Lecture-21

Inorganic Chemicals: nitric acid & methanol

production

CHE261: Chemical Process Industries

Dr. Raghavendra Ragipani

Department of Chemical Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
2023–24
 Nitric Acid

Uses: Ammonium nitrate, adipic acid, nitrobenzene, potassium nitrate,

sodium nitrate etc.

Overall reaction:
𝑘𝐽
𝑁𝐻3 + 2𝑂2 → 𝐻𝑁𝑂3 + 𝐻2 𝑂 Δr 𝐻𝑜 = −330
𝑚𝑜𝑙

Reaction steps:
𝑘𝐽
4𝑁𝐻3 + 5𝑂2 → 4𝑁𝑂 + 6𝐻2 𝑂 Δr 𝐻𝑜 = −907
𝑚𝑜𝑙
𝑘𝐽
2𝑁𝑂 + 𝑂2 → 2𝑁𝑂2 Δr 𝐻𝑜 = −113.8
𝑚𝑜𝑙
𝑘𝐽
3𝑁𝑂2 + 𝐻2 𝑂 → 2𝐻𝑁𝑂3 + 𝑁𝑂 Δr 𝐻𝑜 = −37
𝑚𝑜𝑙
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 Thermodynamics & Kinetics

Rapid formation of Nitrogen:

𝑘𝐽
4𝑁𝐻3 + 3𝑂2 → 2𝑁2 + 6𝐻2 𝑂 Δr 𝐻𝑜 = −1261
𝑚𝑜𝑙

4𝑁𝐻3 + 4𝑂2 → 2𝑁2 𝑂 + 6𝐻2 𝑂

4𝑁𝐻3 + 3𝑁𝑂2 → 3.5𝑁2 + 6𝐻2 𝑂

• Reactor

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Single pressure process

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Dual pressure process

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 Methanol

A base chemical

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 Reactions & thermodynamics

𝐶𝑂 + 2𝐻2 ⇌ 𝐶𝐻3 𝑂𝐻 . ∆𝑟 𝐻298 = −90.8 𝑘𝐽/𝑚𝑜𝑙

𝐶𝑂2 + 3𝐻2 ⇌ 𝐶𝐻3 𝑂𝐻 + 𝐻2 𝑂 . ∆𝑟 𝐻298 = −49.6 𝑘𝐽/𝑚𝑜𝑙

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Process Scheme

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Three-phase reactor

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