0 25 Project

A Feasibility Study on Nitric Acid Production
Report submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement for

the degree of B.Tech
In Chemical Engineering
Under the supervision of
Prof. Azad sir

By
Dipesh Joon
(02516101419)
To
University School of Chemical Technology

Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University
Sector-16C, Dwarka, New Delhi-110078

Certificate
This is to certify that report entitled “Industrial nitric

acid (HNO3) production in India” which is
submitted by Dipesh Joon in partial fulfilment of the
requirement for the award of degree Bachelor of
Technology in Chemical Engineering to University
School of Chemical Technology, GGSIP University,
Sector-16C, Dwarka, New Delhi- 110078, is a record
of the candidate’s own work carried out by him under
my supervision. The matter embodied in this report is
original and has not been submitted for the award of
any other degree.
Prof. Azad sir
Associate Professor, USCT

lOMoARcPSD|212 682 00
Acknowledgement
I extend my profound regards to my

supervisor Prof. Azad sir, USCT,
GGSIPU, for his valuable suggestions,
guidance, and encouraging supervision
during this project. His invaluable
directions in the proceedings of this
project were immensely essential in the
professional completion of this project.
I’d also extend my sincere thanks to the
people who’ve been kind to share the
required information and experience
regarding this project, topic and its
industrial applications.
ABSTRACT
The report is a full analysis on the feasibility and process establishment for industrial nitric
acid (HNO3) production in India. HNO3 acid is a valuable chemical used in production of
fertilizers and explosives and hence local production and export trade could bring in large
amounts of foreign income. This report is presented in 3 main chapters.
The first part of the report is the literature review and process selection where the market
analysis including plant location and site selection has also been carried out. Production of
Ammonium Nitrate for fertilizer production was found to be the main end use of Nitric acid
accounting for more than 80% of total production. The market analysis suggested that the
industry will continue to grow at a CAGR of 4.72% until early 2020s and the projected total
production will be 6900 Kilotons/year. The local Nitric acid requirement was very low and it
was around 1300 MT/year. Out of the various processes available, Ostwald process has been
selected in this study and Hambanthota is suggested as the most suitable plant location.
Process chemistry, HSE assessment and economic feasibility evaluation of production is

presented as the second part. Since Nitric acid is a dangerous & corrosive acid, many
precautions were suggested in the HSE assessment with regard to handling, transportation
and storage. Hazards involved in dispersing and handling of waste gases and by products
along with occupational and general safety concerns are also discussed. The economic
evaluation suggested that the production rate needs to be 200,000 MT/year for a 8 year
payback period.
The third and final section presents the material and energy balance with utility requirements
of the process in detail.
CONTENTS
LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................................................... 1
LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................................................. 1
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................ 2
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW AND PROCESS SELECTION ...................................................... 4
2.1 NITRIC ACID..................................................................................................................................................
2.1.1 Identity ..................................................................................................................................................
2.1.2 Physical Properties ............................................................................................................................... 8
2.1.3 Environmental Parameters & Toxicology ............................................................................................ 9
2.1.4 Applications of Nitric Acid .................................................................................................................. 10
2.3 PROCESSES AVAILABLE ...............................................................................................................................

15
2.3.1 Nitrate Process.................................................................................................................................... 15
2.3.2 Birkeland-Eyde Process ...................................................................................................................... 16
2.3.3 Ostwald Process.................................................................................................................................. 18
2.4 PROCESS SELECTION ................................................................................................................................... 19
2.5 OSTWALD PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURE OF NITRIC ACID ...........................................................................
21
2.5.1 Block diagram for Ostwald process .................................................................................................... 21
2.5.2 Main Unit Operations of Ostwald Process .........................................................................................
CHAPTER 3: FEASIBILITY STUDY AND PROCESS CHEMISTRY ESTABLISHMENT .................. 20
3.1 PRODUCTION RATE DETERMINATION ...........................................................................................................
25 3.2 PLANT LOCATION AND SITE SELECTION ......................................................................................................
26 3.3 PROCESS CHEMISTRY ..................................................................................................................................
27 3.4 HEALTH, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL (HSE) IMPACT ASSESSMENT
....................................................... 28
3.4.1 Raw Materials and Final product ....................................................................................................... 28
3.4.2 Waste and byproducts ......................................................................................................................... 29
3.4.3 Process operating conditions .............................................................................................................. 30
3.4.4 Occupational safety and general safety concerns ...............................................................................
31 3.5 ECONOMIC EVALUATION ..................................................................................................................... . 31
3.5.1 Capital cost ......................................................................................................................................... 31
3.5.2 Operating costs ................................................................................................................................... 34
CHAPTER 4: MASS AND HEAT BALANCE FOR THE PROPOSED PLANT .......................................37
4.1 MATERIAL BALANCE ................................................................................................................................... 37
4.2 ENERGY BALANCE ...................................................................................................................................... 41
4.3 PROCESS FLOW DIAGRAM ...........................................................................................................................
48 4.4 ENERGY REQUIREMENTS OF THE PROCESS AND UTILITY SELECTION ................................................... 49
4.5 SITE LAYOUT ............................................................................................................................................... 51
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSIONS ........................................................................................................................ 52
REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................................... VI
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1- Identity of Nitric Acid [4] ............................................................................................. 8
Table 2– Physical Properties of Nitric Acid [4] .......................................................................... 8
Table 3– Environmental Parameters of Nitric Acid [4] .............................................................. 9
Table 4-Toxicology Data of Nitric Acid [4].............................................................................. 10
Table 5-Comparison between processes available for HNO3 production ............................... 19
Table 6-Yields of NO vs Temperature used in electric arc ..................................................... 20
Table 7-Operating parameters of production modes [11] ........................................................ 21
Table 8-Local Demand for nitric acid by volume and value ................................................... 25
Table 9-Kinetic and Process condition data applicable for the process ................................... 28
Table 10-Direct Capital costs of the project ............................................................................ 33
Table 11-Indirect Capital costs of the project .......................................................................... 33
Table 12-Operating costs of the project ................................................................................... 35
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1-Applications of Nitric Acid ....................................................................................... 11

