Phosphoric Acid → Phosphoric Acid

Participants

Reaction Steps

The manufacture of phosphoric acid is conventionally performed on a commercial scale by either the wet process or the thermal process. In the wet process, phosphate rock is treated with sulfuric acid to produce weak aqueous phosphoric acid (20 - 30% P2O5) and calcium sulfate. The phosphoric acid and calcium sulfate are separated by filtration and the phosphoric acid is concentrated to the desired level (usually 40 to 72% P2O5). The resulting acid is quite impure and usually black in color. It is suitable primarily for fertilizer manufacture and not for other industrial purposes.

Provenance & Evidence