Instructional Manual For Clarification Of Startup In Source Categories Affected By New Source Performance Standards - U.s. Environmental Protection Agency - 1979 Page 32
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146 Introduction
NITRIC ACID PLANTS - SUBPART G
§60.70 - 60.74
This NSPS category regulates weak nitric acid production facilities (30 to
70 percent strength) that utilize either the pressure or atmospheric pressure
process.
r:missions of nitrogen oxides (NO x )
t
expressed as nitrogen dioxide, are
limited, to 1.5 kg per metric ton (3.0 lb/ton) of 100 percent nitric acid.
This
is roughly equivalent to about 200 ppm NO x in the tail gas.
Opacity from these
plants is limited 'to less than 10 percent.
In addition, continuous monitoring
for NO x is required.
Sources constructed, reconstructed or modified after
August 17. 1971. are subject to these standards.
Process Description
The manufacture of nearly all commercial grades of nitric acid in the U.S.
is accomplished by the single or high-pressure catalytic oxidation of ammonia,
illustrated in Figure 5.
In the process, anhydrous ammonia (NH3) is evaporated
continuously and uniformly in an evaporator using heat supplied by steam.
Air
for the chemical reactions is supplied by a power-recovery compressor after
passing through an air filter.
Ammonia is vaporized and oxidized with air to
nitric oxide (NO) at about 689 kPa (100 psi) and 900
0
C
(1
,650
0
F) •
The oxida-
tion is accomplished in a converter consisting of a 95 percent platinum and 5
percent rhodium wire gauze.
Compounds leaving the oxidation chamber pass
through an air preheater. a waste heat boiler and a platinum filter (used to
catch any platinum driven out of the converter). before being cooled further
and introduced to the bottom of the absorption tower •. Tail gases from the top
of the tower pass through an entrainment separator to remove acid droplets or
mist, are heated in an exchanger counter to the reaction gases, expanded
through the compressor, and exhausted to the atmosphere.
An
alternative con-
trol system consists of passing the gases from the entrainment separator
through a molecular sieve adsorption bed and on to the reheater and tail gas
expander prior to discharge to the atmosphere.
Pre-Startup Operations
TI1e most important piece of equipment requiring mechanical checkout is the
drive train consisting of a steam or electric-driven turbine, an air compressor,
and a tan gas expander.
Items which must be analyzed in the drive train include
couplings, low, high. and overspeed operation, alignment and balance of rotors
and pistons, synchronization between front and back ends, the lubrication sys-
tem, and all operational turbine trips.
Examples of turbine trips (shutdowns)
whIch IIllst be evaluated are:
20
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