Contact Process
Optimize temperature and pressure to balance sulfur trioxide yield and reaction rate in sulfuric acid manufacture
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2SO₂ + O₂· 67 balls
Forward rate
4000.00
SO₃· 13 balls
Backward rate
80.00
Temperature Control
450°C300°C — High yield, slow rate600°C — Low yield, fast rate
Pressure Control
2 atm1 atm — Low cost10 atm — Higher yield, compression cost
DSE target: 450°C, 2 atm, V₂O₅ catalyst on
Reactant Yield vs. Plant Operating Cost
Adjust temperature, pressure, and catalyst to explore the yield–cost trade-off.
Reaction Rate
100%
Equilibrium yield: 30.0%
Operating cost: 35.1%
Optimal Conditions
Optimal Industrial Compromise Conditions Reached.
HKDSE Tip
- Industrial compromise:The forward reaction is exothermic. Low T favours SO₃ yield but is too slow; industry uses a compromise temperature of ~450°C.
- Atmospheric pressure:The reaction runs near atmospheric pressure (~2 atm). Higher P helps yield, but compressing large volumes of SO₂/O₂ is too costly.
- Catalyst:The V₂O₅ catalyst does not affect equilibrium position (yield), only the rate at which equilibrium is reached.