Recycle of spent acid in nitrolysis of hexamine to RDX

摘要

Recycle of spent acid in nitrolysis of hexamine to RDX is accomplished under conditions, which avoid or minimize the need to process the spent acid through conventional costly recovery operations and result in little, if any, reduction of RDX yield. The conditions include (A) EFFECTING THE SIMMERING IN SPENT ACID CONTAINING BETWEEN 0% AND 2% WATER; (B) RECYCLING AT LEAST PART OF THE SPENT ACID OF 0-2% WATER CONTENT TO DISSOLVE THE HEXAMINE REACTANT; AND (C) PREFERABLY ALSO RECYCLING A PART OF THE SPENT ACID, AFTER ELIMINATION OF ANY WATER CONTAINED THEREIN WITH ACETIC ANHYDRIDE, TO THE HEEL TO WHICH THE REACTANTS ARE ADDED IN THE NITROLYSIS OF HEXAMINE TO RDX.