Plant for the Manufacture of 50 Tons per Week of Guanidine Nitrate by the Direct Fusion Process: An Outline Design

摘要

Guanidine nitrate may be prepared by reacting nitrolim with a concentrated aqueous solution of ammonium nitrate at temperatures between 120 deg and 160 deg C., the so-called 'Direct Fusion', Process. A pilot plant has been installed and operated on this process at Waltham Abbey. It comprises a continuous reactor operating at 120 deg C. and ancillary plant to isolate the product and concentrate and recycle excess ammonium nitrate liquor. Successful operation has been achieved in several runs of about 200 hours continuous duration and outputs up to 50 lb. per hour of guanidine nitrate have been obtained. An isolated yield of 87% calculated on the calcium cyanamide content of the nitrolim has been obtained with a reaction time of 1 hour and the yield is expected to rise to over 90% by allowing greater reaction time. The product purity has averaged 98% guanidine nitrate. A comparison with plant which would be necessary for batch operation shows that the principal advantage of the continuous process lies in a simpler operating procedure and reduced labour requirements. Preliminary plant flowsheets for producing 50 short tons/week of guanidine nitrate have been prepared (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4) and the dimensions of the principal plant items calculated and tabulated. These are based on an estimated 95% conversion of calcium cyanamide to guanidine nitrate and an ammonium nitrate consumption of 110% of theory.