Nitric Acid Plants for Sale

Used 500 STPD Nitric Acid Plant built in 1974. This Nitric Acid Plant uses synthesis by oxidizing ammonia to make nitrogen dioxide, then absorbed over a catalyst and water to form nitric acid. New major equipment was installed during 1994 - 2013. Atmospheric air is filtered and compressed in a centrifugal compressor, which is driven by a hot gas expander and steam turbine. Liquid ammonia is vaporized, superheated and filtered and is joined by the compressed air stream in a double mixing operation based on orificing. The combined ammonia-air mixture enters the converter where the ammonia stream ignites and burns very rapidly to form nitric oxide and water vapor. The hot reaction products and excess air leaving the converter pass through a waste heat boiler and heat exchanger to: cool the process gas before entering the cooler condenser; recover heat be the generation of steam; and recover power by heating the tail gas for use in the hot gas expander. Partially cooled process gas enters the cooler condenser where the water formed during ammonia burning is condensed, forming weak nitric acid. The weak acid is separated from the gas and transferred to the top of the absorber, where the weak acid and additional water are fed through the top tray and counter act with the gas moving up the absorber through the bottom. The product acid passes through a bleacher where dissolved oxides of nitrogen are stripped from the acid using a countercurrent flow of air, before flowing into the storage tank.

Used 450 STPD Nitric Acid Plant built in 1969. This plant was originally commissioned in 1969 at nameplate capacity of 310 STPD. In 1974, the plant was upgraded to 375 STPD. In recent years, many new equipment items have been installed and the final capacity reached 450 STPD. The process starts with air compression. The compressor train consists of an axial compressor and a centrifugal compressor, and is driven by steam turbine on one end and a hot spent gas expander on the other end. The mixture of ammonia and air flows to the converter where ammonia is catalytically oxided to nitric oxide (NO). The catalyst used is platinum gauze containing some palladium and rhodium. The process gas leaves the catalyst gauze at about 900 °C, and passes in succession through an exchanger train consisting of spend gas reheater/superheater, air Preheater, 225 psig waste heat boiler and 75 psig waste heat boiler. Steam of 225 psig and 75 psig is generated and exported from this process. The process gas then passes through a platinum filter to recovery the valuable particles of platinum. Oxidation air is added and reacts with the NO to form NO2, which then reacts with water in the absorption column to form nitric acid. This plant has Delta V automation control system. Complete technical and operational documents are available.

Used 350 STPD Chemico Nitric Acid Plant built in 1965, rebuilt in 1992. The Nitric Acid plant produces 57% concentrated Nitric Acid (HNO3). The plant has been properly mothballed and shutdown, with the compressor train being turned monthly. Plant was operated by a major corporation and is in great condition. All plant documentation regarding operation and maintenance is currently available. This is a great opportunity to relocate a Nitric Acid plant for a fraction of the cost of building a new one and in significantly much less time. The three main chemical reactions involved in the formation of Nitric Acid are: 1) The oxidation of Ammonia to Nitric Oxide (NO), 2) The Oxidation of Nitric Oxide to Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), and 3) The absorption of Nitrogen Dioxide in water to form Nitric Acid (HNO3).

Used 29 TPD Nitric Acid Concentration Plant built in 1956. Increases 54% acid to approximately 63%. Distillation column 38’ 3-1/2” X 2’ 6” ID, consisting of 12 bubble-cap trays with a 2’ tray spacing; each tray has 29“bubble-caps” with each cap having 36 slots. All equipment stainless steel. Two nitric acid storage tanks available.

Used 250 STPD Nitric Acid Plant built in 1965. The plant produces minimum 60% nitric acid. When an auxiliary compressor (IR centac compressor – 1500 HP) was added to increase the bleach flow, the plant could make 290 STPD. Most equipment was built in 1980’s and 1990’s. It has DCS control system from 1999 and vibration monitoring for compressor. Compressor is low pressure unit with combined hot gas expander and second stage. Waste Heat Boiler is new in 2009. Absorber passed thickness tests in 2007. After the plant was shut down, the equipment has been protected with corrosion proof coating.

