DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
VISVESVARAYA NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
NAGPUR
DESIGN OF CHEMICAL PROCESS PLANT
[CHEMICAL: Sulphuric Acid || Production:40 tonnes per day]
Submitted to:
Dr.Sachin Mandavgane Sir
(Associate Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering )
Acknowledgement
We want to express gratitude towards our professor Dr Sachin Mandavgane Sir for giving us
this opportunity to do this thought-provoking mini project on the design of a storage tank. It
was a great opportunity to learn so much and various aspects of Fluid mechanics. This project
helped us to know the industrial way of production.
-Thank You
Team Members:
Kethavath Chandra Prakash (BT23CME063)
Kamatham Jayanth (BT23CME065)
Vadithya Shiva Manikanta Naik (BT23CME067)
Vivek Vasant Thombare (BT23CME073)
Rangineni Sreeram Sucheth (BT23CME084)
Vasu Deva Reddy V (BT23CME107)
INDEX
1. Introduction……………………………………………………………….
1.1 Chemical to be stored: H2SO4
1.1.1 Physical and Chemical Properties of H2SO4
1.1.2 Application of H2SO4
1.1.3 MSDS Sheet for H2SO4
1.1.4 Safety and Handling
1.2 Process Flow Diagram
1.3 Process Description
2. Building Material
2.1 Properties of Stainless Steel
2.2 Composition of Stainless Steel
3. Material Balance
4. Storage Tank Calculations
5. Schematic Design of Storage Tank
6. Result
7. References
1.Introduction
1.1 Chemical to stored: Sulphuric acid
● Molecular Formula: H2SO4
● IUPAC Name: Sulphuric Acid
● Molecular Mass: 98g/mol
● Synonyms: Oil of Vitriol
● Melting Point: 10.31oC
● Boiling Point: 337oC
● Specific Gravity: 1.84
● Colour: Colorless oily liquid
● CAS Number: 7664-93-9
Sulphuric acid is widely used for industrial purposes because of its oxidizing property. It is
also known as “Hydrogen Sulphate”. Sulfuric acid is a very important commodity chemical;
a country's sulfuric acid production is a good indicator of its industrial strength.
1.1.1 Physical Properties of H2SO4
Colour Colorless
Odor Odorless
Density 1.84 g/cm3 in its pure state
Melting Point 10oC
Boiling Point 337oC
Vapour Pressure ≤ 0.001mmHg at 25oC
Physical State Oily
Chemical Properties of H2SO4
i. Being an acid, sulphuric acid easily reacts with most bases and give
corresponding Sulphates.
CuO(s) + H2SO4(aq) CuSO4(aq) + H2O(l)
ii. Sulphuric acid can displace weaker acids from their salts on reaction
with sodium acetate. For example, sulphuric acid displaces acetic acid
and forms bisulphate.
H2SO4(aq) + CH3COONa(aq) CuSO4(aq) + CH3COOH(aq)
1.1.2 Applications of Sulphuric acid
i. One primary use of sulphuric acid is in the manufacturing of
fertilizers.
ii. Sulphuric acid is used in the manufacturing of other strong acids
like Hydrochloric acid(HCl) and nitric acid(HNO3).
iii. It is used for refining petroleum which gives us impurity-free
fuels.
1.1.3 MSDS for Sulphuric acid (H2SO4)
A Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) or Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for Sulphuric acid
provides critical safety information about handling, storage, and emergency measures for the
chemical.
1. Identification
● Product Name: Sulphuric Acid
● Chemical Formula: H₂SO₄
● Recommended Use: Industrial applications, chemical synthesis, etc.
2. Hazard Identification
● Classification:
o Corrosive to metals (Category 1)
o Skin corrosion (Category 1A)
o Serious eye damage (Category 1)
3. Physical and Chemical Properties
● Appearance: Clear, colorless liquid.
● Odor: Odorless.
● pH: Strongly acidic.
● Boiling Point: ~338°C (640°F)
● Melting Point: ~10°C (50°F)
● Density: ~1.84 g/cm³
4. Handling and Storage
● Handling: Use in a well-ventilated area. Avoid contact with skin, eyes, and clothing.
Do not breathe vapors or mist.
● Storage: Store in a cool, dry place away from incompatible materials. Keep container
tightly closed.
5. First-Aid Measures
● Inhalation: Move to fresh air immediately. Seek medical attention if symptoms
persist.
● Skin Contact: Rinse skin immediately with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes.
Remove contaminated clothing. Seek medical attention.
● Eye Contact: Rinse immediately with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes, lifting
the upper and lower eyelids occasionally. Seek medical attention immediately.
● Ingestion: Do not induce vomiting. Rinse mouth with water and seek medical
attention immediately.
6. Accidental Release Measures
● Personal Precautions: Wear protective clothing and equipment. Ensure adequate
ventilation.
● Environmental Precautions: Prevent further leakage or spillage if safe to do so. Do
not let product enter drains or water courses.
● Cleanup Methods: Neutralize with a suitable alkaline substance (e.g., sodium
bicarbonate) and collect in suitable containers for disposal.
7. Exposure Controls/Personal Protection
● Occupational Exposure Limits: Follow local regulations for permissible exposure
limits.
● Engineering Controls: Use adequate ventilation systems.
● Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):
o Eye Protection: Chemical safety goggles or face shield.
o Skin Protection: Acid-resistant gloves and clothing.
o Respiratory Protection: Use appropriate respiratory protection if exposure
limits are exceeded or if ventilation is inadequate.
1.1.4 Safety and Handling
i. As Sulphuric acid is highly corrosive it is stored in a moist free
environment and materials which are resistant to acid corrosion
like carbon steel and stainless steel.
ii. Safety equipment like masks and gloves have to be worn to avoid
burns in the nose, hands, etc.
