Sulfur Contact Process

• Essential conditions for sulfur contact process:

  • Catalyst- Vanadium (V) oxide
  • Temperature- 450 °C
  • Pressure-  2 atm
• Procedure:

  • Oxidation of sulfur forming sulfur dioxide : S + O2 → SO2
  • Further oxidized, forming sulfur trioxide using the catalyst, Vanadium (V) oxide: 2SO2 + O2 ⇌2SO3
  • SO3 dissolved in concentrated sulphuric acid, forming liquid compound Oleum: SO3 + H2SO4 → H2S2O7
  • Compound mixed with water to form concentrated sulphuric acid: H2S2O7 + H2O → 2H2SO4