Figure 2-Global Nitric Acid Market Size (USD Billions) ....................................................... 12
Figure 3-Global Nitric acid Market by application and growth rates ...................................... 13
Figure 4-Global nitric acid Market share by region ................................................................. 14
Figure 5-India Nitric acid Import trend ............................................................................ 15
Figure 6-Nitrate process ...........................................................................................................
16
Figure 7-Birkeland-Eyde process ............................................................................................ 17
Figure 8-Block Diagram of the Ostwald Process .................................................................... 21
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
Acid Production quantity was the main indicator to measure the development of a country in
the past. Which means acid production is extremely important. Nitric acid production plays a
huge role in the industry as one of the major acids taken as a raw material.
Around 60,000,000 tonnes of nitric acid are produced in the world. And The largest demand of
nitric acid is for the Ammonium nitrate production in the world market, it is roughly 76%. And
About 9% of nitric acid demand is for adipic acid, which is used for resins nylon 6,6 and
polymers, polyester polyols for polyurethane resins, and other related fibres and resins. 6% of
nitric acid demand is acquired by the Toluene di-isocyanate (TDI) and nitrobenzene, and the
remaining 3% of nitric acid demand is for the metal nitrate and other miscellaneous
applications [1]
In the Indian view, India is an agricultural country. This means our country needs fertilizers.
Currently, fertilizers are largely imported, if we can produce HNO3 inside the country, one of
the main raw material for the fertilizer production can be supplied economically. In Sir Lanka
we have rock phosphate in Eppawela. Currently we can use those for the long-term crops. But
it cannot be used for the other crops due to lack of insolubility. By using HNO3 and rock
phosphate we can produce NPK-Fertilizers [2]. Therefore Construction of the HNO3 plant in
India will rapid lead to prosperity of Agriculture sector and GDP (gross domestic product)
value.
Design Constraints:
In the aspect of design constraints, the government regulations over the possible environmental,
health and safety impacts related with the activities of an acid production plant are important
to consider. The engineering design, facility development and implementation of the process
should be done according to the prevailing standards issued by the Central Environmental
Authority and Factory Ordinance Act of India.
The other main factor to be concerned here is the market constraints. Currently Demand for the
Nitric acid in India is low due to limited local applications. Hence, designing a plant of low
production rate result in low profit of the plant due to economies of scale therefore we have to
export the surplus of the production.
Further the procurement of main raw material; ammonia should be imported. Therefore, higher
transportation costs, demurrages and relevant tax expenditures should be paid.
Objectives:
- To design a plant with a production rate of 200,000 MT of Nitric acid plant.

- To retain and earn foreign exchange to the country by substituting the current imports
and acquiring the Nitric acid export market while creating new direct and indirect job
opportunities.
In line with these objectives a literature review with process selection, a feasibility study with
process chemistry establishment and material and energy balance for the proposed plant will
be presented.
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW AND PROCESS SELECTION
2.1 Nitric Acid

Nitric Acid is an inorganic acid. It is both extremely corrosive and toxic. Pure nitric acid is
colourless but has a yellowish appearance when it is old due to the collection of nitrogen
oxides. Nitric acid is a strong oxidizing agent. In solution, it is a good conductor of electricity
because it ionizes easily. It forms nitrate salts, reacts with metals, oxides and hydroxides. It is
used in a wide range of industries including fertilizer industry and polymer industry and has a
variety of domestic applications. The treatment of sodium nitrate with sulfuric acid is used to
produce Nitric acid in the laboratory. It is produced industrially by oxidation of ammonia
through the Ostwald process. [3]
2.1.1 Identity
IUPAC Name Nitric Acid
Chemical Formula HNO3
CAS No. 7697-37-2
Molecular Weight 63.12
Table 1- Identity of Nitric Acid [4]
2.1.2 Physical Properties

Appearance Pale yellow to reddish brown liquid
Melting point -42 0C
Boiling point 83 0C
Density 1.5129 g/cm3(at 20 0C)
Solubility in water Completely miscible
Vapor pressure 48 mmHg (at 20 0C)
Dissociation Constants (pK a) -1.38
Table 2– Physical Properties of Nitric Acid [4]
2.1.3 Environmental Parameters & Toxicology

Acute Eco toxicity 24 – hour 40mmol/l (Human) (Inhibitor

Concentration )
2– hour 300mg/m3 (cat) (low toxicity)
500 mg/ m3 (cat) (Lowest published lethal

concentration)
Chronic Eco toxicity 48 hr, saltwater: 100-330 mg/L Agonus

cataphractus (Hooknose or pogge)
48 hr ,renewal, /aerated water/ :100-300 mg/L

Asterias rubens (Starfish)
Mobility Nitric acid reduced the amount of carbon

mineralized soil amended with 1% glucose
than did hydrogen sulfate.
Abiotic Degradation Nitric acid will be neutralized by hardness

minerals (Ca and Mg) in water. The nitrate ion
may persist longer but will ultimately be
consumed as a plant nutrient
Biotic Degradation Aerobic / Anaerobic: Not applicable (inorganic

compound )
Potential for Bioaccumulation Not applicable (ionizable inorganic compound)
Table 3– Environmental Parameters of Nitric Acid [4]
Eye Redness. Pain. Burns.
Skin Serious skin burns. Pain. Yellow

discolouration.
Ingestion Sore throat. Abdominal pain. Burning

sensation in the throat and chest. Shock or
collapse. Vomiting.
Inhalation Burning sensation. Cough. Laboured

breathing. Shortness of breath. Sore throat.
Symptoms may be delayed
Carcinogenicity In IARC classified strong inorganic acid

mists as carcinogenic to humans. It should
be noted that this classification concerns
mists of strong inorganic acids that may
include nitric acid but are not limited to
nitric acid.
Table 4-Toxicology Data of Nitric Acid [4]
2.1.4 Applications of Nitric Acid
Nitric Acid is available in different grades.
• White fuming nitric acid is that it include 2% water and 0.5% dissolved NO 2. And
white fuming nitric acid also called 100% nitric acid or WFNA and it is very close to
the anhydrous nitric acid product.
• In red fuming nitric acid or RFNA include substantial amount of dissolved nitrogen
dioxide leaving the solution with a reddish-brown color. One formulation of red
fuming nitric specifies a minimum of 13% NO2, another specifies 17% NO2.
• In commercial grade nitric acid are included 52% and 68% nitric acid.
Industrial Uses of ammonia include: [4]
• Production of ammonium nitrate –Nitric acid is used in the production of ammonium

nitrate for fertilizers, making plastics, and in the manufacture of dyes. It is also used
for making explosives such as nitroglycerin and TNT. But nitric acid 80% used for
manufacture of fertilizers.
• Chemical industry – Nitric Acid is combined with hydrochloric acid, an element

called aqua regia is formed. This is a reagent that is capable of dissolving gold and
platinum.
• In Medicine –Nitric acid is used in its pure state as a caustic to remove chancres and
warts. Diluted solutions are used in the treatment of dyspepsia.
• Water treatment –Nitric acid used for cleaning process of muddy water samples, solid
sludge samples, and other types of identical samples that require elemental analysis
through ICP-MS, ICP-OES, ICP-AES, GFAA and flame atomic absorption
spectroscopy.
• woodworking industry –Nitric acid is used to changed artificially age maple and pine
in woodworking industry. The color produced is a graygold, very much like very old
wax or oil-finished wood. In a low concentration nitric acid used for it.
In addition there are several other industrial applications of Nitric Acid, including polymer
industry, science laboratories etc.
Figure 1-
Applications of Nitric Acid
As Nitric acid is an intermediary good for many industries, the manufacturers can be found in
various stages of the value chain. The demand for the product is mainly dependant on the
success and market growths of previously mentioned end products.
With growth of industries, comes environmental pollution. Especially usage of nitrate

fertilizers results in loss of Nitrogen in underground water due to nitrification and leaching and
hence various environmental restrictions are in place to control the concerns associated with
usage of Nitric acid and this is restraining the growth of the market. For instance, the regulatory
frameworks implemented by the European Union and EPA to limit nitrogen levels in
groundwater are expected to affect the growth of the nitric acid market in North America and
Europe.
Figure 3-Global Nitric acid Market by application and growth rates

