Their employees are likely more familiar with the space and the hazards it presents as opposed to a third party service.

They will also be more comfortable in any specialized PPE required to enter safely. The rescue team should include employees who have extensive knowledge and experience working in these types of spaces. Employees chosen should have the skills necessary to analyze scenarios, PAGE 20

work through challenges, and identify hazards. Forming a team with members who encompass these specific skills will likely result in a safer and more effective rescue.

Arguably the most important element to completing a task successfully is building comprehensive knowledge of that particular task followed by practical experience and hands-on training. Preparing employees for success from the very beginning is extremely important. Employee development through a comprehensive confined-space rescue training program is the first and, arguably, the most important step in preparing for an emergency rescue situation. Any in-house confined-space rescue training program should include the following items at minimum: 1. Ensure each employee completes the training required to establish proficiency as an authorized confined space entrant.

2. Train employees in basic first aid and CPR. At least one member of the rescue team must hold a current certification in basic first aid and CPR. Also, all employees should be trained and/or certified to use the PPE and any retrieval equipment required to safely complete the rescue.

3. Employees should apply the knowledge learned through simulated rescue in which they will remove mannequins or actual persons from the spaces. This is when skills such as the ability to tie knots, rigging, etc., should be applied to rescue scenarios.

This portion of the training must be realistic and closely simulate the types of spaces in which rescues will be performed.

4. The team should practice making confined space rescues at least once every 12 months to demonstrate competency.

Being prepared and planning for a confined space rescue is as important, if not more important, than the actual rescue itself. Before entry is made into any permit-confined space it should be analyzed thoroughly inside and out. A rescue plan should then be developed and communicated to all employees involved.

When you begin to analyze the space, the first thing to look at is its characteristics.

These characteristics include type of space, function, configuration, construction, size, and entry points (size, number, location).

Non-entry rescue is often the preferred method, although, for many confined space

rescue situations, rescue by entry is the only option. Analyzing the characteristics of the space will help determine the safest method for everyone involved in the situation in which entrant(s) must be rescued.

Hazards are inevitably present inside and outside of confined spaces. The hazards need to be identified and thoroughly assessed before any work begins. Some examples of common confined space hazards are: combustible dusts, flammable liquids or gases, engulfment, entrapment, fall hazards, hazardous gases, oxygenenriched or deficient atmospheres, other various chemical and physical hazards, etc. Some of these hazards are visible to the human eye and are easily identified, but others, such as internal atmospheric conditions, are not quite as easy to identify.

By testing the internal atmosphere, you can identify and measure concentration levels of some of the less obvious hazards.

After all known hazards are identified, the hierarchy of controls should be used to assess and mitigate the hazards or lower the risk to an acceptable level if elimination is not possible. Once control methods are agreed upon, select the PPE and respiratory protection required to safely perform rescue operations inside and outside the confined space. Remember that PPE should always be the last line of defense against hazards.

The route of entry, whether it is horizontal or vertical, and the manway configuration needs to be assessed.

This will help to determine the types of equipment needed for access/egress and retrieval. Rescue equipment can include slings, ropes, victim stabilizers, SKED system, winches, tripods, harnesses, and self retracting lifelines (SRL). It is the employer’s responsibility to provide adequate rescue equipment. The equipment needs to be suitable for use in the conditions present inside and outside of the space.

In certain situations, as in a corrosive acid environment, specialized equipment may be needed. In an emergency, rescue equipment needs to function proficiently with minimal chance of error. Proper selection, maintenance, and inspection of your equipment can help to ensure this.

If the confined space entry takes place at an elevated work surface, the routes or methods of transportation to ground level must be determined. This can safely be done in several fashions including, but not limited to, mechanical lowering devices, stairways, crane assisted rescue baskets, or

scissor lift. If equipment such as a crane or scissor lift will be needed, the equipment and its operators should be on standby at all times while workers are in the confined space. It is important that this equipment is designated for “Rescue Purposes Only” and the operators of the equipment understand their respective roles in the rescue process. The configuration of the area and the access and egress to the entry location should be evaluated to determine the most effective method.

The characteristics of the space, retrieval method, equipment needed, post-rescue procedures, communication methods, and the roles of each team member are all things that will likely be a part of your rescue plan. The rescue plan should be reviewed and understood by all rescue team members, confined space entrants, and any other emergency personnel that could be involved in the rescue process.

All members of the rescue team need to know their roles and how their role could positively and negatively affect the other team members. An effective means of communication should be chosen and understood among all persons involved.

One of the most important and oftentimes overlooked parts of any emergency response is effective communication.

The key to success is preparation.

Preparing your employees is integral to the company’s success as a whole. It is the employer’s responsibility to provide employees with the knowledge and training that they need to do their jobs safely and effectively. Provide them the best equipment and tools. Ensure tools are used and maintained correctly to minimize error. Teach employees how to apply their training and use the tools and equipment provided in realistic scenarios through a comprehensive training program. Having the proper confined space rescue team in place to meet your company’s specific needs can help to prevent the worst-case scenario. For many companies, it may be beneficial to develop, train, and utilize your own rescue teams. Either way, it is critical that you are prepared and able to respond effectively in an emergency.

Failing to successfully rescue a worker from a confined space can have an overwhelming impact on your company and its employees. Do not leave it up to chance; make sure you are prepared for action when an emergency arises.

For more information, please visit www.vipinc.com. q Sulfuric Acid Today • Fall/Winter 2019

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Feature

Acid distributor restoration

By: Alberth R. Medeiros of Mosaic and Nelson P. Clark, Bruno B. Ferraro, and Vitor A. Sturm of Clark Solutions

When expertise, teamwork, dedication, and communication between producers and suppliers are combined, limited time schedules and challenging problems can be overcome.

This article describes how the repair of a severely damaged acid distributor was performed within a brief maintenance timetable, thus extending the equipment’s operational lifetime in a case where new equipment manufacture and delivery could not be achieved.

tract to prioritize factory services and expedite the repair.

The project took a total of 14 days to complete: two days for acid distributor removal and packing for shipment, two days for scope survey and proposal approval, six days of distributor repairs, two days for distributor collection and water testing prior to installation, and two days for installation, leveling, and acid testing.

The main damage on the five-trough distributor was: • Severe corrosion of the tubes, most having been cut on the acid level.

• Severe damage of rods and support rails, some completely lost.

• Warped and bent flanges and connections.

• Corrosion marks on the troughs and corrosion damages on their support.

• Corroded calming plates.

The complete restoration was performed under this challenging scenario in order to extend the service duration of the drying tower until a planned future turnaround.

Downcomer repairs Almost 1,000 tubes were replaced. This required a

high level of expertise due to the fact that most trough holes were damaged causing dimentional imperfections (ovalization) that had to be resolved. A number of solutions, including hole rounding, tube expansion, and spot welding were considered until a satisfactory and nimble solution was reached: using teflon pins to attach all new downcomer extensions.

Damaged acid distributor.

Emergency care During scheduled or

emergency plant shutdowns unexpected conditions may arise. Preparation for swift action is essential, and proper communication and support between producers and suppliers are key to identifying well designed solutions that fit short time gaps.

