Continuous adiabatic industrial benzene nitration with mixed acid at a pilot plant scale

Abstract

A pilot plant for the continuous adiabatic nitration of benzene was constructed, reproducing the industrial operating conditions, in order to identify the reaction regime prevailing in this industrial process. Important process parameters were tested covering a wide range of operating conditions: reaction temperature (80-135 °C), benzene to nitric acid molar feed ratio (0.96-1.15) and stirring speed (390-1700 rpm). The residence time and the sulphuric acid strength were fixed at 2 min and 68%, respectively. The data from a large number of experiments show a good agreement with the results of a mathematical model of the reactor.