Hydrogen cyanide synthesis process
View Patent ↗A process for the production of hydrogen cyanide is provided, wherein hydrogen cyanide is synthesized by reacting methane or methane-containing natural gas, ammonia and oxygen-enriched air or oxygen in the presence of a catalyst comprising platinum or a platinum alloy; wherein the reactants are present in the following molar ratios [ O 2 ] [ O 2 + N 2 ] = 0.25 to 1.0 ; [ CH 4 ] [ NH 3 ] = 0.95 to 1.05 ; and where a molar ratio of ammonia to the sum of oxygen and nitrogen obeys the following relationship: Y=m·X−a, wherein Y = [ NH 3 ] [ O 2 + N 2 ] X = [ O 2 ] [ O 2 + N 2 ] m=1.25 to 1.40; and a=0.05 to 0.14.
1. A process for synthesis of hydrogen cyanide, comprising:
reacting methane or methane-containing natural gas, ammonia and oxygen-enriched air or oxygen in the presence of a catalyst comprising platinum or a platinum alloy;
wherein oxygen and nitrogen are present in a molar ratio which satisfies the relationship
[
O
2
]
[
O
2
+
N
2
]
=
0.25
to
1.0
;
wherein methane and ammonia are present in a molar ratio of
[
CH
4
]
[
NH
3
]
=
0.95
to
1.05
;
and
wherein a molar ratio of ammonia to the sum of oxygen and nitrogen obeys the following relationship:
Y=m·X−a,
wherein
Y
=
[
NH
3
]
[
O
2
+
N
2
]
X
=
[
O
2
]
[
O
2
+
N
2
]
m=1.25 to 1.40; and
a=0.05 to 0.14.
2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein said molar ratio of oxygen and nitrogen is
[
O
2
]
[
O
2
+
N
2
]
=
0.25
to
0.40
.
3. The process according to claim 1 , wherein m=1.25 to 1.33 and a=0.07 to 0.11.
4. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the starting-gas mixture is preheated to at most 150° C.
5. The process according to claim 1 , wherein a volume flow for ammonia and methane or the methane-containing natural gas is calculated and controlled as a function of a molar ratio X=O 2 /(N 2 +O 2 ) using a process control system.
6. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the methane-containing natural gas contains at least 88 vol. % of methane.
7. The process according to claim 1 , wherein said process is performed in a conventional Andrussow-reactor.