In 2017, during maintenance on one of its Uberaba Complex sulfuric acid plants, fertilizer company Mosaic (formerly Brazilian Vale Fertilizantes) rapidly identified several problems in its drying tower sulfuric acid distributor.

The troughs and tubes acid distributor made from SX material was severely damaged to the point that it could not be put back in operation. The plant, however, did not have a replacement available and there wasn’t enough time to order a new distributor. So major repairs had to be performed in the available time period.

Mosaic immediately contacted Clark Solutions to assess the damages and plan urgent repairs to put the distributor back in proper operation within a particularly short six day timeframe. Mosaic’s readiness to provide information proved a key factor in the evaluation of damages and in securing the required material and personnel to deliver the equipment on time.

Clark Solutions was initially hired to do general maintenance on the final absorption tower acid distributor and was prepared for a job of that scope. However, when the drying tower acid distributor was inspected, Mosaic identified a much higher degree of corrosion and damage than expected. The five-trough distributor had many damaged downcomer tubes, which increased the complexity of the repair. Clark and Mosaic increased the scope of the conPAGE 22

Trough and plate repairs Unwarping of protruding faces was necessary as the

troughs were fragile and deformed. The internal parallel faces of the troughs were reinforced to increase stability.

Warped flanges were also straightened to tighten the fit to the new teflon gaskets.

Repaired plates and maneuvering supports.

Renewed distributor installed and running smoothly.

Calming plates and flow plates were reformed and maneuvering supports rebuilt.

Distributor testing and results The distributor was tested in the shop for tightness

and water leakage, marking and correcting any possible leaks due to the damaged holes. Field testing also proved satisfactory with even trough distribution and minimum acid leakage.

Conclusions Mosaic identified an unanticipated problem that could

have compromised its sulfuric acid operation or delayed plant startup, but together with Clark Solutions, prioritized and identified a fast, efficient, and durable solution for repairing its five-trough acid distributor.

Planned work is always preferable, but when sudden issues arise, it is extremely essential to have trusted partners with the structure and know how to collaborate on finding the best solution in the shortest possible time.

For more information, please visit www.clarksol.com. q

Downcomer extensions attached using tephlon pins.

Repairs included (left) leveling and flattening flanges; and (right) reconditioning downcomer tube expansions.

Acid distributor restoration: before and after.

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Feature

Wet electrostatic precipitators excel in sulfuric acid gas cleaning By: Gary Siegel, Marketing Director, Beltran Technologies, Inc.

To manage the sulfur oxides and sulfuric acid generated from certain operations, including metallurgical smelters and refineries, spent acid regeneration plants, petroleum refineries, natural gas processing facilities, and electric generating units, the answer may be downstream sulfuric acid manufacturing plants.

Operators of these facilities can take advantage of the high industrial market value of purified sulfuric acid, a primary industrial chemical used in fertilizer manufacturing; mineral processing; petroleum refining; wastewater processing; the manufacture of paints, dyes, detergents, lead batteries, and explosives; and the synthesis of other chemicals, as in the alkylation of gasoline additives.

An efficient sulfuric acid manufacturing process requires the strict removal of contaminants from the input gas streams, especially fine and submicron particulates and acid mists such as those emitted from metal ore roasters and smelters, petroleum refineries, and coal-fired industrial boilers. This is necessary for protecting downstream components such as catalyst beds from corrosion, fouling, and plugging, as well as for preventing the formation of a “black” or contaminated acid end-product. Proper gas cleaning also results in lower maintenance and operating costs for the manufacturing plants.

To reduce contaminants entering the sulfuric acid plant, plant engineers have relied on several gas cleaning techniques, such as scrubbers and mist eliminators. These systems can control large particulates, but are usually inefficient at capturing fine and submicron particulates, submicron acid mists, and condensed organic compounds.

For those reasons plant engineers and consulting engineering firms continue to specify advanced wet electrostatic precipitators (WESPs), which can clean complex gaseous emissions of particulates and acid mists down to submicron scale (less than one micron) with up to 99.9 percent efficiency.

Beltran WESPs are an advanced technology designed around a multistage system of ionizing rods with starshaped discharge points. These are encased within square or hexagonal tubes with grounded collection surfaces.

The unique electrode geometry generates a corona field 4-5 times stronger than that of conventional wet or dry electrostatic precipitators, propelling even submicronsize particulates and sulfuric acid droplets toward the collection surfaces, where they adhere as cleaned gas is passed through. The surfaces are intermittently cleansed of residues by recirculating liquid sprays.

The cool, saturated environment in the WESP makes the system highly effective on condensable or oily compounds, while the continuous aqueous flushing process prevents re-entrainment of particles, sticky residue buildups, and unfavorable particle resistivity. By eliminating the need for mechanical or acoustical rappers common to dry ESPs, the wet cleansing process also minimizes energy and re-entrainment loss.

With virtually no physical or mechanical obstruction of gas streams, there is very little pressure drop through the WESP, and gas velocities can be extremely high. This enables plant engineers to use smaller-scale, less costly PAGE 24

equipment for specific gas volumes and still achieve superior collection efficiencies. The use of smaller, simpler equipment also means lower maintenance and energy.

Beltran WESP systems are built with sophisticated electronic controls linked to a close-coupled gas flow management system. These can optimize operating parameters such as gas velocity, saturation, temperature, and corona intensity, to achieve maximum efficiency. Also, to prevent premature deterioration, critical surfaces should be constructed with advanced protective materials such as graphite composite materials or high nickel-chromium alloys. The high-voltage insulators should be continuously purged with clean air to further reduce maintenance costs.

Some major case histories

Mopani Copper Mines Plc, a unit of Glencore Xstrata based in Switzerland, operates sulfuric acid production facilities at their Zambian copper smelter plants in Mufulira and Kitwe. The sulfuric acid plants currently have 10 WESPs designed and engineered by Beltran Technologies for sulfuric acid gas cleaning.

The Mopani copper smelter and refinery plants utilize both pyrometallurgical and solvent extraction/ electrowinning (SX-EW) processes, which produce high levels of toxic sulfur dioxide, sulfuric acid mists, particulates, and other emissions originating from the metallic concentrate. Zambia’s Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development has required the facility to reduce acid mists by 94 percent and particulates by 99.5 percent.

The sulfuric acid plants operating with Beltran’s advanced WESP technology have achieved and exceeded the government guidelines.

Zambian copper smelters, operated by Mopani Copper Mines Plc, have 10 WESPs designed and engineered by Beltran Technologies for sulfuric acid gas cleaning.

AngloGold Ashanti Brazil Mineracao, a leading producer of gold, operates a sulfuric acid plant that converts the sulfur oxide SOx produced as a byproduct of gold mining into sulfuric acid for sale in the worldwide marketplace while also preventing its release as a harmful gas in the atmosphere. For optimum gas-cleaning the facility selected a WESP system from Beltran Technologies to clean the gas stream, prior to entering the sulfuric acid

AngloGold Ashanti Brazil Mineracao’s Beltran WESP installation.

plant, of these impurities: As, Hg, Cu, Fe, Zn, Cd, Pb, C1, Mn, Ti, Cr, SO3, and sulfuric acid mist.