2.3 Processes available
Although different methods are used to produce Nitric acid (HNO 3) at the lab scale, industrial
HNO3 manufacture is done by two chemical routes; reaction of a nitrate with concentrated
sulphuric acid (H2SO4) and oxidation of NO to NO2 with subsequent reaction of latter in water.
Three distinct processes are available for this purpose [10] [11]:
1. Nitrate Process
2. Birkeland-Eyde Process
3. Ostwald Process
2.3.1 Nitrate Process
This was the first industrial process used to manufacture HNO 3 in large scale. Its origins can
be traced back to work of Glauber in 1698. It was used for centuries, prior to the development
of other processes in the early 20th century [11]. Although this method is now almost obsolete
in large scale processes, it is still used in lab scale to produce HNO 3.
It consists of distillation of a nitrate; Potassium Nitrate (KNO 3) or Sodium Nitrate (NaNO3)
with concentrated H2SO4. Chile saltpeter was used as the source of nitrates extensively.
The process can be detailed as below [12]

Chile saltpeter ore contains NaNO3 , KNO3 & NaCl. It is concentrated by use of crystallization
as the first step in order to get 90-95% NaNO3 purity.
Next the refined Chile saltpeter is mixed with excess concentrated H 2SO4 in a cast iron retort
and heated using coal/fuel fire to over 200 oC. This result in formation of HNO 3 vapors along
with other compounds as below:
2NaNO3 + H2SO4 → Na2SO4 + 2HNO3
NaNO3 + H2SO4 → NaHSO4 + HNO3
2NaHSO4 → Na2S2O7 + H2O
The vapor is distilled off while the other salts remain in the retort. Silica pipes with water
circulation are used to cool down the hot vapors which will be collected in an acid resistant
collector vessel. The forerun will contain HCl and NOCl formed from other impurities in the
Chile saltpeter ore and is discarded. A packed bed tower is used to treat the uncondensed gases
that leave the collecting vessel from which further HNO3 in dilute format is collected.
Figure 6-Nitrate process

2.3.2 Birkeland-Eyde Process
Birkeland-Eyde process was developed by the Norwegian scientist; Kristian Birkeland in 1903,
along with his business partner, Samuel Eyde. It is also known as the Arc process and was
th
based on the work of British scientist; Henry Cavendish performed in the 18 century. This
method involved fixation of atmospheric Nitrogen (N 2) into HNO 3 by use of an electric arc.
Due to its inefficient energy consumption, this method was phased out by Ostwald process in
the 1910s and 1920s.
The Arc process required only dust free atmospheric air (N2 & O2) as raw materials and a large
source of electricity as utility requirements. The manufacturing plant usually requires a power
station close-by to be present in order to facilitate this.
Birkeland-Eyde process can divided into 3 main steps:
1. Fixation of atmospheric N2 to form NO

2. Oxidation of NO to NO2
3. Absorption of NO2 in water to form diluted acid
Detailed description of the process is as follows [13]
The process involved an Arc furnace setup where an electrical arc is formed between two
coaxial electrodes where temperatures exceeding 3000 oC are achieved. Inlet air is allowed to
pass through this electric arc. Here, some of the N2 to react with O2 to form Nitric Oxide (NO).
N2 + O2 → 2NO
Hot exit gases from the furnace are cooled down to 50 oC by passing through a series of
aluminum tubes and a water-cooled boiler. This cool gas mixture combines with more
atmospheric O2 in an oxidizing tower to form Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)
2NO + O2 → 2NO2
Produced NO2 gas mixture is passed through the bottom of an absorption tower containing
water. NO2 dissolves in the water to form dilute acid which is obtained from the bottom of the
tower. NO produced in this step is used as recycle to form more NO 2.
3NO2 + H2O → 2HNO3 + NO
Fractional distillation of the bottom product is done to increase the purity and concentration of
the product.
Figure 7-Birkeland-Eyde process

2.3.3 Ostwald Process
Ostwald process was patented and put into industrial scale use by the German chemist; W.
Ostwald in 1906. It was based on the work of French chemist; Kuhlmann back in 1838. It is
one of the key chemical processes in the modern chemical industry and is used to produce
almost all HNO3 worldwide.
The process requires Ammonia (NH3) as the principal raw material and thus closely linked to
the Haber-Bosch process from which it is cheaply sourced.
Ostwald process can be divided into 3 main steps:
1. Oxidation of atmospheric NH3 to form NO

2. Oxidation of NO to NO2
3. Absorption of NO2 in water to form diluted acid
HNO3 production in this method occurs as detailed below [14]
Liquefied NH3 is vaporized and preheated from its storage units at first. This is mixed with
preheated air, resulting in a gas mixture of 10.5-12% ammonia by volume at about 300 oC. This
stream is sent into a catalyst chamber where it passes through Platinum/Rhodium (10/90%)
gauze. In here, NH3 undergoes the below rapid exothermic reaction on the catalyst surface to
form NO.
4NH3 + 5O2 → 4NO + 6H2O
Hot exit gas from the catalytic converter, rich in NO is cooled down to 50 oC using a heat
exchanger and a cooler. Then it is compressed using an air compressor to increase the pressure
before feeding in to the adsorption tower.
Oxidation of this NO into NO2 and absorption of NO2 or its dimer N2O4 to form nitric acid is
performed in this absorption column. Both these reactions are favoured by high pressures and
low temperatures. Secondary air is used to ensure this further oxidation of NO into NO 2. By
reaction of NO2 with water, NO is reformed which will be oxidized with more oxygen inside
the column to create more NO2.
2 NO+ O2→ 2NO2
3 NO2+ H2O→ 2 HNO3+ NO
To obtain higher concentrated acid, HNO3 vapour is passed over concentrated H2SO4 which is
a dehydrating agent.
2.4 Process Selection
From the processes available for Nitric acid production explained in the previous section, we
can arrive at a comparison considering following key areas:
Ostwald Process Arc Process Nitrate Process
Capital cost Moderate High Moderate
Technical complexity Moderate High Moderate

