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US 5,849,984 AGranted
Method and system for treating waste nitrocellulose
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
InventorsByung J. Kim, Hsin-Neng Hsieh, Fong-Jung Tai
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Abstract
A method for treating waste nitrocellulose, the method comprising the steps f treating nitrocellulose with acid in a hydrolysis process to break the nitrocellulose down to glucose, recovering a majority of the acid by electrodialysis, neutralizing a remainder of the acid, and fermenting the glucose to convert the glucose to a useful product. The invention further comprises a system for performing the above method.
Claims25
A method for treating waste nitrocellulose, the method comprising the steps of:
- treating nitrocellulose with acid in a hydrolysis process to break the nitrocellulose down to glucose, wherein said hydrolysis process is carried out at from about 60.degree. C. to about 90.degree. for from about nine minutes to about 63 minutes to provide a yield of said glucose of about 85%, by weight, of said nitrocellulose;
- recovering a majority of the acid by electrodialysis;
- neutralizing a remainder of the acid;
- and
- fermenting the glucose to convert the glucose to a useful product.
2 more elements
A method for treating waste nitrocellulose, the method comprising the steps of:
- introducing waste nitrocellulose into a reactor;
- introducing hydrochloric acid into the reactor;
- treating the nitrocellulose in the reactor by acid hydrolysis to convert a majority of the nitrocellulose to glucose;
- flowing a hydrolyzate solution from the reactor, the solution containing the glucose converted from nitrocellulose and substantially all the hydrochloric acid introduced into the reactor, and flowing the hydrolyzate solution into a hydrochloric acid gas stripper wherein hydrochloric acid gas is separated from the hydrolyzate and returned to the reactor and a portion of the hydrochloric acid is flowed to a hydrochloric acid absorber;
- flowing the hydrolyzate solution, including the glucose and over 20%, by weight, of hydrochloric acid, from the hydrochloric acid gas stripper to a centrifuge;
- flowing pure water into the centrifuge;
- operating the centrifuge to provide, and discharging therefrom, the hydrolyzate solution including the glucose and less than 20%, by weight, hydrochloric acid, and further discharging residue therefrom, and flowing the hydrolyzate solution, including water, into an electrodialysis unit;
- operating a membrane system in the electrodialysis unit to separate hydrochloric acid from the hydrolyzate solution, the separated hydrochloric acid being about 20%, by weight, of the hydrolyzate solution;
- flowing the separated hydrochloric acid from the electrodialysis unit to the absorber;
- flowing the hydrochloric acid in the absorber and the hydrochloric acid gas from the stripper in the absorber to the reactor for re-use;
- and
- flowing the hydrolyzate, including the glucose, water, and about 3%, by weight of glucose and water, of hydrochloric acid to a neutralization unit wherein a base is introduced to neutralize the hydrochloric acid.
9 more elements
A system for treating nitrocellulose, the system comprising:
- a reactor for receiving nitrocellulose, acid, and acid gas, for performing a hydrolysis operation to convert a major portion of the nitrocellulose to glucose, and for discharging a glucose and acid solution;
- a stripper for removing acid gas from the solution and discharging the removed acid gas, and adapted to outflow glucose and acid solution;
- a centrifuge for receiving the glucose and acid solution flowed from said stripper, for receiving water, for outflowing residue, and for outflowing glucose and acid solution;
- an electrodialysis unit for receiving the glucose and acid solution flowed from said centrifuge, for performing an electrodialysis operation thereon, and for outflowing from a first outlet an acid solution and from a second outlet a glucose and dilute acid solution;
- an acid absorber for receiving acid from the stripper and the acid solution from the electrodialysis unit;
- a neutralization unit for receiving the glucose and dilute acid solution outflowed from the electrodialysis unit, for receiving a base, for neutralizing acid remaining in the dilute acid solution, and for outflowing glucose.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.