At Hindustan Zinc, Udaipur, India, Beltran executed four projects, each with four Beltran WESPs, model BTP10X10. They are arranged in two parallel trains, with each train comprised of two WESPs in series.

The WESPs are used to clean the gas emissions from a zinc smelter. The gas emissions contain dust and sulphur dioxide (SO2) as well as other gases.

The gases first pass through a dry ESP to remove most of the dust particles and then through a quencher/Venturi Scrubber where the gases are quenched and removed.

The result of this process is the formation of SO3 mists or sulfuric acid mist. Following the quencher/Venturi Scrubber sequence, the gases pass through the WESP for the final removal of sub-micron particulate and sulfuric acid mists.

Hindustan Zinc in Udaipur, India, installed four Beltran WESPs arranged in two parallel trains, with each train comprised of two WESPs in series.

Once the gases have passed through the WESP there is virtually no dust particulate and the compromised gases have been cleaned to remove 99.75 percent of particulate and acid mist. These gases are then sent to a sulfuric acid plant to be converted into sulfuric acid.

For more information, please visit www.beltrantechnologies.com. q Sulfuric Acid Today • Fall/Winter 2019

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Feature

Further reflections from an acid cooler technical representative

By: R. Barry Krentz, President, Mercad Equipment Inc.

Continuing from the last issue of Sulfuric Acid Today, here are three more interesting “gems” that I’ve come across over the years while servicing anodically protected (AP) sulfuric acid coolers, piping systems, and storage tanks.

Story 7: Wrong cleaning solution in a SS acid cooler

A client in South Africa had three sulfuric acid coolers on their 1,800 STPD acid plant. They were in a two-week turnaround and inspection of the water-side of the coolers determined that the tube bores had a substantial mineral buildup. They elected not to hydro-blast the tubes with high-pressure water because someone said that he knew of a chemical that could clean the tubes very well. They set up a tank, pump, and hoses to the largest cooler (1,200 tubes) and circulated the solution as directed by this individual. They then switched over to the second cooler and circulated the chemical through the tubes of that one for the prescribed time. As they were hooking up to the third cooler, they opened up the first cooler for tube inspection and discovered that the scale was gone (as predicted) but that the tubes were pitted badly and, upon pressure testing, discovered that a high percentage were leaking. At that point, cleaning of the third cooler was not begun. The inspection of the second cooler’s tubes found that it was also inflicted with pitting cancer and many tubes were also leaking.

A call went out to the OEM and a representative was immediately dispatched. After arriving, they worked diligently to identify and plug all leaking tubes, even weepers or slow leakers. A final assessment was made and it was determined that only two coolers could be used until replacements arrived. The turnaround was over and they needed acid, so they did some re-piping and started up, managing to operate at 60 percent normal plant capacity.

About 4 months later a Hercules Transport aircraft arrived at their local airport and the 2 replacement coolers came to the plant and were installed.

The fate of the person who suggested the cleaning solution is not known.

The solution used was muriatic acid (weaker form of HCl).

Note: Acidified chlorides will easily pit most stainless steel materials, in this case 316L tubes and tube sheets. Be careful what cleaning reagents you use for these acid coolers. If in doubt, contact the OEM for their experience and procedures.

One leaking tube caused by poor maintenance and operation can spread to others.

PAGE 26

Storage tanks (CS & SS) are adaptable to the use of anodic protection.

Story 8: How the C-I-L acid cooler was invented

In the 1950s and 1960s anodic protection was becoming popular for sulfuric acid storage tanks. Canadian Industries Limited (C-I-L) had acid plants at Copper Cliff (near Sudbury), Ontario, Canada, next to the INCO nickel smelter. They had AP on their tanks with successful corrosion reduction of about 80-90 percent.

Meanwhile, in the late 1960s they decided to build a stainless steel shell and tube heat exchanger for cooling the hot sulfuric acid in the process. The idea was to replace the old coolers (which had a high frequency of acid leaks) with banks of carbon steel pipes. The new cooler had extra thick tubes to protect against the expected corrosion at the hot end. This cooler was commissioned circa 1968 and lasted about four months before leaking, at which time it was taken out of service and the old cooler reconnected.

However, the “test cooler” was not a total failure as the heat exchange performance was exceptional.

Meanwhile, research on anodic protection of stainless steel was being done in their own C-I-L lab. Test results suggested that AP was a great way to protect stainless steel in hot process acid conditions. The failed SS cooler was then inspected and modified to accept two cathodes and two reference electrodes. Leaking tubes were plugged out of service and the unit was placed back in service even though a lot of tubes were already corroded/weakened at the hot end. A crude DC power supply and controller system was installed (similar to that used on the carbon steel

Acid plant with new anodically protected acid cooler retrofitted in a tight space.

storage tanks), and the rest was history. The vessel cooled acid for the next 10 years with only an occasional weak tube failure, usually at start-up. All the remaining cooling circuits on each C-I-L acid plant were upgraded to shell and tube anodically protected stainless steel coolers. The C-I-L cooler was then marketed around the globe from 1970 onwards.

Does anodic protection work? Yes it does, even on damaged acid coolers or used storage tanks. Had it not been so, we would not be discussing this right now, nearly 50 years later. There are an estimated 12,000+ stainless steel shell and tube acid coolers around the world that are anodically protected. Some of them have operated without failure for 35+ years and have been moved from old plants to new plants to continue cooling acid for their owners.

Story 9: Double-ended (DE) cathodes have advantages

Many years ago a technical representative flew to Sardinia off the west coast of Italy. The client was having problems with their main acid cooler, which cooled all the acid in their plant. The rep arrived and checked over the operation of the anodic equipment only to discover that the cathode voltage was 5 VDC and the anodic current was only 2 amps. Furthermore, the control reference electrode (RE) voltage at the hot end was -100 mV and the RE R1 voltage at the other end was +300 mV. (They had previously switched the “Control” function to the R1 acid outlet RE to keep the system running). Internal inspection was required.

The plant was taken down and the cooler drained of acid. REs were pulled and found to be okay. The main DE cathode was removed in two short “stubby” pieces, one from each end. The entire center core was completely gone, i.e. well past the cathode’s normal life!

The main cathode is sacrificial while it protects the anode (cooler). All the exposed cathode area was found to be corroded away. This was the first time since many years after commissioning that this cooler’s cathode had been removed for inspection. Fortunately, a spare cathode was available onsite, inserted successfully, and the cooler recommissioned without further known consequences. I say “known” consequences because the tube wear at the acid inlet may have been excessive due to lack of passivation during months or even years of low RE mV readings.

This possible corrosion was not determined during this short shutdown and I am not aware of any inspections being performed by the OEM thereafter.

