Adiabatic Nitration

Proprietary leading-edge technology combined with our extensive experience in re-concentration of sulfuric acid, has enabled us to offer a fully integrated unit for nitrobenzene production with excellent product quality and operational performance.

KBR has developed a proprietary process for adiabatic nitration of benzene to nitrobenzene (NB). Based on our extensive experience in re-concentration of sulfuric acid, we offer an integrated unit with both nitration and spent acid processing. The result is a very energy efficient overall process with excellent NB product quality and a highly reliable sulfuric acid recovery process. The energy released during the chemical reaction of benzene to nitrobenzene is kept within the process. KBR's PLINKE modular reactor is highly efficient and its small size results in small plot-plan requirements and low investment costs. KBR offers the complete range of nitration, separation and washing steps, as well as effluent gas handling.

“Our proprietary process for adiabatic nitration offers high energy efficiency, excellent product quality and highly reliable sulfuric acid recovery process.”

The PLINKE adiabatic nitrobenzene process consists of major operating steps:

• Nitration
• Product separation
• Washing
• Sulfuric Acid re-concentration
• Benzene recovery
• Waste gas treatment

Diluted Nitric Acid of any concentration between 50% and 68% HNO3 can be used.

Adiabatic Nitration

Unlike the traditional process for nitration of Benzene to Nitrobenzene, KBR's PLINKE nitration reactor is not cooled, resulting in the temperature of the nitration mixture rising when flowing through the reactor. The amount of recirculated sulfuric acid is adjusted to keep this temperature rise within the allowed limits. The highly efficient reactor design prevents back flow and assures minimum byproduct formation. Nitrobenzene and spent acid are separated, and sulfuric acid is re-concentrated in KBR's PLINKE proven SAC^®. Crude nitrobenzene is sent to washing steps.​

Washing of Nitrobenzene

Crude nitrobenzene is washed in three or four steps, depending on product quality requirements and capacity. Water is recycled as much as possible, and offgas is treated to recover NO_x as nitric acid to avoid environmental emissions, reduce raw material losses and maximize product yields.

Effluent Treatment

KBR offers its own proprietary NO_x Absorption technology for maximum yields and lowest environmental emissions. All nitrous gases produced are recovered as nitric acid using this technology. For waste water, KBR collaborates with reputable specialists to provide the best treatment technology in order to comply with local regulations and available downstream treatment possibilities.

For more details, please visit https://www.kbr.com/InorganicsTechnologies