Nornickel upgrades catalyst in Sulphur program

At Nornickel's Sulphur Program at the Nadezhda Smelter, the replacement of the vanadium catalyst in the contact apparatuses has begun. This operation is important for the sustainable production and neutralization of sulfuric acid.

"Currently, we are continuing the comprehensive testing of the Sulphur Program for sulfur dioxide utilization according to the established plan," says Maxim Pedanov, Chief Engineer of Nadezhda." - Replacing the contact mass is a standard operation stipulated by the life cycle of the technological equipment. Although the line where the replacement is being carried out is temporarily out of service, the second utilization line continues to operate during this time, ensuring the continuity of the process. After the replacement of the contact mass is completed, the line with the new catalyst will also be launched, and comprehensive testing will continue."

Nornickel's Sulphur Program, launched in October 2023 at the Nadezhda Smelter, has become one of the largest projects in Russia aimed at improving the environmental situation. Sulfur dioxide, which is formed during the

process in furnaces, is one of the main sources of emissions. By implementing waste gas utilization technology and launching the production and neutralization of sulfuric acid, Nornickel is significantly improving the air quality in Norilsk.

Three contact apparatuses are installed in the sulfuric acid production area. Each apparatus is filled with five layers of vanadium catalyst with a volume of about 500 cubic meters. The catalyst plays a central role in the conversion of sulfur dioxide to sulfur trioxide-an important intermediate to produce sulfuric acid.

The catalyst replacement process is carried out in several stages. The contact apparatuses are stopped, and a blow-down is performed to remove residual gases (sulfur dioxide and trioxide) from the catalyst layers, followed by cooling. The process takes from three to five days. The old catalyst is gradually unloaded, sifted, and sorted to separate the fractions suitable for reuse.

"The work is carried out around the clock by a team of 28 specialists from a contracting company. Two modern vacuum units are used to remove the old catalyst, as well as three loaders. The timeframe for replacing the catalyst in one contact apparatus is about 20 days, but the work is ahead of schedule: the catalyst was unloaded from the first apparatus in 7 days," says Ilya Manokhin, Head of the Sulfuric Acid Production and Neutralization Shop at Nadezhda.

Nornickel's Sulphur Program at the Nadezhda Smelter is a project of a scale unparalleled in Russia and the world, allowing for the utilization of more than 40% of sulfur dioxide.

The expert community and state regulatory authorities highly praise the results of the program's implementation, recognizing its innovation and effectiveness. In the first year of the Sulphur Program alone, the reduction of sulfur dioxide emissions in Norilsk amounted to almost 400,000 tons.