Fortunately, this cooler’s main cathode was doubleended (DE) meaning that it passed right through the cooler and was electrically connected on both ends. When the corrosion at the hot end of the cathode created a break, the electrical passivating current could still be passed through the acid from either end as needed. Had this been an older style single ended (SE) cathode, the situation would have become serious early on and the extraction of the unit from only one end may have been an issue. The change to DE cathodes occurred in the early 1980s by the OEM.

I hope you’ve enjoyed a few more examples of what has been happening out there. Perhaps I can present some more “gems” in the next issue of Sulfuric Acid Today.

Please visit our website www.mercad.com and contact us as needed. q Sulfuric Acid Today • Fall/Winter 2019

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Feature

Process gas dewpoint/moisture leak detection measurement system By: Daniel T. Menniti, Senior Director, Marketing and Sales, Breen

In sulfuric acid production, sulfur dioxide (SO2) is oxidized over a solid vanadium catalyst to generate sulfur trioxide. The sulfur trioxide is then absorbed in water contained in 98 percent sulfuric acid to form new sulfuric acid. The SO2 is either produced by burning elemental sulfur or is an off-gas from other processing plants such as a copper smelter or a spent acid regeneration process.

The gas laden with SO3 in the process is kept moisture free and the only time moisture gets introduced in the gas is when there is a process upset. This is a highly undesirable condition and can be potentially hazardous.

The presence of moisture and therefore weak acid vapor in the gas stream is detrimental to equipment health and can cause extreme corrosion.

A secondary impact of moisture in the flue gas can be the formation of hydrogen gas as described by the Hydrogen Safety Workgroup and as shown by the following formulas: SO3+H2O -> H2SO4 Fe+H2SO4 -> FeSO4+H2 The H2 formed can create an explosion hazard

when in the presence of O2 and an ignition source [1].

Moisture leak detection

There are several potential sources of moisture ingress into the process gas stream. Typical sources include: • drying tower • raw material feed stock • waste heat boiler tubes • economizer tubes Monitoring each of the individual process points illustrated in Fig. 1 for malfunction and moisture ingress becomes expensive and labor intensive. The industry standard has been to measure the acid dew point to detect such moisture leaks. In theory this would provide a step change response should moisture enter the upstream process. Up until recently, however, the available technologies have not been able to withstand the harsh conditions presented by the application.

Understanding this need, Breen embarked on a product development project to design a system that would withstand the harsh environment, as well as simplify the output to provide the desired response.

Fig. 2: AbSensor-ADM-SA probe for sulfuric acid manufacturing plants.

Fig. 3: Installation of AbSensor-ADM-SA probe.

Challenges of measuring acid dew point in sulfuric acid plants

There are several challenges that had to be overcome in developing an instrument that can survive

Fig. 1: Typical moisture ingress points in a sulfuric acid manufacturing process.

PAGE 28

tions of sulfuric acid.

Process mounting system designed to seal and allow online system removal while the process is running, as needed when performing maintenance.

The Breen Dew Point meter was originally designed for negative pressure, combustion gas processes. These processes allowed for a probe system that only needed to be sealed from the atmosphere once it was inserted into the process. The probe did not have any protection or process to allow for a hermetically sealed insertion. Subsequently, the system was redesigned to meet the requirements listed.

The commercial design for the Breen AbSensor-ADM-SA probe can be seen in Fig. 2.

After successful factory testing, the probe was taken to a sulfuric acid plant and installed at the exit of the economizer on a production train.

At the economizer outlet location, the process gas temperature measures approximately 400o F and the process gas pressure is between 6 and 10 PSI. The process gas dew point was expected to be approximately 250o F (Fig. 3).

After initial installation the dew point probe provided sound dew point results, as seen in Fig. 4.

•

in a sulfuric acid plant and provide the necessary measurement. Chief requirements for the instrument are: • A completely sealed design to isolate process gases from the system internals.

• Ability to withstand a process positive pressure of up to 20 Psig (typical 6-10 Psig).

• Safety features to isolate the system in case of sensor failure/ breach.

• Material of construction designed to handle high concentra-

“Above dew point” measurement tests

To keep the sensor free of process condensables for the long term and provide moisture leak detection, it was decided to operate the system at an “above dew point cycle.”

The above dew point cycle allows the probe to operate in the duct at a temperature higher than the process gas dew point, but low enough to detect an increase, or step change, in process gas dew point. There were two objectives that needed to be met during operation in this mode: 1. Detect moisture ingress.

2. Provide a method to verify measurement integrity.

Moisture leak detection commercial design

In the Fall of 2018, Breen installed the commercial design at a sulfuric acid plant in California (Fig. 5).

The probe system was allowed to run in the above dew point mode, with weekly “check cycle” cooling of the sensor to the process gas dew point. The probe’s normal cycle and check cycle are shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 4: Preliminary dew point measurements.

Sulfuric Acid Today • Fall/Winter 2019

tem has been running for a year with no failures or maintenance. The probe

was pulled out of the pro-

cess duct a week after the unit went down for sched-

uled maintenance. Upon inspection the probe was

Fig. 5: AbSensor-ADM-SA probe installation at J.R. Simplot’s Lathrop plant.

The plant performed a test to verify that the system would indeed detect a moisture leak. At approximately 10:45 (Fig. 7) we can see a probe response when a pressure point line was cleared out with instrument air. A compressor was then hooked up to the line to pump ambient air into the duct. No response was seen, and it was assumed that the air pressure was not powerful enough to push sufficient air into the duct.

Subsequently, the process engineer put water into the pressure point line and used instrument air to push that water into the duct. The amount of water added was approximately one gallon. At 13:15 we can see the probe immediately responded to the event. It was concluded, with strong certainty, that the probe is very responsive to even small amounts of moisture.

There were also other minor responses in the previous weeks, which were believed to have been caused when other pressure point lines were cleaned out.

In 2019, a second system was installed in another acid plant in the United States. During start-up operations, this plant experienced a small leak. As shown in Fig. 8, at 13:00 we can see that the dilution water flow started to drop.

A drop in dilution water flow means that less water is needed to maintain the acid concentration balance in the plan, indicating a possible upstream leak.

Reviewing the probe data in light of the plant data, we see the probe detecting moisture ingress just before 05:00. It was clear that the probe provided almost eight hours advanced notice compared to the traditional method of leak detection at the plant.

covered with condensate

Fig. 8: Leak detection from Breen probe vs. dilution water flow.

Fig. 9: Breen probe and sensor removed from process duct with condensate coating.

Summary

It has been demonstrated that the dew point measurement system is capable of measuring continuous process gas dew point temperatures.

Understanding that the industry desires long term, ultra-low maintenance instruments, it appears that the “above dew point mode” measurement phi-

losophy has merit as a method to detect moisture leaks, while maintain-

that occurred after the

Fig. 10: Breen probe after cleaning and return to service.

shutdown (Fig. 9).

The probe and sensor

were wiped clean and there

ing a clean and dry sensor in between moisture events. It has been shown that the probe consistently responds to moisture ingress into the process in real-time and demonstrably quicker than traditional methods.

This method also allows for the insitu verification of sensor function using a periodic system “check cycle” outputting a measured dew point on demand.