Energy consumption Moderate Very High High
Product Yield High Very Low Low
Raw materials required Ammonia Atmospheric air Chile saltpeter

conc. H2SO4
Raw material availability Yes (Imported) Yes Yes (Imported)
Heat recovery opportuni- Available within the No No

ties process itself
Buyers & technical Widely available Very limited Very limited

know-how availability
Operational/Environmental Low High Moderate

hazards
Table 5-Comparison between processes available for HNO3 production

The manufacture of nitric acid using Nitrate process is no longer executed, as the high
temperatures necessary for the reaction to occur causes high fuel consumption, plant equipment
depreciation, and furthermore it can lead to the decomposition of nitric acid into nitrous acid
and other nitrogen products [10]
In addition, sourcing Chile saltpetre into India will bear extra cost because it is not a readily
imported item. Acquiring the manufacturing technology and equipment required will be an
issue as well since the process is obsolete at present. Therefore, Nitrate process is not a suitable
option for our plant.
The arc process is obsolete in terms of production of nitric acid commercially due to the high
energy requirements of the process. It has been recorded that about 14-17 MWh of electricity
is utilized for the process per ton of nitric acid produced [11]. This leads to higher production
and running costs. Capital cost of such a plant is high as well since special equipment is
required to handle such extreme temperatures and voltages.
Product yields in nitrogen fixation is limited to 1- 4 % as well, even under carefully adjusted
process conditions [11]. Since Arc process is obsolete at the industrial scale, it would be
difficult to procure the technology required to manufacture HNO3 in this method as well.
Therefore, Arc process is not a suitable option for our plant.
Table 6-Yields of NO vs Temperature used in electric arc
When considering the Ostwald process, by adjusting process temperatures and pressures
(600800 oC & 4-10 atm) in the NH3 oxidation step, yields of up to 98% can be achieved. This
coupled with the availability of cheap synthetic NH 3 from Haber process, reaction temperatures
being low due to use of efficient catalysts make the HNO3 production very economical using
this method.
Technology and equipment are readily available with a variety of global suppliers with decades
of operational and design experience for Ostwald process HNO3 manufacturing plant
commissioning and maintenance. The process design has heat recovery opportunities
incorporated and doesn’t pose significant operational or environmental hazards as well.
Therefore, Ostwald process will be selected as the most suitable process option for our plant.
When considering HNO3 manufacture using Ostwald process, 3 types of production modes are
available; medium pressure (1.7-6.5 bar), high pressure (6.5-13 bar) and dual pressure
processes. Process descriptions are similar in all these modes, only difference being the
difference in working pressure of the process [11]
Table 7-Operating parameters of production modes [11]

All the gaseous phase reactions encountered in Ostwald process are reversible and the ammo-
nia oxidation step favors lower pressures while the next two steps favor higher pressure.
Thus, use of dual pressure levels by use of a compressor in the NO outlet from catalytic reac-
tor allows further improvements in HNO3 yield. Utility requirements, catalyst losses, pollu-
tion levels caused by a dual pressure Ostwald process plant is significantly lower. Thus, we
would select Dual Pressure mode for our Ostwald Process HNO 3 manufacturing plant
2.5 Ostwald Process for manufacture of Nitric Acid
2.5.1 Block diagram for Ostwald process
Figure 8-Block Diagram of the Ostwald Process

2.5.2 Main Unit Operations of Ostwald Process

The main unit operations involved in nitric acid production using Ostwald method in sequential
order are as follows;
Air/ammonia filtration
Both air and ammonia feeds are filtered before the production process because presence of
impurities not only could reduce the yield but also damage the equipment’s. Since air is taken
from atmosphere it could contain impurities such as solid particles (dust, pollen, mould) and
water vapour. So, it is filtered at the very beginning before the air compression unit. For
ammonia, it is first evaporated and then filtered before mixing with compressed air.
Air compression
Air compressor is used to compress the feed air. Feed air is mixed with ammonia in the
volumetric ratio of 9:1 [15]. Thus, air is compressed prior to the mixer.
Air and ammonia mixing
Air and ammonia feeds are mixed in the mixer-1 in the volumetric ratio of 9:1 before entering
to the catalytic reactor. In the mixer-2 ammonia is mixed with tail gas from adsorption tower
before entering to the selective catalytic reduction unit. Tail gas is mixed with ammonia so that
NOX present in the tail gas could be converted in to N2 and H2O.
Ammonia oxidation in the catalytic reactor
Oxidation of ammonia in the above inlet gas mix is carried out in a catalytic reactor. The
temperature of chamber is about 600 oC. This chamber contains a Platinum/Rhodium gauze
which serves as catalyst.
Oxidization of ammonia is reversible and exothermic process. Therefore, according to Le-

Chatelier’s principle, a decrease in temperature and pressure favours reaction in forward
direction. Thus, a low pressure is maintained inside the chamber. In primary oxidization 95-96
per cent of ammonia is converted into nitric oxide (NO) [16].
4 NH3 (g) + 5 O2 (g) → 4 NO (g) + 6 H2O (g)
Simultaneously nitrous oxide, nitrogen and water are formed as well, in accordance with the
following equations: -
4NH3(g) + 3O2(g) → 2N2(g) + 6H2O(g)
4NH3(g) + 4O2(g) → 2N2O(g) + 6H2O(g)
The catalyst typically consists of several woven or knitted gauzes formed from wire containing
about 90% platinum alloyed with rhodium for greater strength and sometimes containing
palladium [17]Selectivity to the ammonia oxidation to NO by catalyst action is however strong

and will take place with excellent yield.
Energy recovery by steam generation and gas reheating
Ammonia oxidation is a highly exothermic reaction thus it releases excessive amount of heat.
Water is used to cool down the reactor thus producing steam in the process. Steam produced
then is used to generate power using a steam turbine. This recovered energy is then used to
power up the compressors making process more energy efficient.
In parallel to that tail gas from the adsorption tower is reheated using heat exchangers. Heat is
extracted from the high temperature output gas stream from catalytic reactor.
Cooling and condensation of reactor outlet gases

Reactor outlet gases cooled up to 150 0C by the heat exchanger is further cooled to 50 0C in a
cooler condenser. Here partial oxidation of NO and formation of weak HNO 3 acid occurs. Both
these liquid and gas product streams are directed to the absorber.
Gas compression, energy recovery and cooling
In air compressor, feed air is compressed prior to the mixing unit. Another air compressor is
used to compress the NO rich gas mix produced by cooler condenser. This is done to increase
the adsorption tower pressure. NO oxidation to NO2 happens inside the adsorption tower.
According to Le Chatelier’s principle, an increase in pressure favours reaction in forward
direction. Thus, a high pressure is maintained inside the adsorption tower.
Absorption with the production of nitric acid
Oxidation of residual NO into NO2 and absorption of NO2 are performed in an absorption
column. These reactions are favoured by high pressures and low temperatures. Secondary air
is used to ensure a further conversion of NO into NO2. Secondary air is cooled before is being
send to the bleacher where dissolved gases in raw nitric acid are stripped off. Acid condensate
from cooler condenser and additional water is provided to the absorber to produce the nitric
acid. Complex reactions occur at the formation of nitric acid. On a whole, nitric acid is
generated by absorption of nitrogen dioxide in water. By reaction of NO 2 with water, nitrogen
monoxide is reformed, which prevents complete absorption of the inlet gases. The following
overall reactions could be supposed for absorption and oxidation which take place at the
absorption column [16]
2 NO(g) + O2(g) → 2NO2(g)
3 NO2(g) + H2O(l) → 2 HNO3(aq) + NO(g)

