摘要 |
A process for producing ammonium nitrate is disclosed and in which: a) a gaseous oxidizer feed composed at least substantially of ammonia, steam and an oxidizing gas is exposed to conditions whereby the ammonia is oxidized to produce a reaction mixture including nitrogen monoxide and water vapor, b) the reaction mixture is cooled in a heat exchanger whereby the nitrogen monoxide is oxidized, the water vapor is condensed and the products of the nitrogen monoxide oxidation react with and are absorbed by the condensed water to form a nitric acid stream, with substantially all of the nitrogen monoxide in the reaction mixture being converted to nitric acid, and c) the nitric acid stream is reacted with a stream of ammonia in an ammonium nitrate producing stage to form the ammonium nitrate. Substantially all of the steam within the oxidizer feed is derived from the ammonium nitrate producing stage, and at least 10% of the ammonia within the oxidizer feed is derived and carried by the steam from the ammonium nitrate producing stage. Also disclosed is ammonium nitrate, in any of its various possible forms, when produced by the disclosed process. |