At the time of writ-

was no apparent wear or

damage to the probe body or sensor (Fig. 10). The

probe was reinstalled and awaits return to service.

We expect normal performance after start-up.

For more information,

please visit www.breenes. com. q

Acknowledgment:

Note [1]

Information

developed and presented by the Hydrogen Safety Workgroup.

Sulfuric Acid A s s o c i a t e s

Link in and join the discussion with industry leaders, professionals and consultants. www.linkedin.com/groups/2024262 Fig. 6: AbSensor-ADM-SA probe normal cycle and check cycle.

hosted by

®

Fig. 7: Leak detection simulation.

Sulfuric Acid Today • Fall/Winter 2019

PAGE 29

Feature

ing, the commercial sys-

Feature

Sulfur gun advancements In production of sulfuric acid from molten sulfur, it is critical that the sulfur is atomized into droplets so that combustion occurs efficiently. The spray nozzle converts bulk sulfur into a predictable droplet size distribution, spray angle, and coverage.

The most widely used nozzle in sulfuric acid production today is the BA WhirlJet® nozzle. These nozzles provide superior performance during normal operation, but when flow is decreased or turned off, the nozzles may plug. This happens because the nozzles protrude beyond the steam jacket of the sulfur gun.

Without the cooling provided by the steam jacket, the sulfur flowing inside the nozzle heats up beyond the normal working temperature. This causes the sulfur viscosity to increase and plugging may occur.

Operators have been compensating for this by purging the nozzles or removing the guns at the end of operation. However, if one of these actions doesn’t occur quite quickly, pluggage is likely.

Flexibility in production rates is required to optimize sulfuric acid production. Sulfur guns are either turned on and off, or flow rate is increased or decreased. To meet this requirement and minimize pluggage, a new sulfur nozzle and gun have been introduced. The CBA SulfurJet™ nozzle has the same superior performance as the BA WhirlJet nozzle. The CBA SulfurJet gun features a steam jacket that fully protects the nozzle to minimize or eliminate plugging. As sulfur passes through the CBA SulfurJet nozzle, sulfur temperature is maintained in the optimal range as production rates change.

Fig. 1

PAGE 30

Fig. 3

In production of sulfuric acid from molten sulfur, it is critical that the sulfur is atomized into droplets so that combustion occurs efficiently.

(3,847 lbs/hr) sulfur at 5 psig ΔP (0.35 bar). The feed sulfur temperature was set at 284°F (140°C) and steam in the steam jacket pipe was at 293°F (145°C) and 60 psig (4.1 bar).

At full flow conditions for both spray nozzles, the sulfur temperature was maintained until it exited the spray nozzles. The temperature change in the BA WhirlJet nozzle was validated

CBA SulfurJet nozzle and CBA SulfurJet gun validation research

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) was used to model heat transfer in a sulfur gun with BA WhirlJet nozzles and a gun equipped with CBA SulfurJet nozzles. A full flow rate condition of 9,410 kg/hr (20,745 lbs/hr) sulfur at 150 psig ΔP (10 bar) was compared to a reduced flow condition of 1,745 kg/hr

By: Chuck Munro, Refinery Application Specialist, Spraying Systems Co.

Fig. 2

when the reduced flow conditions were used.

Fig. 1 shows the BA WhirlJet nozzle at the reduced flow conditions. The sulfur polymerizes inside the nozzle as the temperature rises above 305.6°F (152°C) and starts to form a skin. Over time, the skin grows thicker and reaches the point where the sulfur can no longer pass through the nozzle.

The CBA SulfurJet nozzle

is shown in Fig. 2. At the same reduced flow condition, the sulfur temperature remains at 289.4°F (143°C) as it passes through the nozzle. Polymerization does not occur.

Due to the hydraulic atomization design, the pressure to the gun is decreased as the flow rate is reduced. As a result, velocity through the internal cavity is decreased. Velocity for the BA

WhirlJet nozzle at the exit is reduced from approximately 32 m/s (105 ft/sec) at full flow rate to approximately 8 m/s (26.2 ft/ sec) at reduced flow rate as shown in Fig. 3. Since the fluid moves more slowly through the gun, the temperature near the walls of the sulfur cavity increases to 635°F (335°C). This causes the sulfur to polymerize at 318.2°F (159°C) and eventually build a skin inside the nozzle. The velocity decrease in the CBA SulfurJet has a smaller impact temperature of 442.4°F (228°C) and pluggage is avoided.

Summary

The new CBA SulfurJet nozzle and CBA SulfurJet gun deliver the flexible performance required by producers. The new nozzle provides superior atomization of bulk sulfur so producers can achieve the same or better performance than the BA WhirlJet spray nozzles currently in use. In addition, the new gun design allows production rates to be adjusted with reduced risk of pluggage. Producers will be able to maximize production time, reduce maintenance time, and extend gun life.

Chuck Munro has more than 20 years of experience in spray technology with Spraying Systems Co. He is a specialist in the petrochemical and chemical industries and is active in several industry committees. For more information, visit www.spray.com. q

Sulfuric Acid Today • Fall/Winter 2019

ALPHA-CORR TYPE III ACID BRICK

AvAilAble

in the

USA todAy

From our strategic location in Houston, TX, we are able to supply a variety of brick shapes (straights, arches, wedges, keys) and sizes from stock for immediate purchase.

Please reach out to us for technical data and pricing.

Samples available upon request.

Meeting ASTM C279 standards for use in new construction and refurbishment of existing structures in sulphuric acid plants including towers, process vessels, floors, sumps, pits, etc.

A-103 MASTIC速 A-103 Mastic速 is Still Available and in Stock in warehouses in USA and Canada.

Made from the original recipe.

When your plant has a product that has proven successful for over forty years, why change? With this in mind, Alphatherm Inc. purchased the recipe of Pecora A-103 Mastic速 to keep this integral piece of the Sulphuric Acid Tower lining system intact.

Made from the same ingredients with A DECADES OLD RECIPE, A-103 continues to be the workhorse membrane in Acid Plants worldwide.

Industrial Linings for Sulphuric Acid Plants.

Absorption Towers, Pump Tanks, Sulphur Pits, Secondary Containment, Acid Resistant Linings.

Acid Brick, Acid Resistant Mortar, Membranes, Carbon Brick, Polymer Concrete, Refractories, Teflon, Ceramic Paper and Blanket, Ceramic Rope, Borosilicate Block

Alphatherm Inc.

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This is THE ONLY A-103 Mastic速 made with the original Pecora recipe.

A-103 MASTIC is a registered trademark of Alphatherm Inc.

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Feature

CONFERENCE REVIEW

Central Florida engineers host 43rd Clearwater conference phosphate fertilizers, and sulfuric acid.

— “History Leads to Innovation and Development of Major Sulfuric

The conference included the Sulfuric Acid Plant Equipment,” by Leonard Acid Workshop, which focused on various Friedman, Acid Engineering & aspects of engineering, specifications, and Consulting. operation and maintenance of heat recov— “Advanced Injector Technology for ery systems. These presentations included: Increased Molten Sulphur Injection — “Heat Recovery Overview,” by Efficiency,” by Bandish Patel of Rick Davis of Davis & Associates, Spraying Systems.

