GB586650A - Process for the production of hydrogen-nitrogen mixtures - Google Patents

Abstract

<PICT:0586650/III/1> Producer blast furnace, or similar high nitrogen content, low calorific value gases containing carbon monoxide are (1) partly treated with steam and catalyst in reactor 37 to oxidise the carbon monoxide and (2) partly used to produce hydrogen by the steam iron process in reactor 9, impurities being removed from the crude hydrogen and catalyzed gas either before or after mixing to produce nitrogen hydrogen mixtures. Magnesia or iron oxide catalysts may be used at 320-560 DEG C. and at normal or increased pressures. Spent gas from the iron process may be burnt to heat a refractory mass 10 used to preheat the steam. The reducing gas may also be preheated. The catalyzed gas, crude hydrogen, and reactor 9 purge gases may be cooled by scrubbing in towers 41, 22 and 160 with water which may contain soda to remove hydrogen sulphide. The catalyzed gas may be scrubbed with water under pressure in column 51 to remove carbon dioxide which is stripped from the liquor by an air blast in regenerator 56. The gas is then mixed with hydrogen in the pressure vessel 66 and scrubbed at 100 atmos. pressure with ammoniacal copper liquor in column 70 to remove carbon monoxide and residual carbon dioxide. The latter are stripped from the liquor in regenerator 75 and after washing to remove ammonia are recycled to gasholder 2 or the reactor 37. The ammoniacal liquor may be fortified and aerated in tank 92 before re-use. Mixtures suitable for ammonia synthesis may be produced by suitable proportioning. In an alternative form the catalyzed gas is scrubbed with an amine, e.g., an ethanolamine at normal or increased pressure to remove carbon dioxide. In a further modification the gases are first mixed, scrubbed with amine and after preheating, e.g., with oil or diphenyl to 200-350 DEG C. contacted with a nickel or cobalt catalyst to convert the carbon oxides to methane. Specification 547,155 is referred to.