Absorption columns are equipped with sieve plates which are cooled with inside water-cooled
cooling coils to remove heat of reaction. Oxidation of NO into NO2 proceeds rather slowly
when the NOX concentration is low. Thus, spacing between the sieve plates increase with
falling NOX concentration. Waste heat particularly arises from the formation of acid and must
be eliminated to get high absorption yields.
Selective catalytic reduction
Waste gases from adsorption tower contains considerable amount of NO X. So before releasing
it to the environment it is treated in a selective catalytic reduction unit. Before entering to the
SCR unit waste gas is mixed with NH3, which act as the reducing agent. Titanium oxide or
base metal oxides (such as vanadium, tungsten and molybdenum) are used as catalysts.
NOx reduces to N2 as follows;
4NO + 4NH3 + O2 → 4N2 + 6H2O
2NO2 + 4NH3 + O2 → 3N2 + 6H2O
2N2O → 2N2 + O2
CHAPTER 3: FEASIBILITY STUDY AND PROCESS CHEMISTRY

ESTABLISHMENT
3.1 Production rate determination

There are several factors which affect the output obtainable from the plant.
Factors affecting maximum production rate
• Raw material supply- Ammonia is the principal raw material. To produce nitric acid,
ammonia must be imported.
• Storage facilities availability - If proposed plant has excess nitic acid production we need
large storage tanks and large production equipment.
• Capital availability
Factors affecting minimum production rate
• Equipment restrictions
• Economic benefit of process – Designing a plant of low production rate result in low profit
of the plant due to economies of scale
• Future Trends – trends of increasing demand and related industry development
The main target is to establish production flow rates to satisfy the Indian demand for nitric
acids. [18]which is as follows for the past years (2015-2017). [19] [20]
Year Annual FOB Average price Yearly Average Average HNO3 Quan-
USD (RMB/MT) Exchange Rate (RMB price tity
TO (USD) (Ton/yr.)
USD)
2019 81,707 1200 1/6.489 184.928 442
2020 218,159 1159.60 1/6.910 167.815 1300
2021 267422 1441.41 1/7.030 205.037 1304

Table 8-Local Demand for nitric acid by volume and value

From above it is evident that the current nitric acid demand is small compared to global
numbers. As of now it’s being imported for a limited application like as a reagent in processes
and laboratory use only. However, the demand is increasing. Currently, India does not produce
fertilizers locally. Annual nitrate fertilizer requirement for Indian arable land exceeds 40
million tonnes [21] [22]. There is huge potential of implementation of fertilizer
25
21
Utilities
Water requirement for the cooling can be taken from the sea. Electricity can be supplied from
the national grid if required. But most of the utility requirement is catered from the process
itself by energy recovery methods.
Climate
There are no adverse climate conditions in Hambantota region such as high winds, earthquakes etc.
3.3 Process Chemistry
The modern nitric acid process proceeds essentially in three stages
1) Oxidation of Ammonia
2) Oxidation of NO
3) Absorption of NO2
Reactions and kinetics of above stages as follows;
Unit Operation Reaction Involved Kinetic Data Process Condition
(Rate Constant K and (Temperature T

Reaction Energy) and Pressure P)
Oxidation of 4NH3(g) +5O2(g)  E= +216.7 kcal/mol T=600C

Ammonia
4NO(g) +6H2O(g) K=0.723 × 1076 P=4.6 bar
2NO(g) +O2(g)  E= -4.41KJ/mol T=50-25 oC
Oxidation of NO 2NO2(g) K=6.5×103 L2 mol-2S-1 P=4.6 bar
22
Absorption of NO2 3 NO2(g) + H2O(l) → T=25 oC
2 HNO3(aq) + NO(g) K=1.0 x 108 mol-1S-1 P=12 bar
Table 9-Kinetic and Process condition data applicable for the process
3.4 Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) impact assessment
Let us look at how few different components and aspects of nitric acid production impact HSE.
3.4.1 Raw Materials and Final product
Ammonia is the main raw material in nitric acid manufacturing process and it is a cause for
many health hazards. Eye exposure can cause to severe eye irritation. Ammonia is irritating to
nose, throat, and lungs. Respiratory exposure symptoms may include coughing, burning
sensations, and shortness of breath, wheezing, headache and nausea. High exposure may also
cause nervous system effects such as unconsciousness. Skin contact with the vapor may cause
irritation and burns. Contact with ammonia liquid may cause freezing of the tissue, frostbite,
or severe injury [30] [31].
In order to mitigate the above risks and hazards below procedures are practiced in plants:
• Ammonia tanks are to be located outside of buildings, or in a building or section of a

building specially provided for that purpose.
• Storage areas are to be kept free of easily ignitable materials such as waste or weeds.
• Ammonia tanks and fittings are to be protected against tampering and physical damage.
• Personnel handling ammonia are recommended to wear rubber gloves, chemical-type

