GB291253A - Method of carrying out exothermic gas reactions - Google Patents

Abstract

291,253. Harter, H. July 4, 1927. Catalytic apparatus; ammonia, producing from mixtures of nitrogen and hydrogen; nitric acid, producing by combustion of ammonia. - In exothermic catalytic processes, such as the synthesis of ammonia from its elements and the oxidation of ammonia to produce nitric acid, the gas supply pipe is subdivided into several branches and the outlet openings thereof distributed uniformly along the length of the catalytic tube. Additional cooling may be obtained by introducing the gases under pressure which is released at the moment of introduction or by similarly releasing the pressure on other gases which are introduced into the reaction chamber. The process enables the use of pure oxygen in making nitric acid. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 the conduit admitting the reacting gases into the catalyst is subdivided into three branches c, c<1>, c<2> along which the outlet openings are distributed evenly as indicated by the arrows. In a modification shown in Fig. 2 the gases are admitted at both ends of the catalyst tube and the products of reaction drawn off centrally through pipes e<1>, e<2>. In a further application, Fig. 3, ammonia oxidation is introduced through a, pipe c<4> and oxygen through a pipe c<5>. Branch pipes g, g<1>, issuing from these pipes at intervals, are wound in the form of coils and perforated with evenly spaced openings d. A gas inlet pipe may be subdivided by a median partition into channels through which ammonia and oxygen respectively may be passed,