SINHGAD COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

PUNE-411041
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

PROJECT PHSE-1
PRODUCTION OF NITRIC ACID

Under The Noble Guidance Of

Prof. Dr. J.G.Gujar- SCOE, Pune Presented By-

Manish Bhadane- 406A076

Reshma Tayade - 406A070

 DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
SINHGAD COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
WORK PLAN FOR BE (2021-22)

TITLE: “PRODUCTION OF NITRIC ACID”

SEMISTER - 1
Sr.No. Topics to be completed Scheduled Month
1. Project title and introduction 01 Aug to 10 Aug 2021
2. Literature Survey: 11 Aug to 15 Sept 2021
1) Process Selection
2) Description
3. Phase 1 project presentation preparation 16 Sept to 17 Sept 2021
4. Material Balances 18 Sept to 10 Oct 2021

5. Energy Balances 02 Oct to 15 Oct 2021

6. Thermodynamics 16 Oct to 30 Oct 2021
7. Process Equipment Design 31 Oct to 25 Nov 2021
8. Phase 2 project presentation preparation 25 Nov to 8 Dec 2021

SEMISTER - 2
Sr. No. Topics to be completed Scheduled Month
1. Project Costing 10 Jan to 05 Feb 2021
2. Phase 3 project presentation preparation 14 Feb to 15 March 2021

Name of Student Group No. Roll No. Signature

Manish Bhadane 406A076

Reshama Tayade G38 406A070

Dr. J. G. GUJAR Prof. V. H. BANKAR Dr. S. R. SHIRSATH

Project Guide PRC Member HOD
 Literature Review
• Introduction
• History
• Physical properties
• Chemical properties
• Ostwald method
• Process flow Diagram
 Introduction
• Nitric acid also known as Aqua Fortis and spirit of niter is a highly corrosive
mineral add
• The pure compound is colourless, but older samples tend to aquire a yellow
cast due to decomposition into ocides of nitrogen and water, most
commercially availability acid has a concentration of 68% in a water
• When the solution contains more than 86% HNO3, it is referred to as fuming
nitric acid
• The formula of nitric acid is HNO3
 History of Nitric Acid
• Free ammonia was Prepared for the first time in 1774 by J. Priestly and C. Berthollet using ammonium
carbonate
• By the 1940’s, additional ammonia was recovered from the coke oven plants and gas work as a by-
product of the destructive distillation of a coal.
• Early 1900, American Cyanamid was formed. Producing calcium cyanamide from the calcium carbide
and nitrogen at 1000C
• About 1900 fritz Haber began investingating the ammonia equilibrium reaction and evaluating the
effect of temperature.
• In 1908 BASF and Haber entered into a agreement to work towards an industrial scale production plant.
• Working with Karl Bosch’s group within BASF over the next 5 years the process was fully developed
 Physical and Chemical Properties
Physical Properties Chemical Properties
• There are different concentrations of nitric acid • Acidic properties: It is a strong
available, and they are colorless, yellow or red
monobasic acid and ionizationin
• The industrial grade is about 68% in water
aqueous solution
• Molecular formula is HNO3
• Oxidizing properties: It acts as a
• molar mass is 63.01g mol
powerful oxidizing agent, dueto
• Melting point is -42c the formation of nascent oxygen.
• Boiling point is 83c
• Nitric acid has ability to separate gold
• Density is 1.5129 g cm
and silver
 Methods of Manufacturing Nitric acid
• Nitric acid is manufactured by three methods.
1. Chile saltpeter or nitrate
2. Arc process or Birkelandand eydeprocess
3. Ammonia oxidation process (Ostwald's process )
 Ostwald method raw material
• Ammonia
• Air
• Platinum
• Water
• Steam credit
• Power
rogen oxides to yield
Ostwald Method for production of Nitric acid

• The process involves four steps

• Catalytic oxidation of ammonia with atmospheric oxygen to yield
nitrogen monoxide

ic acid
• Oxidation of the nitrogen monoxide product to nitrogendioxide or
dinitrogentetroxide
• Absorption of the nitrogen oxides to yield nitric acid
• Concentration of nitric acid
 Ostwald’s Process
• Major reactions
NH3+ 2O2— —> HNO3 + H2O

4NH3+ 5O2— —> 4NO + 6H2O

2NO+O2— —> 2NO2
3NO2 + H2O— —> 2HNO3+ NO
4NH3 + 3O2— —> 2N2 + 6H2O
4NH3 + 6NO——> 5N2 + 6H2O
2NO2— —> N2O4
Process flow diagram
 Material Balance
• Feed contains Ammonia, Air, Water.
• NH3 : 255kg
• Air : 3000m3
• Platinium : 0.001kg
• Water : 120000kg
• Steam credit : 1000kg
 Energy Balance
• Reactions :NH3+ 2O2— —> HNO3 + H2O
• Q = m.Cp. ΔT
• For the reactant stream
• ΔQ = 3760
• For the product stream
• Overall heat of reaction ΔHf = -493 KJ
• ΔQ = 768951KJ
 Application of nitric acid
•  Nitric acid is widely used for the production of fertilizers, such as ammonium nitrate, and polymers (eg. Nylon).
• It is an excellent nitrating agent (introduces a nitro group), in combination with sulfuric acid. It is also used as oxidizer in liquid-fueled
rockets.
• Nitric acid is used to create many different types of explosives like nitroglycerin and trinitroglycerin (TNT). These are military grade and
used for national defense.
• Nitric acid is a common component of an adhesive that is used in food packaging and paperboard.
• In its pure form, with its caustic nature, nitric acid can be used to remove warts and boils. If it is diluted it can be used to treat
indigestion.
• When nitric acid is processed into calcium ammonium nitrate, manufacturers are able to use it to process a number of commercial dyes.
• Nitric acid is able to be utilized in a colorimetric test to detect the difference between heroin and morphine. It is also important in spot
testing that can identify LSD.
https://thechemco.com/chemical/nitric-acid/