Nitrous Oxide Gas Plant
Nitrous Oxide Gas Plant
Nitrous Oxide is manufactured by thermal decomposition of Ammonium Nitrate.
Ammonium nitrate is melted and decomposed by reaching to temperature of approximate 250 to 260 Degree Celsius which resulted into a mixture of Nitrous Oxide and super heater steam. At the same time, byproducts are also produced including Ammonium Nitrate fumes, Nitrogen and Oxides of Nitrogen. The steam and byproducts are removed by scrubbing with aqueous caustic soda solution and followed by acid scrubbing.
The hot gas in the presence of byproducts from decomposition pot enters the primary scrubber. The scrubber is fitted with a small condensing coil mounted at its top to condense water from part to the effluent gas stream and this water provides a counter-current flow for recovery of ammonium nitrate fumes from the gas. N2O gas leaving the primary scrubber for the removal of ammonium nitrate fumes.
Finally gas passes through a mild steel caustic scrubber followed by a fiber glass/stainless steel acid scrubber. The circulation of caustic and water to the respective scrubber is maintained by means of pumps. The scrubber gas is then allowed to collect in a rubber gasholder. The gas from the gasholder is removed by a multi stage water lubricated compressor, which compresses the gas to approx. pressure of 65 kgs/cm2 depending on ambient temperature.
The compressed gas passes through a gravity type water separator before being dried in Alumina Drier Battery. Finally Nitrous Oxide in liquid form is collected in a bank of three storage vessels. The storage vessels are kept cool by spraying chilled water on them.
During storage the impure nitrogen gas is being removed by venting out the gas after cooling down the storage vessels. The pure liquid nitrous oxide is then filled into cylinders by keeping them on a weighing scale. Nitrous oxide is liquefiable gas and is stored in cylinders in liquid form only.
Available plant capacities: 8 m3, 16 m3, 24 m3