Dynamic modelling and simulation of the sulphur dioxide converter in an industrial smelter

Sulphuric acid plants have been widely used in industrial smelters to reduce sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions to the atmosphere. The catalytic SO2 converter, where SO2 is oxidized to sulphur trioxide (SO3), is the key unit and determines the performance of a sulphuric acid plant. In this paper, a dynamic model is built based on mass and energy conservation for the SO2 converter in an industrial smelter. The derived model is compared with industrial measurement and a very good fit is obtained. A key variable of high industrial interest, SO2 conversion ratio, is defined and explored in modelling the SO2 converter, and thus the resulting model is of important industrial values. Based on the derived model, simulations are run to investigate the system dynamics and effects of process variables.