safety goggle, and impervious clothing.
Nitric acid is a dangerous substance which is highly corrosive. Due to its high oxidizing
capability, it causes fire when in contact with other materials. Primary routes of health
hazards for Nitric acid are skin contact, eye contact, inhalation and ingestion. Eye contact can
cause permanent vision damage and skin contact will lead to deep penetrating ulcers.
Ingestion causes severe damage to the digestive tract and kidneys which will lead to death.
Effects of inhalation maybe delayed but chemical pneumonitis, bronchitis and possible death
is certainly in range.
Immediate medical attention needs to be provided to anyone exposed to nitric acid and proper
PPE must be worn in order to prevent any possible accident. Also plant conditions must be
23
within the limits specified for exposure control and personal protection. Accidental release,
handling and storage and disposal methods are regulated and the policies and release limits
need to be followed as specified by the government.
3.4.2 Waste and byproducts
Waste gas [32] [33]
Waste gas in nitric acid process consist of NOx like NO, NO2 & N2O along with water vapor
and air. Environmental regulations exist to control the levels of NO x permissible in this waste
streams because of their environmental detrimental effects. During the plant start-up and
shut-down process periods will generally increase the NOx gas content of the waste gas at the
stack. Therefore during this time extra care is taken in monitoring tail gas conditions and
stabilise it. SCR reduces the NOx levels during normal operation.
Liquid wastes [33]
• Boiler blow-down- The boiler blow-down may be cooled and neutralized before release
if it any adverse condition is detected.
• Lubricating oil- Lubricating oil from the turbo-set machine can be centrifuged to
minimize waste and used oils can be reprocessed by specialist firms if required.
• Ammonia vaporizer blow-down- The ammonia vaporizer blow-down may have the
ammonia vaporized and recovered from it into the process for safety and economic
purposes.
Solid wastes [33]
• Ammonia oxidation catalyst and catalyst in SCR- These are fully reprocessed by the
gauze manufacturer with recovered special metals are used for new gauzes. Else they
are disposed of under strict procedural guidelines.
• Filter cartridges- Periodical replacement of the filter cartridges with proper disposal of
them is carried out. Reuse is often carried out.
3.4.3 Process operating conditions
As it is common in almost every chemical and process plant, nitric acid production also carries
many hazardous operating conditions. While it is impossible to get rid of those conditions, we
could mitigate the risk and the likelihood of loss that might occur due to those conditions.
Commonly found hazardous operating conditions are discussed below [33]:
Extreme temperature
Since the reaction in the catalytic reactor is highly exothermic temperature in the
chamber rises to 900 0C. This causes rise to two problems, safety and environmental
24
impact. Later, the effect on the environment is minimized by recovering that heat and
reusing the recovered heat to both generate power using steam generators and to preheat
process streams where it is necessary. In the aspect of safety, to avoid the thermal
runway which could occur due to failure in the heat exchanger system a process control
system is used to shut down the reaction. Explosion dampers and pressure release
valves are to be installed and maintained properly in case of emergency. To prevent
unwanted situation from happening a proper low risk operating routine is to be
practiced. To prevent health issues of employees due to exposure to hot environment
proper ventilation and air cooling methods can be used. Furthermore, proper personal
protective equipment should be worn wherever it is necessary.
High pressure
Air compressor and a nitrous gas compressor are used to generate high pressure gas to
be used in reactor and adsorption tower. Using high pressure gas causes safety problems
as even a slight mishandle could cause damage to air compressor itself, connected
equipment’s and nearby employees. Thus, all pipes, hoses, and fittings must have a
rating of the maximum pressure of the compressor. Compressed air pipelines should be
identified as to maximum working pressure. Air supply shutoff valves and pressure
releasing valves should be installed where it is necessary. Compressed air must not be
used under any circumstances to clean dirt and dust from clothing or off a person’s skin.
Loud noises
Noise emissions would typically occur from compressors, pumps, electric motors, air
coolers, and moving equipment’s. To reduce the degree of noise pollution noise prevention
and mitigation measures should be applied. For stationary sources such as equipment that
emit high levels of noise during operation, it is wise to implement noise control measures
at the source itself. When selecting equipment, the sound power levels emitted should be a
consideration. In equipment casing radiating noise, acoustic enclosures could be installed.
Sound insulation to constructed buildings could be applied if it is necessary or otherwise
could use ear plugs.
3.4.4 Occupational safety and general safety concerns
Safety and health concerns are inevitable in the operation of a chemical process plant.
Therefore, it is of paramount importance to facilitate a safe working environment for the benefit
of employees and the general public as well as to minimize losses. Thus, standard operating
procedure must be in place for the safe operation of day to day plant activities [33]. And it is
very important to make employees identify the importance of safe work practices. Following
25
of standard work procedures during routine activities, job safety analysis during special tasks,
hazard identification studies, etc. should be monitored by the plant’s OH&S department.
Personal protective equipment’s should be provided to the employees wherever it is necessary.
With the involvement of employees in all sectors and levels along with third party individuals
for enhanced perspective, HAZOP studies must be carried out within reasonable time periods
to analyze long term occupational health and safety hazards in a professional manner.
3.5 Economic Evaluation
3.5.1 Capital cost

It is the one-off cost that must be incurred before production activities could commence in a plant.
This is of two types:
1. Fixed capital - Total construction and commissioning cost of the plant

2. Working capital - Additional investment required to start up the plant and operate it
till the first stock of products is produced
Since the nature of the production process and its unit operations have already been decided, Step
counting method will be used to obtain an estimate of the Total Capital Cost (TCC).
Below equation for chemical plants that deal with gas phase processes can be used to determine
TCC required for the proposed nitric acid plant [34]:
C = 14,000NQ0.615
Where,
C = Total capital cost of the plant in US Dollars (for the year 1998)
N = Number of significant functional units in the plant
Q = Plant capacity in tons/year
Substituting the values,
• N = 8 (evaporator unit, gas compression units, catalytic reactor, heat exchanger network,
absorption column, SCR unit, bleacher, filtration and mixing units)
• Q = 200,000 tons/year
C (as estimated for the year 1998) = 14,000 × 8 × 200000 0.615 ≈ $ 203.7 million
The Chemical Engineering Plant Cost Index (CEPCI) for year 1998 and 2017 are 389.5 [35]and
567.5 [36] respectively.
26
Therefore, TCC adjusted to 2017:
TCC in USD = $203.7 million × = $297 million

Exchange rate of Indian Rupees to US Dollars as of 2018.06.08 is LKR 158.82/ $1.00
Therefore, TCC in local currency would be;
Total capital cost of proposed plant = $297 million × = Rs. 47,169 million
Generally Fixed capital cost to Working capital cost ratio is about 85%:15% of TCC. Therefore:
Fixed capital cost = Rs. 47169 million × 85% = Rs. 40,094 million
Working capital cost = Rs. 47169 million × 15% = Rs. 7,075 million
Capital required for the purchase of the equipment required for the plant can be estimated by Lang’s
equation:
Cf = Lf x Ce
Where,
Cf = Fixed capital cost
Ce = Equipment cost
Lf = Lang factor (4.7 for fluid processing plants)
Therefore,
Equipment cost = = Rs. 8531 million

Similarly, rest of the key capital costs can be estimated as below as per the guidelines set out in
“Coulson & Richardson’s Chemical Engineering Volume 6”:
Direct costs Basis Value (Rs. mn)
Equipment cost Lang’s equation 8531
Equipment erection 0.4 times equipment cost 3412
Piping 0.7 times equipment cost 5972
Instrumentation 0.2 times equipment cost 1706
Electrical 0.1 times equipment cost 853
Buildings, process 0.15 times equipment cost 1280
Utilities 0.5 times equipment cost 4266
Storages 0.15 times equipment cost 1280
27
Site development 0.05 times equipment cost 427
Ancillary buildings 0.15 times equipment cost 1280
Total direct capital costs 29,007
Table 10-Direct Capital costs of the project
Indirect costs Basis Value (Rs. mn)
Design and engineering 0.3 times direct cost 8702
Contractors fee 0.05 times direct cost 1450
Contingency 0.1 times direct cost 2901
Total indirect capital costs 13,053
Table 11-Indirect Capital costs of the project
3.5.2 Operating costs

This refers to the costs encountered during the operation of the manufacturing process.
Detailed analysis of operating cost components will be performed as per the guidelines in
“Coulson & Richardson’s Chemical Engineering Volume 6” to arrive at the economic viability
of the project.
Operating Costs = Direct Production Cost + Periodical cost
Direct production costs are cost components that directly relate to the production process. It
may be further elaborated as fixed costs and variable costs. Most of these cost components
are calculated in proportion to raw material, operating labor and fixed capital costs.
Periodical costs are costs incurred during a period that aren’t directly relatable to the
production process like R&D costs, general overheads, sales expenses etc. Raw material
Costs
Ammonia is the primary raw material required for the process. Considering a 282kg ammonia
usage per ton of nitric acid production annual production of 200,000 tons of nitric acid and
average price of ammonia per ton as $210
Raw material cost/ year = x200000x210x158.8 = Rs. 1881 million