Consulting.

— “A New Approach to Migrant Iron — “Heat Recovery in Sulfuric Acid Control in Industrial and Power Plants: Turning Costs into Profits,” Generation Steam Systems,” by Tom presented by Jesse Huebsch of Nix of Chemtreat.

Chemetics. ®

In addition to the technical presenta— “MECS HRS in Acid Plants,” by tions, Nicole Christiansen of Mosaic was Garrett Palmquist of DuPont MECS. presented with the Engineer of the Year — “Design Philosophies to Improve Plant award for her contributions to the field.

Safety and Operability,” by Hannes

As in previous years, the conference Storch of Outotec. also offered a relaxing getaway to balance — “SafeHR Heat Recovery Technology,” the presentations and panel discussions.

by Nelson Clark of Clark Solutions.

Participants and family mingled at hospi The second day of the conference tality suites each night, so they could netoffered two concurrent sessions for the work, reconnect with old friends, and enjoy Rick Davis of Davis & Associates Consulting, phosphate fertilizer and sulfuric acid secright, moderates the sulfuric acid workshop some great Florida cuisine. tors. The sulfuric acid session presentations on heat recovery systems. Presenters are, Dates for the 2020 conference have covered a variety of topics including: from left, Nelson Clark of Clark Solutions, been set for June 12-13, 2020. For more — “Hybrid Sulfuric Acid Plants,” by Hannes Storch of Outotec, Garret Palmquist information, visit the event’s website at BREEN SulfuricAcid QUARTERPageAD 11.4:Layout 1 11/4/19 2:03 PM Page 1 Andrés Mahecha-Botero of NORAM of DuPont MECS, and Jesse Huebsch of www.aiche-cf.org. q Chemetics.

Engineering and Constructors.

The annual International Phosphate Fertilizer & Sulfuric Acid Technology Conference celebrated its 43rd iteration June 7-8 at the Sheraton Sand Key Resort in Clearwater, Fla. The conference gathered members of the Central Florida Section of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) and colleagues from all over the world to share their ideas concerning chemical process technology, specifically the production of phosphoric acid,

Leonard Friedman, Acid Engineering & Consulting, expressed his views on how history leads to innovation and development of major sulfuric acid plant equipment.

Andrés Mahecha-Botero, NORAM Engineering and Constructors, presented an informative presentation on hybrid sulfuric acid plants.

13th Fertilizers | Industrial | Feed

Phosphates 2020 8-10 March 2020 • Marriott Rive Gauche, Paris, France

REAL TIME MOISTURE LEAK DETECTION & PERIODIC ACID DEW POINT MEASUREMENT

www.aciddewpoint.com

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PRESENTATIONS IN 3 DAYS

Breen Energy Solutions 700 Bursca Drive, Suite 701 Bridgeville,PA 15017 412.431.4499 sales@breenes.com www.breenes.com Breen, a Mississippi Lime FGT Business Unit Company

PAGE 32

Don’t miss this important gathering for the global phosphate industry. Where senior commercial and technical decision-makers meet to network, do business and learn about the key trends affecting the phosphate rock, fertilizer, feed, and industrial phosphates industry.

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

Sulfuric Acid Process Equipment Protection - Moisture Leak Detection - Periodic Dew Point Measurement - Economizer Water Tube Temperature Control Copper Smelter Applications - Control Of Weak Acid Production - Control of Sulfatization Air - ESP Performance

Exploring the supply, demand and technical dynamics shaping the global phosphate industry

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For more information or to book your place, visit www.phosphatesconference.com PHOS20 Advert 4 7/8 inches x 5 7/8 inches.indd 1

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Sulfuric Acid Today • Fall/Winter 2019

Acid Piping Technology — The world leader in reliable and cost effective products for the sulfuric acid industry since 1991

MONDI™ PIPINg SySTeMS APT HIgH PerfOrMANCe CerAMICS

MONDI™ Piping Systems – Special ductile iron alloy for 93-99% sulfuric acid at temperatures up to 300 degrees F (149 degrees C) and oleum. Unique alloy and heavy wall construction provide 30-plus years of reliable service. APT step ring gaskets provide leak-free seal in hot acid.

• Proven performance in acid plants since 1983 for recirculation and transfer systems • Tough sulfate film formed results in low corrosion rates • Good tolerance to weaker acid excursions due to process upset or shutdown conditions • Industry standard used in over 800 acid systems worldwide including World Class 4500+ ton per day plants • APT maintains large inventory of pipe and fittings for routine and emergency requirements Valves & Instrumentation – Valves are gate, globe, check, plug, ball and butterfly in iron, steel, bronze, stainless steels, alloy or lined with PTFE, PFA, and FEP. Valves are supplied in class 125 psi through 2500 psi. APT has a complete automation facility for valve actuation to supply complete automated package.

Instrumentation products include thermocouples, RTD, thermowells, orifice plates, pressure and temperature gauges.

APT High Performance Ceramics – High quality products which meet ASTM C-279 chemical porcelain. Products have excellent chemical resistance, high mechanical strength and low porosity.

• Tower packing saddle sizes in 3”, 2”, 1 1/2”, 1”, 3/4”, 1/2” and #1, #2. #3, Super Saddles • Cross Partition Rings, Grid Blocks and Ceramic Balls • APT maintains large inventory of saddles and supports for routine and emergency requirements ASC Acid Plant Valves --- Have been supplied to acid plants for gas duct applications since 1993. These valves are used for many applications within the plant. There valves can have manual gear operators or actuators.

• Butterfly valves (BV – metal step 1 percent leakage) for flow control around towers, equipment and heat exchangers • Powercam® BV valves (ANSI Class IV – 0.01 percent leakage) for preheater isolation • Flex-Wedge valves for blower isolation • Refractory BV and Jug valve used on boiler by-pass for flow control

Acid PiPing Technology Acid Piping Technology • 2890 Arnold Tenbrook Road • Arnold, Missouri 63010 USA Telephone: (636) 296-4668 • Fax: (636) 296-1824 • Email: info@acidpiping.com • Website: www.acidpiping.com

Feature

CONFERENCE REVIEW

Roundtable gathers industry minds for focused review

Sulfuric acid experts convened at this year’s Sulfuric Acid Roundtable to share their collective knowledge for the betterment of the industry. The conference, held March 25-28 at the Omni ChampionsGate Resort in Orlando, Fla., drew 165 participants, some from as far away as New Zealand and New Caledonia.

The event serves as an information exchange to help all who work in this complex industry to produce acid efficiently, safely, and cleanly. A cross-section of industry producers, suppliers, and contractors shared their experiences, relayed common lessons, asked questions, and offered suggestions.

Maintenance was a central theme this year. “Many of the producers shared their best maintenance practices during operations and turnarounds,” said conference organizer Kathy Hayward.

Producers were well represented too.

“Twenty-eight sulfuric acid manufacturers sent 100 employees to this year’s conference. That’s more than we’ve had in prior years,” said Hayward. These companies included fertilizer plants, smelters, regeneration, and merchant plants.

