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Packaged plant to dilute Sulphuric Acid
For the many industries which handle and store Sulphuric Acid, significant cost savings can be made by purchasing and transporting it in its most concentrated form and diluting locally on-site.
How to dilute sulphuric acid with water
Concentrated Sulphuric Acid, has a great affinity for water and so the H2SO4 dilution process has a high exothermic heat of dilution – releasing large quantities of heat energy. When sulphuric acid is diluted in water the heat energy can result in the boiling of the mixture if the process is not carefully controlled.
Regardless of the proportions of the feedstocks and the final concentration, the mixture will always pass through the maximum exotherm (in excess of 145°C) at some point in the process.
How is concentrated sulphuric acid stored?
Traditionally, due to the corrosive nature of concentrated Sulphuric Acid and the high process temperatures, acid dilution plants are made up of different materials each with different expansion and contraction rates which ultimately lead to leaks and external corrosion issues. Typically, mixing and cooling plants use resin-filled graphite, carbon, or glass for contact surfaces; these relatively fragile and expensive materials can often suffer from severe thermal shock due to the thermal cycling, leading to high maintenance costs and significant plant downtime.
Dilution of sulphuric acid
Developed over 30 years ago, we have continually pioneered the use of Thermoplastics in many blending, dilution and cooling systems to take advantage of their excellent chemical resistance.
Sulphuric Acid Dilution Systems present an additional challenge with the high exothermic heat of the dilution process. However, by utilising PVDF for the initial mixing phase, Polypropylene for the volume mixing and pumping system and HDPE for our unique internal heat exchangers we can address the corrosion, heat and subsequent cooling challenges with these three Thermoplastic materials and achieve a compact “plug and play” batch dilution design.
The batch dilution process is entirely managed through a PLC control panel to give safe and accurate control of the dilution process by monitoring the solution density and temperature without any manual intervention. If an alarm situation was to occur, the system would initiate a close-down procedure to render the system safe.
The flexibility of the system is important and many different dilution recipes can be pre-programmed to provide a comprehensive range of concentrations.
Standard Sulphuric Acid dilution units are available in a range of models with batch capacities from 1m³ to 5m3. Larger capacity systems can be designed based on client requirements, providing your perfect Sulphuric Acid Dilution System.
Frequently asked questions
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Adding water to sulphuric acid causes an exothermic reaction to occur and generates high levels of heat energy. This can cause the sulphuric acid dilution to boil, with the potential for splashing and injury.
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Rather than adding water to a concentrated acid, the safest way to make a sulphuric acid dilution is to add the concentrated acid to water. However, temperatures of up to 145oC can still be reached using this method.
Achieving accurate and consistent dilutions at scale requires a Sulphuric Acid Dilution System which can safely contain the concentrated acid and introduce this to water in a controlled way while managing the exotherm.
We have pioneered the manufacture of Sulphuric Acid Dilution Systems entirely in thermoplastic materials as they are compatible both with the chemical and heat/cooling involved in the dilution process.
Sulphuric Acid Chemical Storage Tanks, ChemiGuard Tanker Offload Cabinets with Magnetic Drive and Diaphragm Pumps can be combined to safely offload, transfer and store concentrate and dilute sulphuric acid.
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Sulphuric (or Sulfuric) acid has many uses across a range of industries. Different uses demand different concentrations. For example, >29% is used as a cleaner and to regulate PH, while sulphuric acid at 78% is used in processes to finish metal.
Lower concentration levels of acid demand higher proportions of water. Our Sulphuric Acid Dilution Systems use a control panel to safely manage the required volume and concentration of each batch and the associated amount of water and concentrate.
How to ensure safe sulphuric acid storage
Sulphuric Acid is an extremely corrosive mineral acid that challenges traditional chemical storage options. This pungent, colourless to slightly yellow viscous liquid is dyed a dark brown colour throughout its production to alert people to its corrosive nature. Sulphuric Acid is a particularly aggressive oxidiser which challenges the strength and design of many storage tanks. Chem Resist Thermoplastic Spiral Wound Storage tanks can be used to safely store both concentrated and dilute Sulphuric Acid.
Advantages of thermoplastic spiral wound chemical storage tanksCustomer testimonial
“The Chem Resist Sulfuric Acid Dilution equipment has been in use at our Valkeakoski plant in Finland since November 2019. The design, installation and commissioning phases of the project ran well. Since commissioning the equipment has been very reliable and the quality of the dilute has always been to specification. Some minor adjustments have been made remotely with full technical advice and support. We have since expanded our product storage capacity and built more infrastructure around the unit to accommodate an increase in requirements. The equipment has been in use almost daily and has proven to be a good investment giving excellent payback. The people at Chem Resist have been very helpful and responsive throughout.”
Markus Buchen – BU Director, Bang and Bonsomer Environment and Industry
Chemical Transfer Pumps
Did you know we also supply a broad range of fluid transfer technologies from leading brands including Almatec, Munsch and World Chemical? Specialising in non-metallic pumps, we specialise in safe transfer of corrosive and aggressive chemicals.
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Send a message to the Chem Resist sales team for more information on Sulphuric Acid Dilution
Alternatively, contact us on +44 1924 499466 or [email protected].