Andrussow process

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Herne, Germany, operated by Leonid Andrussow
.
Diagram from 1931 showing the Andrussow process

The Andrussow process is the dominant industrial process for the production of

catalyst, typically platinum, is required.[2][3]

2 CH4 + 2 NH3 + 3 O2 → 2 HCN + 6 H2O

The process is based on a reaction that was discovered by Leonid Andrussow in 1927. In the following years he developed the process that is named after him. HCN is also produced in the BMA process.

Process details

This reaction is very exothermic. The change of enthalpy of this reaction is equal to -481.06 kJ.[4] The heat provided by the main reaction serves as a catalyst for other side reactions.

CH4 + H2O → CO + 3 H2
2 CH4 + 3 O2 → 2 CO + 4 H2O
4 NH3 + 3 O2 → 2 N2 + 6 H2O

These side reactions can be reduced by only short exposures to the catalyst of the order of 0.0003s.[5]

References

  1. .
  2. .
  3. .
  4. ^ Deák, Gyula (1980), Menné reakcie v organickej chémii, Bratislava: Vydavateľstvo technickej a ekonomickej literatúry, p. 14
  5. ^ Pirie, J M (1958). "The Manufacture of Hydrocyanic Acid by the Andrussow Process" (PDF). Platinum Metals Rev. 2 (1): 7–11. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 January 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2014.