The remaining 34 companies in attendance were suppliers that provide equipment and services to the industry. Besides participating in the technical exchange that is the cornerstone of this event, the suppliers, along with Sulfuric Acid Today magazine, also co-sponsored the conference.

A new element at this year’s conference was a specially designed polling app that helped increase the free exchange of ideas. “Participants could answer poll questions during presentations and we were able to display the results live,” Hayward explained. “This was a great way for the attendees to gain some benchmarking information. Also, the participants were able to ask questions anonymously during Q&A time following a presentation.”

“The level of sharing at this year’s conference was exceptional,” said Hayward

Meetings were conducted in both presentation and panel discussion formats.

Presentations offered by industry suppliers and consultants covered a broad range of topics. Panel discussions conducted by plant personnel explored issues of acid production from multiple viewpoints.

Fiona Boyd of Acuity Commodities opened the roundtable with her insightful keynote presentation regarding the changes in supply and demand for sulfuric acid and the outlook for the market.

PAGE 34

Over 160 attendees from 63 companies gathered to share new technology, best practices, and lessons learned during the 2019 Sulfuric Acid Roundtable in Orlando, Fla.

Industry supplier and consultant presentations: — Keynote address, “Sulfuric acid market review and outlook,” by Fiona Boyd, Acuity Commodities.

— “History leads to innovation and development of major sulfuric acid plant equipment,” by Leonard Friedman, Acid Engineering & Consulting.

— “Peripherals of process gas and acid systems—Dos and Don’ts,” by Andres Mahecha-Botero, NORAM Engineering & Constructors Ltd. — “When to spend your maintenance dollar—pay now or more later,” by Stan Miller, VIP International.

— “Choosing the right absorbing tower mist elimination solution,” by Graeme Cousland, Begg Cousland Envirotec Ltd. — “Maintaining your sulfuric acid tower throughout the course of its life cycle,”

by Jim Dougherty, DuPont MECS. — “Dense acid bricks according to ASTM C270—a must? Different philosophy of acid bricks manufacturing,” by Roland Guenther, Steuler-KCH. — “Optimizing tower designs,” presented

by Matt Thayer, Koch-Knight LLC. — “Digitalization and the acid plant,” by Stefan Braeuner, Outotec.

— “Sustaining capital projects—A workflow primer,” by Robert Maciel, Chemetics.

— “Catalyst management,” by Bill Goodell, Haldor Topsoe.

— “Optical systems for continuous gas measurements at smelters and sulfuric acid plants,” by Carl Kamme, OPSIS. — “How catalyst shape affects performance,” by Dirk Hensel, BASF Corporation.

— “Proper catalyst handling techniques”

by Stan Miller, VIP International.

— “Advanced injector technology for increased molten sulfur injection efficiency,” by Chuck Munro, Spraying Systems Co. — “Aspects of sulfuric acid mist precipitator design, materials and maintenance,” by Michael Beltran, Beltran Technologies.

— “The importance of hydrogen safety,”

by Rick Davis, Davis & Associates.

Panel discussions among acid producer personnel covered these topics: — Acid Towers: Packing/Mist Elimination/Distributors/Pressure

Drop/Mist Carryover/Replacement.

— Process Gas Monitoring/Analyzers.

— Converters: Replacement/Maintenance/ Catalyst Screening & Disposal.

— Sulfur Handling, Storage, and Pit Maintenance.

— Heat Exchangers: Acid Coolers Shell & Tube/Plate/Gas-Gas. — Safety Issues and Incident Reviews.

Once out of the conference room, attendees could participate in a variety of activities. Special events this year included fishing and golf tournaments, laser skeet shooting, custom cigar rolling, and a whiskey tasting. VIP International provided its traditional Cajun dinner to welcome participants, and co-sponsor companies in combination with Sulfuric Acid Today hosted a casino night with door prizes. Attendees also commemorated the 25th anniversary of Sulfuric Acid Today, honoring Hayward, the magazine’s publisher.

On the final day, attendees took bus tours of two manufacturing sites. The first was Mosaic’s Bartow facility, which produces an annual capacity 2.3 MM tonnes finished product and generates 60 MW of power. The second was Tampa Electric Company’s Polk Power Station, a state of the art facility using “clean coal” technology, which also produces high purity 93 percent sulfuric acid for use in water treatment.

The next sulfuric acid conference, Australasian Sulfuric Acid Workshop, will be held in Brisbane, Queensland at the Hilton, April 5-8, 2020. For more information, please contact Kathy Hayward at (985) 807-3868; email kathy@h2so4today.com; or visit the event’s website: www.acidworkshop.com. q

Participants were able to interact with the supporting co-sponsors during the roundtable’s exhibition time. Joe Romero of Simplot, left, visits with Patrick Polk of Haldor Topsoe.

Kleber Jurado of Southern Peru Copper Corp shares his facility’s experiences during the converter panel discussion. Also chairing the panel, are, from left, Marvin Szoychen of Lucite International, Trevor Wyatt of Lucite International, Rick Mason of Cornerstone Chemical, and George Brown of Veolia.

Participants of the conference toured TECO’s Polk Power Station by bus and then convened inside the facility for refreshments and a Q&A session.

Participating in the golf tournament are, from left, Sean Dunkle of PVS Chemical, Andrew Bergman of Breen Energy Solutions, Sterling Rogers of Marathon Refining, and Brandon Davis of PVS Chemical.

Kathy Hayward, conference organizer and publisher of Sulfuric Acid Today , celebrates the magazine’s 25th anniversary with participants of the 2019 Sulfuric Acid Roundtable.

Anglers participating in the fishing tournament listen to instructions before heading out for an afternoon of kayaking and shore fishing.

Sulfuric Acid Today • Fall/Winter 2019

Faces & Places Members from Eco Services attended the 2019 Sulfuric Acid Roundtable in Orlando, Fla., in March.

Enjoying the welcome dinner are, from left, Matt Witter, Dan Scifo, Daniel Tate, Megan Barkalow, and Candace Booker.

Acid Piping Technology, DuPont MECS, Tenney & Company, and Weir Lewis Pumps recently hosted a customer appreciation Astros baseball game in Houston for over 250 customers and their families.

Participants at the 2019 Sulfuric Acid Roundtable enjoyed a fun-filled casino night with door prizes.

Playing a hand of blackjack are, from left, Carl Kamme of Opsis, Casey Inzaina of AdvanSix, Dan Hammen of Team Industries, Vance Singletary of Mosaic, and David Sheffield of Mosaic.

Weir Lewis Pumps hosted a dinner at Crabby Bill’s restaurant for their customers and family members during the AIChE Central Florida Chapter’s conference in Clearwater, Fla.

Chemetics hosted a hospitality suite during the AIChE Central Florida Chapter’s conference in Clearwater, Fla. Pictured are, from left, Jesse Huebsch, Bob Whitters, and Michael Fenton.

