roguerose12 - 27-8-2015 at 03:33
I was reading that during the production of H2SO4 via the contact process of passing SO2 through heated V2O5 yeilding SO3 bubbling into H2O - that the
VanPent can (or does) break down into VO2. After the VO2 is formed, it looks like it absorbs atmospheric O and reforms V2O5 - is this correct? Is
there anything that needs to be done to aid in the pentoxide forming?
How much V2O5 is needed as a catalyst for this process for making something like 2L of ~94-96% H2SO4?
Also, in making concentrated H2SO4 via the above process, is there any benefit with starting with something like battery acid instead of plain H2O
(other than the time needed to reach saturation)?
Metacelsus - 27-8-2015 at 07:34
Remember, sulfur trioxide is NOT bubbled into water. That would be quite dangerous. Instead, it is dissolved in concentrated sulfuric acid, and then
the resultant oleum is diluted.
If you have battery acid, you might as well just boil it down to get your concentrated acid, and not bother dealing with the vanadium pentoxide.
gdflp - 27-8-2015 at 10:51
Quite a nice thread on this exists. See here.