Used 180 TPD Nitric Acid Plant built in 1965. The Nitric Acid plant produces 57% concentrated Nitric Acid (HNO3). The plant has been properly mothballed and shutdown, with the compressor train being turned monthly. Plant was operated by a major corporation and is in great condition. All plant documentation regarding operation and maintenance is currently available. This is a great opportunity to relocate a Nitric Acid plant for a fraction of the cost of building a new one and in significantly much less time. The three main chemical reactions involved in the formation of Nitric Acid are: 1) The oxidation of Ammonia to Nitric Oxide (NO), 2) The Oxidation of Nitric Oxide to Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), and 3) The absorption of Nitrogen Dioxide in water to form Nitric Acid (HNO3). Filtered atmospheric air is compressed to 110 psig and 450 F degree in the motor and gas turbine driven centrifugal compressor and mixed with filtered superheated ammonia vapor. The process gas leaves the catalyst gauze at about 1,650 F degree.

Used 85-120 TPD Nitric Acid Plant built in 1964. Consists of two Weatherly-designed process nitric acid plants. The first plant was installed and commissioned in 1964, the second plant in 1968. Plant #1 had design capacity of 85 short tons per day; Plant #2 100 short tons per day. Plant #2 shut down in April 2013. Its compressor train required major repair. Plant #1 abandoned its absorb tower in 2013 and used the absorption section of Plant #2 for production till July 2015 when the plant was finally shut down. The combination of Plant #1 and #2 makes a complete production line to reach capacity as high as 120 short tons per day. The plants replaced many equipment items with new ones in the recent years. Currently both plants are cleaned and purged, but not under nitrogen blanket. Many equipment items from the heat trains are already dismantled and stored in warehouse and yard. The production line has four process sections: gas preparation, oxidation and cooling, acid formation, and tail gas decoloration. The compressor train includes air compressor (Joy Manufacturing), expander (Northington) and steam turbine (Demag). The plant has advanced process of emission control to limit NOx at 5 ppm. Detailed technical documentation is available.

Used 70 TPD Nitric Acid Concentration Plant built in 2005. The plant contains two process sections: nitric acid concentration and sulfuric acid concentration. The NAC takes fresh nitric acid and recycled acid mixtures (55% - 69%) to generate concentrated nitric acid up to 99.4% purity. The NA column is an extractive distillation using SA as the extractant. Two streams, fresh nitric acid and sulfuric acid, come to the NA column. Concentrated nitric acid flows from the top of the column, and waste sulfuric acid from the bottom and then concentrated in the SAC section and returned to the NA column.

Used 550 STPD Nitric Acid Plant built in 1987. Designed by Uhde. The process is consisting of four main stages: oxidation of ammonia, oxidation of nitrous oxide, absorption of nitrous gas and catalytic tailgas treatment. Liquid ammonia is vaporized, and remaining ammonia is stripped in a batch operation. Gaseous ammonia is then mixed with compressed air, and the mixture undergoes ammonia oxidation in the ammonia burner. The NOx gas from the burner is cooled, oxidized to NO2, and further condensed. The cooled NOx partly condenses in feedwater preheaters, forming acid condensate pumped to the south absorption tower. Uncondensed NOx and secondary air enter the south absorption tower, where oxidation and absorption occur. The north absorption tower further oxidizes and absorbs NOx. Cooling is achieved using cooling water and chilled water. Demineralized water is pumped to the north absorption tower, producing acid transferred to the south absorption tower. Acid from the south absorption tower is pumped to the bleaching tower, where raw acid is contacted with secondary air. The final acid at 61% concentration is transferred to storage. The tailgas leaving the north absorption column contains unabsorbed NO and NO2. The tailgas is heated and treated in a catalytic tailgas reactor with ammonia vapor, reducing NOx content to less than 170 ppm. The treated tailgas passes through a turbine, generating energy for the air compressor, with additional energy supplied by an electric motor. The treated tailgas is discharged into the atmosphere through a stack. The plant was shutdown in 2016. All major spares are available: 8000 HP motor, spare compressor rotating assembly at Sulzer, spare mixed gas filter, blade carrier and various compressor spare parts on site. A spare expander exists and may be included in the sales package.

Used 354 MTPD Nitric Acid Plant built in 1970. Designed by Weatherly (Referred to as Ammonia Oxidation Plants). Estimated actual operating time is less than 3 years. Originally installed at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant in Radford, VA. Its nameplate capacity is 390 STPD (354 MTPD). It has been dismantled, and the equipment is currently stored and ready for shipment. Although some process equipment has been removed, major equipment is available such as the compressor train and heat exchanger train with unused components. If you are interested in purchasing individual pieces, view components details at the following link: http://www.phxequip.com/liquidation.22.0/nitric-acid-plant-liquidation.aspx