Catching up at Weir Lewis Pumps’ customer appreciation dinner at Crabby Bill’s restaurant in Clearwater, Fla., are, from left, John Horne of DuPont MECS, Jack Harris of VIP International, Jim Dougherty of DuPont MECS, and Ed Knoll of Acid Piping Technology.

Matthias Walschburger of Koch Knight LLC, left, visits with Ibrahim Al-Jafari, Mohammed Al Oudah, and Ali Al Enzi of Maaden Waad Al Shamal Phosphate Company during an exhibition hospitality function at the 2019 Sulfuric Acid Roundtable in Orlando, Fla.

Networking during an exhibition hospitality function at the 2019 Sulfuric Acid Roundtable in Orlando, Fla., are, from left, are Viven Schrage of SensoTech, Hunter Jones of PVS Chemical, Harald Schrage of SensoTech, Allison Balling of PVS Chemical, and Yasser Salameh of PVS Chemical.

Haldor Topsoe hosted a dinner at Bern’s restaurant in conjunction with the AIChE Central Florida Chapter’s conference in Clearwater, Fla. Pictured on the left side are Jonathan Oliver, Jacqueline Oliver of Mosaic, Sam Chidester of Haldor Topsoe, Scott Doty of Mosaic, Jennifer Doty, and Michelle Navar of Mosaic. On the right side are Patrick Polk of Haldor Topsoe, Sheri Miller, Tom Miller, Mack Jones, and Chris Stanaland of Mosaic.

Kimre hosted a hospitality suite during the AIChE Central Florida Chapter’s conference in Clearwater, Fla. Pictured are, from left, Edward Fowler, Noel Booker, Linda Kravitz, Mary Keenan, Frank Power, and Christine McAniff.

Enjoying beverages poolside at the AIChE Central Florida Chapter’s conference in Clearwater, Fla., are, from left, Graeme Cousland and Sean Bull of Begg Cousland Envirotec, and Hannes Storch, Collin Bartlett, and Yvonne Schlingmann of Outotec.

From left, Darrell Raymond of Mosaic and Jim Gomez, Brian Webster, and George Vann of Eco Services enjoyed the customer appreciation Astros baseball game in Houston hosted by Acid Piping Technology, DuPont MECS, Tenney & Company, and Weir Lewis Pumps.

Guy Cooper of NORAM Engineering & Constructors, left, visits with Mack Jones of Mosaic, center, and Andres Mahecha-Botero of NORAM Engineering & Constructors at a hospitality suite during the AIChE Central Florida Chapter’s conference in Clearwater, Fla.

Central Maintenance & Welding hosted a dinner at Island Way Grill in conjunction with the AIChE Central Florida Chapter’s conference in Clearwater, Fla. Pictured, left to right, are Angela Mire, Guy Mire, Frances Toole, Andrew Toole of Mosaic, Ian Legg of Central Maintenance & Welding, Tiffany Legg, David Bailey of Central Maintenance & Welding, Kathy Bailey, Terresa Dipuma, Geneva Dipuma, Luciana Dipuma, Francesca Dipuma, Michael Dipuma of Keystone Engineering, Brad Varnum of Central Maintenance & Welding, and Lisa Varnum.

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calendar of events CRU Phosphates 2020

LONDON—CRU Phosphates 2020, a must-attend event for commercial and operational professionals in the fertilizer, feed, and industrial phosphates industries, will be held in Paris March 8-10. The conference regularly attracts a large audience from across the global phosphates supply chain.

This year’s extensive dual-streamed agenda will give attendees the latest market updates and technical innovations. The expanded technical content stream, with a dedicated agenda of technical papers and showcase presentations, is specifically tailored for operators working across mining and plant-based facilities.

The technical agenda offers an ideal opportunity to share experience, develop solutions to operational challenges, and learn how new technology, process, materials, and equipment developments can improve efficiency, environmental compliance, and productivity.

In addition to the CRU view on the global markets and industry trends, the commercial agenda will have a particular focus on how the industry is responding to

changing dynamics of phosphate demand, in terms of new phosphate products and the evolving relationship with consumers.

For more information, please visit events.crugroup.com.

Sulphur World Symposium 2020

WASHINGTON—Join TSI in Chicago April 20-22 for two days of highly-regarded speakers on topics of interest to the sulfur and sulfuric acid industries. The symposium attracts over 125 principal industry leaders from more than 25 countries.

Dr. Peter Harrisson, head of sulphur and sulphuric acid analysis at CRU International, will present “The Outlook for Sulphur and Sulphuric Acid.” In addition, attendees will find talks and workshops on topics ranging from a review of leading industry practices to an analysis of the sulfur and sulfuric acid supply and demand forecast. There will also be opportunities to learn from and share ideas with decision makers from the entire sulfur value chain.

In addition to workshops and talks, networking opportunities abound at the Symposium. From coffee breaks and lunches to evening receptions and day trips, attendees can make valuable connections throughout the event.

For more information, please visit www.sulphurinstitute.org.

2020 Australasia Sulfuric Acid Workshop

COVINGTON, La.—Plans are underway for Sulfuric Acid Today’s biennial Sulfuric Acid Workshop in Australia. The 2020 event will take place April 5-8 at the Hilton in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

As in years past, sulfuric acid producers and leading technology companies will gather to discuss best practices for maintenance, operations, production, and safety. Panel discussions and co-sponsor booths will provide more opportunities for information sharing, while social events will ensure that participants get to enjoy the beautiful area while building relationships that promote beneficial business exchanges in the future.

For more information, please email Kathy Hayward at kathy@h2so4today. com, or visit the event’s website: www. acidworkshop.com.

2020

Australasia H SO W O R K S H O P 2

4

S U L F U R I C A C I D T O D AY

Save the Date April 5 - 8, 2020 Hilton Brisbane

AIChE hosts 44th annual conference

CLEARWATER, Fla. – Each year mem-

bers of the AIChE Central Florida Section

and colleagues from all over the world gather at Clearwater Beach to share ideas concerning chemical process technology, specifically the production of phosphoric

acid, phosphate fertilizers, and sulfuric acid. The Sheraton Sand Key Resort in Clearwater will once again be the site for

this anticipated event, scheduled for June 12-13, 2020.

This year’s event will include work-

shops and presentations on a variety of

topics affecting the industry. Participants can earn Professional Development Hours for attending.

As always, the convention also pro-

vides a relaxing getaway with friends and family, good food, and a lot of fun. Social and networking events are planned dur-

ing the event, with a little something for everyone.

For more information, please visit

www.aiche-cf.org. q

2020 Aus trala Worksho sia Sulfuric Acid p will off er: — Keynote

A Acid Ma ddress on the Global rket Sulfuric — Informa tive Co-Spo nsor prese — Insightfu nta l — Mainten producing plant pres tions an c e p an e l entations dis — Safety p anel and in cussions cident revie — Co-Spon ws s — Network or exhibits ing opportu nities

Brisbane, Queensland • Australia Sponsored By:

Sulfuric Acid T

O

D

A

Y

Industry’s Premier Event for Networking & Sharing Best Practices™ Register On-Line Today! www.acidworkshop.com PAGE 38

Sulfuric Acid Today • Fall/Winter 2019

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