2023 Spring/Summer Issue

Trash to treasure: IBC reroutes waste SO2 into sulfuric acid production

When the Colombian government tightened regulations on how much sulfate waste was permissible in wastewater, both Industrias Básicas de Caldas (IBC) and its customer next door were faced with a challenge. IBC supplies SO3 to an adjacent sulfonic acid facility that was releasing wastewater effluent with sulfates—and now the sulfate content must be reduced by at least 90%. After thoroughly testing several possible solutions, the final plan not only brought wastewater into compliance, but recycled SO2 into increased sulfuric acid production and netted a host of other benefits to boot.



Sulfuric Acid Today 2023 Spring Summer issue

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Features & Guest Columns

  • Covid-19 recovery amid a commodities price rally
  • Acid Piping Technology celebrates 30 years of service
  • Lewis® vertical sulfuric acid pumps save South American smelter $100K & 200 hours
  • Understanding spray technology to optimize sulfur burning
  • Training designed for success
  • Absorption-irrigation systems
  • Glencore replaces sulfuric acid drying tower in record time
  • EXP’s sulfuric acid team delivers reliable, client-focused solutions
  • Sulfuric acid gas & mist cleaning: wet electrostatic precipitators for superior performance
  • NORAM’s hot sweep cold exchanger does the trick
  • Special alloys changing how sulfuric acid plants are built and operated

Also included in this issue …

  • International private equity consortium to buy DuPont Clean Technologies
  • PQ Group Holdings sells performance chemicals, acquires catalyst activation business
  • Egypt’s Sprea Misr awards sulfuric acid plant contract to Nuberg
  • Rama Phosphates Ltd commences commercial production of sulfuric acid and derivatives from new unit
  • DuPont Clean Technologies awarded Lithuanian refinery upgrade contract
  • Metso Outotec to modernize Norilsk Nickel’s smelting line
  • Dürr Megtec introduces “next generation” Wet ESP
  • ABB awarded contract to supply complete electrical and automation system for China’s Northern Copper Industry