Avoidable and unavoidable exergetic destruction analysis of a nitric acid production plant

Abstract

Exergy analysis for Nitric acid production plants are very few and many are outdated. This study aims to support existing scientific studies and incite new investigations of exergy analysis in modern times. An advanced exergy analysis was applied to a production plant with a capacity to process 350 tons/day of nitric acid at a concentration of 55%. The catalytic oxidation of ammonia, condensation and absorption of nitrous gases are considered as the principal process in the nitric acid production. The total destroyed exergy was 46772,55 KW. The component with the greatest impact was the catalytic converter, which presented 75.1% of the total avoidable exergy destruction rate of the plant. These findings are relevant as they can potentially reduce costs of nitric acid production. Copyright © 2018 ASME.