Aniline is a highly used chemical with increasing demand worldwide. It is widely used as the basic substance (precursor) for MDI production. Aniline is also used for production of rubber chemicals, dyes, pigments as well as pharmaceuticals.
The process:
As per Chematur Engineering process, Aniline is produced in a continuous high efficiency liquid phase hydrogenation process. The process is based on a well agitated CSTR reactor operating at steady-state. This gives a very steady performance with excellent product quality with minimum formation of phenol and other by-products. Downstream of the main reactor a small polishing reactor is integrated to make sure that the raw material and intermediates are fully converted to Aniline. Recovery of the heat of reaction gives steam which is sufficient for the plant requirements as well as export of steam to other plants. The start and stop is a very easy, ''one-button'' task.
The process uses a proprietary precious metal catalyst with base metal promotors. It is based on a commercially available activated carbon, and the recipe as well as the catalyst production plant will be included. The catalyst gives superior performance and it is substantially cheaper than buying a commercial catalyst. Our catalyst is much easier to filter than a carbon black based catalyst and it is also much easier to avoid unintended losses of spent catalyst, resulting in improved precious metal management. More than 90% of precious metal in the spent catalyst can be recovered, giving lower operating cost.
The losses of Aniline in the reaction water is minimized by a counter current extraction with nitrobenzene followed by stripping the nitrobenzene from the water before it is sent to a normal waste water treatment plant.
