How does one manufacture nitric acid?

Question

It is the key chemical for smokeless powders.

Answer 1

Nitric acid is made by mixing nitrogen dioxide (NO2) with water. Creating a very pure nitric acid usually involves distillation with sulfuric acid, as nitric acid forms an azeotrope with water with a composition of 68% nitric acid and 32% water. Commercial grade nitric acid solutions are usually between 52% and 68% nitric acid. Commercial production of nitric acid is via the Ostwald process after Wilhelm Ostwald.

Nitric acid can be made from Copper(II) nitrate or by reacting 200 g of potassium nitrate (KNO3) in 106 ml of 96% sulfuric acid (H2SO4), and distilling this mixture at nitric acid's boiling point of 83 °C until only a white crystalline mass, potassium hydrogen sulfate (KHSO4), remains in the reaction vessel. The obtained red fuming nitric acid may be converted to the white nitric acid. Note that in a laboratory setting, it is necessary to use all-glass equipment, ideally a one-piece retort, because nitric acid attacks cork and rubber, and leaks can be extremely dangerous.

The dissolved NOx are readily removed using reduced pressure at room temperature (10-30 min at 200 mmHg or 27 kPa). Obtained white fuming nitric acid has density 1.51 g/cm³. This procedure can also be performed under reduced pressure and temperature in one step in order to produce less nitrogen dioxide gas.

The acid can also be synthesized by oxidizing ammonia, but the product is diluted by the water also formed as part of the reaction. However, this synthesization method is important in producing ammonium nitrate from ammonia derived from the Haber process, because the final product can be produced from nitrogen, hydrogen, and oxygen as the sole feedstocks.

White fuming nitric acid, also called 100% nitric acid or WFNA, is very close to the anhydrous nitric acid product. One specification for white fuming nitric acid is that it has a maximum of 2 % water and a maximum of 0.5 % dissolved NO2. Red fuming nitric acid, or RFNA, contains substantial quantities of dissolved nitrogen dioxide (NO2) leaving the solution with a reddish-brown color. One formulation of RFNA specifies a minimum of 17% NO2, another specifies 13% NO2. In either event, an inhibited fuming nitric acid (either IWFNA, or IRFNA) can be made by the addition of 0.6 to 0.7% hydrogen fluoride, HF. This fluoride is added for corrosion resistance in metal tanks (the fluoride creates a metal fluoride layer that protects the metal)

Answer 2

I dont know why you would want to, unless you were trying to make ammonium nitrate.

A mixture composed of a 1:9 ratio of ammonia and air is oxidized at a temperature near 1400 °F (760 °C) in a catalytic converter according to the reaction:

4 NH3 + 5O2 --> 4 NO + 6H2O

The most common catalyst is composed of about 90% platinum and 10% rhodium (by weight). The catalyst is formed into wire gauze and inserted into the converter. The exothermic reaction proceeds to a nitric oxide yield of about 93-98%.

The nitric oxide is cooled (and water condensed) to a temperature of 100 °F (37.8 °C) or less at a pressure up to 115 psia (7.8 bara). The nitric oxide reacts (noncatalytically) with oxygen to form nitrogen dioxide and nitrogen tetroxide via the reaction:

2 NO + O2 --> 2 NO2 + N2O4

This reaction is very dependent on both temperature and pressure. Low temperatures and high pressures favor the production of nitrogen dioxide (preferred) over nitrogen tetroxide.

After being cooled, the nitrogen dioxide/nitrogen tetroxide mixture enters an absorption column. The gaseous mixture is introduced at the bottom of the column while liquid dinitrogen tetroxide and deionized water enter at the top. Liquids flow countercurrent to the gases in the system while the oxidation takes place between the trays and absorption takes place on the trays (usually bubble cap trays). The reaction in the absorption column proceeds by:

3 NO2 + H2O --> 2 HNO3 + NO

A second air stream entering the column further oxidizes the NO and removes the NO2 from the product acid. Acid concentrations leaving the absorption tower are typically between 55-65% by weight.

Answer 3

The manufacture of nitric acid is a three-stage process. The first stage is the oxidation of ammonia and it uses a platinum/rhodium catalyst.

world annual production approximately 60 million tonnes
gas mixture 10% ammonia + 90% air
pressure 4 to 10 atmospheres
temperature 975 - 1225 K
catalyst gauze of 90% platinum 10% rhodium
conversion 96%


The three main stages in the manufacture of nitric acid
a) ammonia oxidation 4NH3 + 5O2 -> 4NO + 6H2O
DH = - 900 kJmol-1




b) nitric oxide oxidation 2NO + O2 ->2NO2
DH = - 115 kJmol-1



2NO2 -> N2O4
DH = - 58 kJmol-1




c) dinitrogen tetroxide absorption 3N2O4 + 2H2O -> 4HNO3 + 2NO
DH = - 103 kJmol-1

Answer 4

Much of the nitric acid produced in the world is manufactured via a high-temperature catalytic oxidation of ammonia. This process consists of three main steps: ammonia oxidation, nitric oxide oxidation, and absorption. This process can be performed at one or multiple pressures.

Answer 5

Nitric acid is made by mixing nitrogen dioxide (NO2) with water. Creating a very pure nitric acid usually involves distillation with sulfuric acid, as nitric acid forms an azeotrope with water with a composition of 68% nitric acid and 32% water. Commercial grade nitric acid solutions are usually between 52% and 68% nitric acid. Commercial production of nitric acid is via the Ostwald process after Wilhelm Ostwald.

Nitric acid can be made from Copper(II) nitrate or by reacting 200 g of potassium nitrate (KNO3) in 106 ml of 96% sulfuric acid (H2SO4), and distilling this mixture at nitric acid's boiling point of 83 °C until only a white crystalline mass, potassium hydrogen sulfate (KHSO4), remains in the reaction vessel. The obtained red fuming nitric acid may be converted to the white nitric acid. Note that in a laboratory setting, it is necessary to use all-glass equipment, ideally a one-piece retort, because nitric acid attacks cork and rubber, and leaks can be extremely dangerous.

The dissolved NOx are readily removed using reduced pressure at room temperature (10-30 min at 200 mmHg or 27 kPa). Obtained white fuming nitric acid has density 1.51 g/cm³. This procedure can also be performed under reduced pressure and temperature in one step in order to produce less nitrogen dioxide gas.

The acid can also be synthesized by oxidizing ammonia, but the product is diluted by the water also formed as part of the reaction. However, this synthesization method is important in producing ammonium nitrate from ammonia derived from the Haber process, because the final product can be produced from nitrogen, hydrogen, and oxygen as the sole feedstocks.

White fuming nitric acid, also called 100% nitric acid or WFNA, is very close to the anhydrous nitric acid product. One specification for white fuming nitric acid is that it has a maximum of 2 % water and a maximum of 0.5 % dissolved NO2. Red fuming nitric acid, or RFNA, contains substantial quantities of dissolved nitrogen dioxide (NO2) leaving the solution with a reddish-brown color. One formulation of RFNA specifies a minimum of 17% NO2, another specifies 13% NO2. In either event, an inhibited fuming nitric acid (either IWFNA, or IRFNA) can be made by the addition of 0.6 to 0.7% hydrogen fluoride, HF. This fluoride is added for corrosion resistance in metal tanks (the fluoride creates a metal fluoride layer that protects the metal).

Answer 6

buy two nitrics and soak them in water.