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US 12,539,501 B2Granted
Ammonium nitrate reactor with static mixer
AssigneeStamicarbon B.V.
InventorsRahul Patil, Lambertus Wilhelmus Gevers, Solomon Assefa Wassie, Michail Tsopozidis
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Abstract
The disclosure pertains to an ammonium nitrate reactor with a first type static mixer in the mixing zone upstream of the tube bundle and/or a second type static mixer downstream of the tube bundle.
Claims24
A reaction unit for the production of ammonium nitrate by neutralization of aqueous nitric acid with gaseous NH3, the reaction unit comprising:
- an inlet zone comprising a first inlet for a stream of recirculated ammonium nitrate solution and a second inlet for the aqueous nitric acid;
- a mixing zone located downstream of said inlet zone, said mixing zone comprising a first type static mixer adapted to mix the recirculated ammonium nitrate solution with the aqueous nitric acid to form a liquid mixture;
- a shell-and-tube chamber comprising tube bundle and a shell space wherein the shell space comprises an inlet for gaseous NH3, wherein a tube of the tube bundle has a tube wall, an inlet tube end and an outlet tube end and is configured for receiving the liquid mixture from the mixing zone through the inlet tube end, and comprises perforations in the tube wall to allow gaseous NH3 from the shell space to enter the tube;
- and
- a reaction zone downstream of the outlet end of the tube, wherein said first type static mixer in the mixing zone upstream of the tube bundle comprises:
- a flow-diverting plate which extends in a transversal direction perpendicular to the general liquid flow direction in the mixing zone and wherein in operation liquid impinges on the flow-diverting plate;
- a first aperture in the flow-diverting plate,
- a circumferential flange around the first aperture, wherein said flange extends perpendicular to the plate and has a first end that is joined to the plate and an opposite second end;
- and
- a transversal element, extending substantially parallel to the plate and joined to said second end of the circumferential flange;
- such that the transversal element and the flange together provide a cup-like structure around the first aperture;
- wherein the circumferential flange comprises a plurality of second apertures, wherein each second aperture provides a smaller flow area than said first aperture.
9 more elements
A reaction unit for the production of ammonium nitrate by neutralization of aqueous nitric acid with gaseous NH3, the reaction unit comprising:
- an inlet zone comprising a first inlet for a stream of recirculated ammonium nitrate solution and a second inlet for the aqueous nitric acid;
- a mixing zone located downstream of said inlet zone;
- a shell-and-tube chamber comprising tube bundle and a shell space wherein the shell space comprises an inlet for gaseous NH3, wherein a tube of the tube bundle has a tube wall, an inlet tube end and an outlet tube end and is configured for receiving the liquid mixture from the mixing zone through the inlet tube end, and wherein said tube comprises perforations in the tube wall to allow gaseous NH3 from the shell space to enter the tube;
- and
- a reaction zone downstream of the outlet end of the tube, wherein the reaction zone comprises a static mixer, wherein the static mixer is provided downstream of the outlet tube ends, wherein the reaction zone has a generally vertically upward flow direction, and wherein the static mixer comprises:
- a horizontal gas redistribution plate provided with a liquid passageway and a gas vent hole,
- wherein the liquid passageway is provided with a flange extending downward from a perimeter of the liquid passageway, wherein the plate and flange together provide an interstice configured for collecting gas from the outlet tube ends in a gas layer or cushion below the gas redistribution plate.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.