KBR has been awarded a contract for its proprietary Plinke Adiabatic Nitrobenzene solutions by Kutch Specialities Pvt Ltd, India to provide engineering design, equipment and advisory services for grassroots nitrobenzene projects, KBR reported on Thursday.
“This contract reinforces KBR’s process leadership in purification, concentration and processing of strong inorganic acids,” said Doug Kelly, KBR president, Technology Solutions. “We are proud to work with Kutch Specialities Pvt Ltd to achieve its business expansion goals safely, reliably and efficiently.”
KBR’s patented equipment design and material selection will support plant availability and reliability. The solution will produce a high purity nitrobenzene with a focus on high energy efficiency and environmental sustainability. Nitrobenzene can be used to produce polyurethane foams, rubber chemicals, dyes and pharmaceuticals.
KBR developed the proprietary process for adiabatic nitration of benzene to nitrobenzene through its experience in re-concentration of sulfuric acid. The company has offered an integrated unit with both nitration and spent acid processing.
The energy released during the chemical reaction of benzene to nitrobenzene is kept within the process. KBR’s PLINKE modular reactor is highly efficient and its small size results in small plot-plan requirements and low investment costs.
The PLINKE adiabatic nitrobenzene process has been derived from operating steps, including nitration, product separation, washing, Sulfuric Acid re-concentration, Benzene recovery and waste gas treatment. The diluted Nitric Acid of any concentration between 50 percent and 68 percent HNO3 can be used in the process.
“Our proprietary process for adiabatic nitration offers high energy efficiency, excellent product quality and highly reliable sulfuric acid recovery process,” KBR stated.
About KBR, Inc.
KBR is a global provider of differentiated professional services and technologies across the asset and program life cycle within the Government Services and Energy sectors. KBR employs approximately 37,000 people worldwide (including our joint ventures), with customers in more than 80 countries and operations in 40 countries, across three synergistic global businesses: Government Solutions, Technology Solutions, Energy Solutions.
