Nitric Acid Concentration/Sulphuric Acid Concentration Plant

Brief Overview

The plant is capable of concentrating nitric acid with minimum product strength of 98%, and sulfuric acid with minimum product strength of 90% sulfuric.
 

Capacity:

- Four separate NAC trains of 140 tons per day as 100% nitric acid each
- Two SAC trains of 240 tons per day capacity as 100% sulfuric acid
- A single sulfuric acid evaporator (SAE) of 30 tons per day capacity as 100% sulfuric acid

The three stage vacuum evaporator concentrates weak waste acid streams to 50% sulfuric acid concentration for process recycle, rather than liquid waste disposal.
 

Technology:

Chemical Construction Company (Chemico)
 

The plant is mothballed and is in very good condition. Total operation time was less than 100 days.
 

Status:

UNUSED
Most of the plant has never been operated.
 

Major Upgrades:

1990 for $9.7 million
 

Products Produced:

Min 98% nitric acid

Documentation:

Available
 

Major Equipment:

- 753 (NAC/SAC facility)
- 754-2 through 754-5 (NAC/SAC motor control centers)
- 769-2 (NAC/SAC cooling tower)
- 770-2 (cooling tower treatment facility)
- 792 (waste effluent system)

Process Description

It is a three stage type A; Simonson-Mantius forced vacuum concentration process for sulfuric acid and extractive distillation process for nitric acid.