SAUDI ARABIAN FERTILIZER CO. (SAFCO)

Sulfuric acid (H2SO4) is a colorless, odorless, oily liquid that is very corrosive and reacts chemically with many other materials and substances. Sulfuric acid has a wide range of uses and is one of the world's most widely used industrial chemicals. PRODUCTION CAPACITY With installed production capacity of 360 ton per day, SAFCO is the largest producer of Sulphuric Acid in the Arabian Gulf and providing Acid since 1972. PRODUCTION PROCESS There are three steps to the production of sulfuric acid:

1. Gas preparation,2. Conversion,3. SO3 Absorption The compressed dry air enters a refractory-lined furnace where molten sulfur is burned to produce relatively high strength sulfur dioxide (SO2). The hot SO2 combustion gas is then cooled in a steam boiler to the proper temperature to promote conversion to SO3 in the Conversion step. The heart of the conversion process for sulfuric acid manufacture is the catalytic oxidation of sulfur dioxide (SO)2 to sulfur trioxide (SO3), according to the equation: SO2 + 1/2 O2 = SO3 + Heat. Because the reaction is highly exothermic and reversible, to obtain the high degree of conversion required to meet current environmental emissions standards, the conversion reaction needs to be carried out in stages (Converter passes) with heat removing between the passes. SO3 gas is absorbed and strengthened in a series of absorption towers from which a draw-out of acid product goes to the acid storage tanks.