Mississippi Chemical Corporation

Toby M Cook

Gerald L Tucker

Marion L Brown

A method for neutralizing nitric acid with ammonia comprising feeding nitric acid into a first aqueous reaction zone, feeding ammonia into a second aqueous reaction zone which has an inlet at the lower portion of the first reaction zone and is in circulating communication therewith, circulating the nitric acid downward within the first reaction zone into the inlet of the second reaction zone so that it is substantially diluted before entering the second reaction zone, whereby a predominent proportion of the nitric acid is reacted with the ammonia in the second reaction zone so as to form an ammonium nitrate solution, and removing the ammonium nitrate containing solution from the second reaction zone and recirculating the ammonium nitrate containing solution from the second reaction zone to the first reaction zone so that the solution and gases therefrom are substantially completely introduced into the first reaction zone with sufficient force so as to create a scrubbing turbulence of the gas as gas bubbles in the first reaction zone whereby soluble components of the gas are dissolved into the solution of the first reaction zone, maintaining the velocity of liquid within the first reaction zone flowing downward toward the inlet of the second reaction zone less than the terminal velocity of rising gas bubbles so that substantially all of the gas bubbles are permitted to rise and disengage from the first reaction zone and thereafter be recovered, and recovering the ammonium nitrate product from the recirculated solution before additional nitrate acid flows into the recirculated solution.

Ammonium nitrate neutralization

A thermal syphon-pressure pump neutralizer for neutralizing nitric acid with ammonia, comprising a reaction vessel for containing an aqueous reaction medium and having a gas outlet in its upper end and a product outlet spaced therebelow, a fluid impervious vertically disposed cylindrical member in the vessel defining a second reaction zone therewithin and a first reaction zone between the member and the vessel, the lower inlet end of the cylindrical member being spaced above the bottom of the vessel, ammonia inlet means leading into the bottom of the vessel in close proximity to but spaced below the cylindrical member inlet, nitric acid inlet means leading into the first reaction zone being spaced a predetermined distance above the cylindrical member inlet and below the product outlet, a free gas zone being provided between the reaction zones and the gas outlet and deflector means above the second reaction zone and in communication with the first reaction zone so that solution and gases evolved from the outlet of the second reaction zone are substantially reintroduced into the first reaction zone before entering the free gas zone with sufficient force to create a scrubbing turbulence within the first reaction zone.

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Yazoo City, MI, United States of America

Toby M Cook