Incorporation of Oxidation Enhancement through Hydrogen Peroxide Addition into a Tested Mass Transfer/Reaction Model for an Industrial NOx Absorption Process

Abstract

A comprehensive mass transfer/reaction model was developed in the process simulator Aspen Plus to simulate an industrial NOx absorption process. The model, recently published by the authors, was tested by comparison with data collected at the world-scale Wilton mononitrobenzene plant in Redcar, UK, and the model was found to accurately predict NOx removal. In the current study, an advanced NOx absorption technique, namely the addition of hydrogen peroxide as an oxidizer to an absorption process, was incorporated into the model in an attempt to quantify improvements in NOx absorption. The use of hydrogen peroxide to enhance NOx absorption processes has been studied in the past, with specific focus on the ability of hydrogen peroxide to oxidize nitric oxide (NO) to nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) and to oxidize nitrous acid (HNO 2 ) to nitric acid (HNO 3 ). The current study, which focuses on the latter oxidation, finds that the enhanced oxidation of HNO 2 shows significant potential for improving NOx absorption.