Abstract: A process for concentrating spent sulphuric acids particularly sulphuric acids which arise during the nitration of hydrocarbons with nitric acid in the presence of sulphuric acid, wherein single- or multi-stage concentration is effected under vacuum.

Abstract: A continuous process for the preparation of aromatic di- and/or polyamines by catalytic hydrogenation of the corresponding aromatic di- and/or polynitro compounds with hydrogen, characterized in that, in a reactor with a catalytic fixed bed or trickle bed at a pressure between 5 and 100 bar and a reaction temperature of from 100 to 220° C. a) the aromatic di- and/or polynitro compounds, optionally in the presence of a solvent, are introduced into a product stream comprising essentially recycled hydrogenated product, water and hydrogen, and b) a part of the product stream is removed continuously from the reactor system.

Abstract: A process is provided for the purification of sulfuric acid contaminated with impurities, such as nitric acid, nitrosylsulfuric acid, dinitrotoluenes and mononitrotoluenes, wherein this contaminated sulfuric acid was obtained from the production of nitrated toluene using toluene and nitric acid. The contaminated sulfuric acid is preheated to a temperature in the range of 50 to 180.degree. C. in a heat exchanger. The heated, contaminated sulfuric acid is freed from steam-volatile impurities, such as dinitrotoluenes and mononitrotoluenes, and the nitrogen-containing compounds within the sulfuric acid are decomposed by counter currently contacting the contaminated sulfuric acid with steam and vapors from a downstream concentration step in a steam stripper, which is operated at a pressure ranging from 300 to 1,000 mbars. The steam-stripped sulfuric acid is fed into a first concentration stage, which is operated at the same pressure used in the steam stripper.

Abstract: A reactor is described for exothermic sludge phase reactions which comprises as the heat exchanger an annular chamber which is covered at the top and the bottom by the reaction mass in the reactor, the annular chamber comprising a plurality of vertical passage ducts having a circular cross-section for the reaction mass, and the coolant flowing through the annular chamber between the passage ducts for the reaction mass.

Abstract: Amine mixtures generated during the production of diaminotoluene by hydrogenating dinitrated aromatic compounds are treated to separate high boiling materials from the desired amine products. In this process, any water of reaction and any solvent are first removed from the diaminotoluene isomer mixture (TDA mixture). The low-boiling TDA isomers are then separated using a TDA isomer distillation column. In the process of the present invention, the bottom phase remaining after the initial distillation contains a mixture of m-TDA and high-boiling materials. This bottom phase is separated and concentrated until the high-boiling material content is from approximately 25 to 60 wt. %. This concentrated bottom phase is then mixed with o-TDA in a ratio of 1:1 to 1:5 and a m-/o-TDA mixture is removed by distillation. The m-/o-TDA mixture thus recovered is then returned to the TDA isomer distillation column.

Abstract: Sulphuric and nitric acids present in dinitrotoluene are separated from the dinitrotoluene by adding up to 10 wt. % water (based on quantity of dinitrotoluene) to the mixture of dinitrotoluene, sulphuric acid and nitric acid, mixing and separating the aqueous phase containing nitric and sulphuric acids. The mixtures treated by this process generally contain up to 5 wt. % nitric acid and up to 6 wt. % sulphuric acid.

Abstract: A Pauling boiler for the concentration of sulphuric acid, wherein the external surface of the Pauling boiler is coated with aluminum.A process for the concentration of sulphuric acid in Pauling boilers by underfiring with gas or liquid fuels, wherein the concentration is carried out in a Pauling boiler coated with aluminum.

Abstract: An amine is separated from an aqueous solution of amine and volatile organic compounds by distillation in a column. The vapors generated during distillation are condensed. The condensed vapors are then passed into a separating device in which the volatile organic compounds are removed. The liquid remaining in the separating device is then fed to the head of the distillation column. Water is removed from the column in a sidestream and diamine is the residue. This process is particularly effective in recovering aromatic diamines from solutions which accumulate during hydrogenation of dinitro aromatic compounds.