Abstract: The formation of dust or fines may be suppressed, during the granulation of ammonium nitrate having a nitrogen content of 28% to 34.5%, by a process in which ammonium nitrate is initially granulated to form a raw granulate containing fines, and thereafter heated and contacted by a hydrated sulfate during a second granulation step wherein the fines are affixed to the raw granulate.

Abstract: A process is disclosed whereby the recovery of process heat contained in NOx gases which have been generated by the combustion of ammonia in the ammonia oxidation step of a nitric acid production process is improved and whereby the recovery of the process heat takes place at a low temperature range. The process involves using process heat contained in NOx gases to evaporate and superheat liquid ammonia which is circulated in a separate loop, then expanding the superheated ammonia in a turbine to generate mechanical energy and subsequently pressurizing, reevaporating and resuperheating the ammonia.

Abstract: A process for the generation of mechanical energy in the ammonia oxidation step of process for the production of nitric acid is disclosed, whereby the utilization of process heat is improved, particularly the exploitation of heat contained in NO.sub.x gases and including process heat recovered at low temperature. The process involves evaporating and superheating liquid ammonia upstream of the oxidation step, at a pressure which is a multiple of the pressure required for the combustion, using the process heat of the NO.sub.x gases formed during the the combustion and then expanding the superheated ammonia in a turbine, thus generating mechanical energy.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the production of nitric acid with a concentration of 50-65% by weight by compression of a reaction gas and its absorption in water, said reaction gas originating from an ammonia combustion process, containing nitrogen oxides and being under pressure. The nitric acid produced by the process according to the invention is particularly suitable for further processing to fertilizer.