Utility Costs
Plant will have electricity, steam, cooling water and fuel as utility requirements. Generally
8.5kWh of electricity is used for each ton of acid produced . Let’s assume an equivalent
28
energy figure of 25kWh considering all the other utilities as well. Average industrial
electricity unit cost is Rs. 11.2 per kWh .
Utility cost per year = 25x200000x11.2 = Rs. 56 million
Operating Labour Costs
We will assume that the plant will be in continuous operation throughout the year working on
8-hour shift basis with a workforce of 60 persons for each shift. Additional two shift teams
are suitable to allow for better scheduling. Thus, we’d have a total of 300 employees.
Considering an average monthly salary of Rs.40000;
Operating labour cost = Rs. 40,000 × 12 × 300 = Rs. 144 million
Therefore, Total Operating cost of the plant can be calculated as below:

Operating Cost Basis Value (Rs. mn)
Variable costs
Raw material Typical dual pressure Ostwald process 1881

operational data
Utilities Typical dual pressure Ostwald process 56

operational data
Miscellaneous material 10% of maintenance cost 200
Fixed costs
Maintenance 5% of fixed capital cost 2005
Operating labour Manning estimates 144
Laboratory costs 20% of operating labour cost 29
Supervision 15% of operating labour cost 22
Plant overheads 50% of operating labour cost 72
Capital charges 8% of fixed capital cost 3208
Local taxes 1% of fixed capital cost 401
Insurance 1% of fixed capital cost 401
Royalties 1% of fixed capital cost 401
Total direct production costs 8819
29
Sales expense 10% of direct operating cost 882
General overheads
Research and
development
Total operating cost 9701
Table 12-Operating costs of the project
Therefore, the total operating cost of the plant is around Rs.9701 million per annum.
3.5.3 Annual revenue and Profit calculations
Annual Production of Nitric acid=200,000MT/year
Assuming Average Nitric acid price in 2021 as $400 per MT,
• Annual Revenue = 400 x 200,000 x 158.8 = Rs.12704 Million
• Operating profit= Revenue - Annual operating cost = 12704 - 9701 = Rs. 3003 million
Let us assume depreciation to be 8% per annum based on a plant life of 12.5 years which is
the typical age of a nitric acid plant. This has been calculated as capital charges in the
operating cost calculations accordingly.
• Depreciation=Rs.3208 million
• Profit before tax=Rs.3003 million

Tax rate applicable to manufacturing industries that engages in export [40]is 10%
• Tax =10%*Profit before tax=0.1*3003= Rs.300.3 million
• Profit after tax= Profit before tax-Tax=3003-300.3= Rs. 2702.7 million

Therefore, Net profit per annum is Rs. 2702.7 million
CHAPTER 4: MASS AND HEAT BALANCE FOR THE PROPOSED PLANT
30
4.1 Material balance

Material balance for the process is carried out to size the equipment to handle required
production capacity and the raw material quantities required for the process. The stream data
obtained will be used to determine the energy requirements of the process later as well.
Production rate of HNO3 was set at 200,000 MT/yr. Since this was the only known flow rate,
a preliminary calculation was performed using an assumed basis; input ammonia flow rate of
100kmol/h. Here mass balances for key equipment in the process where changes in stream
compositions occur were done, to arrive at comprehensive actual material balance later using
a scale-up factor. [16] [41]
Basis of flow sheet calculations were as below:
1. 8000 operating hours per year
2. Oxidizer chemical yield of 96%
3. Weak acid concentration condensed in the cooler is 45% w/w
4. Acid concentration produced 68% w/w HNO3
5. Tail gas compositions NO - 0.15%, NO2 – 0.1% v/v
6. Air to ammonia ratio fed in to the mixer 1 is 9:1
7. Bleacher stripping functionality at 100%
8. No change in stream compositions when flow is through equipment such as heat exchangers,
filters, mixers, splitters and compressors
Then the stream compositions about these key equipment were adjusted using the scale-up factor
of 4.4 to arrive at actual values.
Preliminary calculations and scale up factor determination used to determine the actual flow rates
are attached as Appendix 1
Material balance for actual production rate
Based on the above preliminary calculations and scale up factor, material balances for key
equipment are expressed as shown. Material flow in all the streams and other equipment like
filters, mixers, splitters, compressors and heat exchangers will be shown in the PFD attached
31
next where simply the Inflow will be equal to the Outflow of material without any change.
[42] [43] [34]
Catalytic Reactor
Cooler-condenser
32
Absorber
33
SCR
Bleacher
34
35
Ammonia Mixer
Ammonia Inlet
Pressure(bar) 4.6
Temperature (C) 30
Air Inlet Mass Enthalpy (kJ/kg) 2700

Total Mass Enthalpy(GJ) 20.2
Pressure(bar) 4.6
Temperature (C) 247.5
Mass Enthalpy (kJ/kg) 227.5
Total Mass Enthalpy(GJ) 26
Mixer Outlet
Pressure(bar) 4.6
Temperature (C) 220.1
Catalytic Reactor Total Mass Enthalpy(GJ) 5.8
Catalytic Reactor Inlet Catalytic Reactor Outlet
4.6 Pressure(bar) 4.6

Pressure(bar) Temperature (C) 600
Temperature (C) 220.1 Mass Enthalpy (kJ/kg) 328.16
Mass Enthalpy (kJ/kg) 47.97 Total Mass Enthalpy(GJ) 39.9
36
Catalytic Reactor
Heat Duty 45789.7 MJ/hr
Temperature (C) 600
37
Heat Exchanger
Gas Cooler
38
Cooler Condenser
Cooler Condenser Inlet Cooler Condenser Liquid Outlet

Pressure(bar) 4.6
Pressure(bar) 4.6
Temperature (C) 150
Temperature (C) 50
Cooler Condenser Gas Outlet

Pressure(bar) 4.6
Temperature (C) 50
Total Mass 4
Enthalpy(GJ)
Cooler Condenser
Heat Duty 1971 MJ/hr
Gas Compressor
Gas Compresser
Net work required 3.887 MW
39
Gas Compresor Inlet Gas Compresor Outlet