1.2 Process Flow Diagram
.
1.3 Process Description
Sulphuric acid is produced through many different processes for this
project we are opting for the “Contact Process” which involves the
following steps:
i. Burning Sulphur to form Sulphur dioxide.
S(s) + O2(g) SO2(g)
ii. Conversion of Sulphur
dioxide to Sulphur trioxide in the presence of vanadium pentoxide as
sulphur dioxide is oxidized to sulphur trioxide.
SO2(g) + O2(g) SO3(g)
iii. Conversion of sulphur trioxide into concentric sulphuric acid. Sulphur
trioxide is absorbed into sulphuric acid to produce oleum/disulphuric
acid.
SO3(g) + H2SO4(l) H2S2O7(l)
iv. The oleum is diluted with water to produce sulphuric acid of desired
concentration.
H2S2O7(l) + H2O(l) 2H2SO4(l)
The whole process is operated at a temperature of 720K and a pressure of 2 bar. The
sulphuric acid produced by this process is of 98% purity.
2.Building Material: Stainless Steel 316L
Stainless steel 316L is known for its intense corrosion resistance property,
especially against concentrated acids like Sulphuric acid.
‘L’ stands for “Low carbon content” compared to other alloys of stainless steel.
The longer the lifespan and lower maintenance requirement can offset the higher
initial cost of the material. Stainless steel requires less maintenance and
monitoring.
2.1 Composition of Stainless Steel 316L
Composition of Stainless Steel 316L by Weight%
Component Weight%
Iron (Fe) 62-70%
Chromium (Cr) 16-18%
Nickel (Ni) 10-14%
Molybdenum 2-3%
Manganese (Mn) <6.2%
Silicon (Si) <1%
Phosphorous (P) <0.045%
Sulphur (S) <0.030%
Carbon (C) <0.03%
2.2 Properties of Stainless Steel 316L
Tensile Strength(MPa) Yield Strength 0.2%
Grade Elongation (% in 50 mm) min
min Proof (MPa) min
316L 485 170 40
3. Material Balance :
Production capacity = 40tonnes/day of H2SO4
Based on the material balance block diagram and reaction we can conclude the need of the
materials.
No.of moles of H2SO4 = 40000/98= 408.12Kmol
Considering 95% conversion of final product :
1. No.of moles of S, H2SO4, H2O = 204.08/0.95=214.82Kmol
2. No. of moles of O2 = 306.12/0.95 = 322.23Kmol
3. No. of moles recycled = 214.82 – 204.08 = 10.74Kmol of S, H2SO4, H2O
= 322.23 – 306.12 = 16.11 Kmol of O2
4. Storage Tank Calculations:
Basis: To Design a storage tank that can accommodate 40 tonnes of Sulphuric Acid per
day for 20 days, considering 30% of safety measures. Considering the height should be
less than 7m, 3 storage tanks are preferred.
Storage Tank Description
i. The base of the tank is taken as a flat base.
ii. The body of the tank is taken as a cylindrical body.
iii. The roof of the tank is taken as conical roof.
Considering all tanks to have 75m3 volume even when not filled at all
FINAL PRODUCT:
The chemical H2SO4 is stored for 20Days :
H2SO4 : 40tonnes x 20 = 800tonnes/20Days
Volume occupied by H2SO4 = Mass / Density
= 800000/1840
= 434.78m3
After considering 30% safety measures in the volume : (0.3*434.78) + 434.78
: 565.21m3
No. of Tanks required to store for 20Days = Total volume / Volume of each tank
= 565.21 / 75
= 7.536 ≈ 8
Therefore the total number of tanks required to store the chemical H2SO4 for 20 days is 8
1. Roof: Conical Roof
2. Material: Stainless stell 316L
3. σ = 170 MPa
4. Pgas = 1.01325 x 105 Pa
5. Density = 1840kg/m3
6. J = 0.85
Storage Tank Calculations:
Calculating radius of the tank:
V=Πr2H
⁖H/D =1.5
V= Πr2(3r)
H =1.5(D)
75=3Π(r3)
H =3r
r =1.996m.
Calculating height of the tank:
H=3r
H=3(1.996)
H=5.988 m.
Calculating total pressure:
Pgauge = ρgh
= 1840*9.81*5.988
= 108.086 KPa.
Ptotal = Patm + Pgauge
= 101.325 + 108.086
= 209.411 KPa.
Tshell = (Ptotal x D) / ( 2 x σ x J - Ptotal )
= [( 209.411 x 103 x 3.992) / (2 x 170 x 106 x 0.85 – 209.411 x 103 )]
= 835968.712 / 288790589
= 2.89 x 10-3 m OR 2.89mm
Tbase = [(3 x 1840 x 6 x 12.562) / (4 x 170 x 106 x 0.85)]0.5
= 94.8mm
Tc = (Ptotal × D) / (4 × σ × J - Ptotal)
= ( 209.411 x 103 x 4) / ( 4 x 170 x 106 x 0.85 x sin45)
= 2.04 mm.
6. Storage Tank Schematic Design
7. RESULTS :
Sr .No Name of the Capacity Dimensions Thickness No. of Tanks
chemical to be
stored
1. H2SO4 75m3 H = 5.988m Tshell = 8
2.89mm
D = 3.992m
Tbase = 94.8mm
Tc = 2.04mm
8. References
● https://www.scribd.com/doc/27451913/Storage-Tank-Design
● https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulfuric_acid
● https://images.app.goo.gl/K67W3SHCpNSEffAY6
● https://www.protank.com/sulfuric-acid
