Chemical Engineering Journal, Vol.91, No.2-3, 235-242, 2003
Ammonia oxidation into nitrous oxide over Mn/Bi/Al catalyst I. Single cooling tube experiments
The process of ammonia oxidation with air oxygen was tested on the pilot-scale using a single-tube reactor to model the unit of a multi-tubular industrial reactor. The spherical Mn/Bi/Al catalyst was loaded into the reactor tube. Experimental studies were based on the data obtained by kinetic studies and simulation of the tubular reactor. The relationship between the operation conditions and temperature regime was established by varying the process parameters over a wide range. The steady-state temperature regimes were observed at the inlet ammonia concentration equal to 4-5%. The selectivities to nitrous oxide and nitrogen oxide reached 87-88% and no more than 0.5%, respectively, at near 100% conversion of ammonia. Modeling of the pilot reactor demonstrated a good agreement between the experimental and calculated data that supports appropriateness of the reactor simulation for prediction of technological regimes for the industrial reactor. The Rashig rings loaded in the tubular reactor were found to provide stable operation regimes at the inlet ammonia concentration of 7-8%.