Pressure(bar) Pressure(bar)
4.6 12
Temperature (C) Temperature
50 (C) 181.26
Mass Enthalpy (kJ/kg) Mass Enthalpy (kJ/kg)
38.7 174.2
Total Mass Total
4 Mass Enthalpy(GJ) 18
Enthalpy(GJ)
40
Adsorption unit
41
SCR
Ammonia-Tail gas mixer
42
Air cooler
Bleacher
43
4.3 Process Flow Diagram
4.4 Energy Requirements of the Process and Utility Selection
44
Based on above energy balance calculations, energy requirements of key equipment are identified
in the table and Utility selection for these are proposed as below.
Equipment Energy demand/released Utility
(MW)
Air Compressor 8.3 Electricity
Ammonia Evaporator 3.1 Low Pressure Steam
Catalytic Reactor 12.7 Steam Generation (High Pressure)
Cooler Condenser 20.4 Cooling Water
Gas Compressor 3.9 Electricity
Gas Cooler 4.7 Cooling Water
Absorber 7.2 Cooling Water
Bleacher 0.5 Cooling Water
SCR 4 Steam Generation (Low Pressure)
Air Cooler 1.2 Cooling Water
Utility calculations are available as Appendix 3
Net heat duty of the catalytic reactor is used to generate high pressure steam of 10 bar by
exchanging heat. Then this high-pressure steam is sent through a steam turbine which
generates 1.1MW of electricity.
Further, tail gas leaving the SCR unit at 500C will be expanded through a gas turbine to generate
6.4 MW of electricity.
The produced power can be utilized within the plant itself increasing its energy efficiency.
The plant has an electricity deficit of only 4.7MW which should be obtained from the
national grid.
The SCR unit has a heat duty of 4MW. We can generate 3MW of low pressure steam at
0.2bar and it will be used for Ammonia evaporation. This is more than 96% of the heating
requirement for Ammonia and the balance heat requirement will be provided from the
exhaust of the steam turbine.
Cooling water is required to cater the energy released from equipment like cooler condenser,
gas cooler, absorber, bleacher and air cooler. We will be using sea water at ambient
temperature which can be sourced easily.
45
4.5 Site layout
46
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSIONS
With an annual global demand over US$14.114 billion and a compound annual growth rate
of 4.72% it is a timely opportunity to start a nitric production plant in India. Factors such as
India is an agricultural country which import all their fertilizers needs from abroad though we
have a highly pure dolomite deposit, strongly influences starting nitric plant here. India
currently spent over US$ 250,000 per year only on importing nitric acid itself. The
opportunity of reducing the annual fertilizer importing cost given with that, we could save
millions of rupees by starting a nitric acid production plant. Apart from that we can generate
over net profit of Rs. 2702.7 million per annum with a payback period of 8 years are also
strongly influences starting nitric acid production plant in India.
There are three main processes available for production of nitric acid in industrial scale
namely, Nitrate process, Birke lend-eyed process and Ostwald process. From those three
Ostwald process was chosen because it is the most economically viable process among those.
Ostwald process is a three-step process involving ammonia and air as raw materials. Three
main steps involve oxidation of ammonia using atmospheric oxygen, further oxidation of
nitric oxide to nitrogen dioxide and absorption of produced nitrogen dioxide to form nitric
acid. There are few different Ostwald processes as well. From those dual pressure Ostwald
process was chosen as it produces concentrated nitric acid than other processes. Considering
ease of land acquisition, transportation of raw materials and products, availability of water
and suitability of climate Hambantota was chosen as plant location.
As mentioned above main raw materials for the process are ammonia and ambient air. Liquid
ammonia is imported from abroad while air is taken from atmosphere and filtered before
using. With production rate of 200,000 MT nitric acid per year it was calculated that a
7769.5kg/h ammonia feed is required while air feed required for the optimum operation was
calculated as 133524.9 kg/h. Feed water required for the operation of absorption unit is
4387.7 kg/h and it is taken from the national water supply. Water required for cooling and
steam generation is decided to fulfil from sea water and it is estimated to be 2914 ton/h. Tail
gas produced from the process is treated in a SCR unit to reduce the NOx percentage before
releasing it to the atmosphere. Tail gas rate produced is 107459.1 kg/h with respective
ammonia, oxygen, nitrogen, nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, nitrous oxide and water vapor
compositions of 0.07, 3.48, 95.94, 0.01, 0.01 & 0.49.
Energy balance was performed to find the total energy required for the operation of the plant.
Total energy requirement is estimated to be 66 MW of which 12.2 MW is electrical energy
requirement and rest is thermal energy requirement. Using steam generation and suitable
turbines 7.5 MW of electricity is produced inside the plant itself thus recovering high amount
of thermal energy. So, the net energy requirement for the plant is 58.5 MW of which 4.7 MW
is electrical energy requirement and rest is thermal energy requirement. Required additional
electrical energy requirement of 4.7 MW is decided to take from the national grid.
47
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A Feasibility Study on Nitric Acid Production

Report submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement for

Under the supervision of

Prof. Azad sir

University School of Chemical Technology

Sector-16C, Dwarka, New Delhi-110078

This is to certify that report entitled “Industrial nitric

Prof. Azad sir

Associate Professor, USCT

I extend my profound regards to my

Process chemistry, HSE assessment and economic feasibility evaluation of production is

2.3 PROCESSES AVAILABLE ...............................................................................................................................

Figure 1-Applications of Nitric Acid ....................................................................................... 11

- To design a plant with a production rate of 200,000 MT of Nitric acid plant.

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW AND PROCESS SELECTION

2.1 Nitric Acid

Chemical Formula HNO3

CAS No. 7697-37-2

Molecular Weight 63.12

Table 1- Identity of Nitric Acid [4]

2.1.2 Physical Properties

Melting point -42 0C

Density 1.5129 g/cm3(at 20 0C)

Solubility in water Completely miscible

Vapor pressure 48 mmHg (at 20 0C)

Dissociation Constants (pK a) -1.38

Table 2– Physical Properties of Nitric Acid [4]

2.1.3 Environmental Parameters & Toxicology

Acute Eco toxicity 24 – hour 40mmol/l (Human) (Inhibitor

2– hour 300mg/m3 (cat) (low toxicity)

500 mg/ m3 (cat) (Lowest published lethal

Chronic Eco toxicity 48 hr, saltwater: 100-330 mg/L Agonus

48 hr ,renewal, /aerated water/ :100-300 mg/L

Mobility Nitric acid reduced the amount of carbon

Abiotic Degradation Nitric acid will be neutralized by hardness

Biotic Degradation Aerobic / Anaerobic: Not applicable (inorganic

Potential for Bioaccumulation Not applicable (ionizable inorganic compound)

Table 3– Environmental Parameters of Nitric Acid [4]

Eye Redness. Pain. Burns.

Skin Serious skin burns. Pain. Yellow

Ingestion Sore throat. Abdominal pain. Burning

Inhalation Burning sensation. Cough. Laboured

Carcinogenicity In IARC classified strong inorganic acid

Table 4-Toxicology Data of Nitric Acid [4]

2.1.4 Applications of Nitric Acid

Nitric Acid is available in different grades.

• Production of ammonium nitrate –Nitric acid is used in the production of ammonium

• Chemical industry – Nitric Acid is combined with hydrochloric acid, an element

With growth of industries, comes environmental pollution. Especially usage of nitrate

Figure 3-Global Nitric acid Market by application and growth rates

2.3 Processes available

2.3.1 Nitrate Process

The process can be detailed as below [12]

2NaNO3 + H2SO4 → Na2SO4 + 2HNO3

NaNO3 + H2SO4 → NaHSO4 + HNO3

2NaHSO4 → Na2S2O7 + H2O

Figure 6-Nitrate process

Birkeland-Eyde process can divided into 3 main steps:

1. Fixation of atmospheric N2 to form NO

Detailed description of the process is as follows [13]

3NO2 + H2O → 2HNO3 + NO

Figure 7-Birkeland-Eyde process

Ostwald process can be divided into 3 main steps: