A vertical bleaching tower for removing dissolved nitrogen oxides from an aqueous nitric acid solution using a stripping gas such as air, nitrogen, oxygen or combinations thereof in a process for producing nitric acid, comprising a structured packing; a liquid distributor comprising a feed box having a serrated weir for distribution of the aqueous nitric acid solution comprising the dissolved nitrogen oxides through upward-pointing serrations of the serrated weir into perforated trays of the liquid distributor and located above the structured packing for distributing the aqueous nitric acid solution comprising the dissolved nitrogen oxides to the structured packing; an inlet and outlet, both suitable for aqueous nitric acid solution; and an inlet and outlet, both suitable for the stripping gas. The present invention further comprises a bleaching method for removing dissolved nitrogen oxides from an aqueous nitric acid solution in a vertical bleaching tower

A process for recovering nitric acid or salts thereof, comprising: contacting, in the presence of water, an water-immiscible ionic liquid of the formula [A.sup.+][X.sup.−], wherein [A.sup.+] represents a phosphonium or ammonium cation and [X.sup.−] represents a counter anion which is NO.sub.3.sup.−, an halide anion displaceable by NO.sub.3.sup.−, or both, with a fluid which contains HNO.sub.3 and at least one more mineral acid, or precursors of said acids, and partition, under mixing, said acids between aqueous and organic phases and form nitrate-loaded ionic liquid of the formula [A.sup.+][NO.sub.3.sup.−].sub.z>0.25 where Z indicates a molar amount of nitrate held in the ionic liquid beyond the positions occupied by the nitrate counter ions; separating the so-formed mixture into an organic phase comprising a nitrate-loaded ionic liquid of the formula [A.sup.+][NO.sub.3.sup.−].sub.z>0.25 and an aqueous phase consisting of a nitrate-depleted aqueous solution that contains the other mineral acid(s); stripping the nitric acid from said nitrate-loaded ionic liquid to create an aqueous nitrate solution and regenerate ionic liquid of the formula [A.sup.+][NO.sub.3.sup.−].sub.z≥0 with reduced nitrate loading, or unloaded [A.sup.+][NO.sub.3.sup.−].sub.z=0 ionic liquid.

A process for recovering nitric acid or salts thereof, comprising: contacting, in the presence of water, an water-immiscible ionic liquid of the formula [A.sup.+][X.sup.−], wherein [A.sup.+] represents a phosphonium or ammonium cation and [X.sup.−] represents a counter anion which is NO.sub.3.sup.−, an halide anion displaceable by NO.sub.3.sup.−, or both, with a fluid which contains HNO.sub.3 and at least one more mineral acid, or precursors of said acids, and partition, under mixing, said acids between aqueous and organic phases and form nitrate-loaded ionic liquid of the formula [A.sup.+][NO.sub.3.sup.−].sub.z>0.25 where Z indicates a molar amount of nitrate held in the ionic liquid beyond the positions occupied by the nitrate counter ions; separating the so-formed mixture into an organic phase comprising a nitrate-loaded ionic liquid of the formula [A.sup.+][NO.sub.3.sup.−].sub.z>0.25 and an aqueous phase consisting of a nitrate-depleted aqueous solution that contains the other mineral acid(s); stripping the nitric acid from said nitrate-loaded ionic liquid to create an aqueous nitrate solution and regenerate ionic liquid of the formula [A.sup.+][NO.sub.3.sup.−].sub.z≥0 with reduced nitrate loading, or unloaded [A.sup.+][NO.sub.3.sup.−].sub.z=0 ionic liquid.

The present invention relates to a process suitable for reducing ammonia loss and odor from organic material to the atmosphere. The process comprises feeding air to a plasma generator to produce a concentration of 0.1-12% by volume of NOx in the air by direct nitrogen fixation. Cooled air containing NOx from the plasma generator is fed to an absorption system comprising at least two absorption loops, wherein a first absorption liquid is circulating in the first absorption loop and a second absorption liquid is circulating in the second absorption loop. The air containing NOx is absorbed into the first absorption liquid to form an acidic solution comprising nitrates and nitrites. Off gases containing NO from the first absorption loop is fed to the second absorption loop, and the off gases containing NO are absorbed into the second absorption liquid having a lower pH

A mono-pressure plant for the production of nitric acid, comprising an ammonia convertor configured for operating at a working pressure ranging between 2 bar and 16 bar, for oxidizing ammonia, thereby producing a gaseous NOx gas/steam mixture; an air compressor in fluid communication with the ammonia convertor, for pressurizing air to the working pressure; an absorber unit, wherein the nitrogen oxides contained in a gaseous NO.sub.x stream react with water, thereby producing nitric acid; a first bleacher unit for stripping the dissolved nitrogen oxides from the output product stream, thereby producing a first NO.sub.x-loaded stripping gas; and a means for directing the first NO.sub.x-loaded stripping gas to an inlet of the absorber unit.

A mono-pressure plant for the production of nitric acid, comprising an ammonia convertor configured for operating at a working pressure ranging between 2 bar and 16 bar, for oxidizing ammonia, thereby producing a gaseous NOx gas/steam mixture; an air compressor in fluid communication with the ammonia convertor, for pressurizing air to the working pressure; an absorber unit, wherein the nitrogen oxides contained in a gaseous NO.sub.x stream react with water, thereby producing nitric acid; a first bleacher unit for stripping the dissolved nitrogen oxides from the output product stream, thereby producing a first NO.sub.x-loaded stripping gas; and a means for directing the first NO.sub.x-loaded stripping gas to an inlet of the absorber unit.

A dual-pressure plant for the synthesis of nitric acid comprising: a reactor (4) providing a gaseous effluent (15) containing nitrogen oxides; an absorption tower (6) nitrogen oxides react with water providing raw nitric acid and, said absorption tower operating at a pressure greater than the pressure of the reactor; a compressor (5) elevating the pressure of the reactor effluent (15) to the absorption pressure; said plant also comprising a first bleacher (37) and a second bleacher (7), said first bleacher (37) stripping with air (39) nitrogen oxides from the output stream (27) of the absorption tower (6) providing a partially stripped nitric acid stream (40) and a nitrogen oxides-loaded air stream (41), the former being fed to the second bleacher (7) and the latter being recycled to the delivery-side of said compressor (5).

A dual-pressure plant for the synthesis of nitric acid comprising: a reactor (4) providing a gaseous effluent (15) containing nitrogen oxides; an absorption tower (6) nitrogen oxides react with water providing raw nitric acid and, said absorption tower operating at a pressure greater than the pressure of the reactor; a compressor (5) elevating the pressure of the reactor effluent (15) to the absorption pressure; said plant also comprising a first bleacher (37) and a second bleacher (7), said first bleacher (37) stripping with air (39) nitrogen oxides from the output stream (27) of the absorption tower (6) providing a partially stripped nitric acid stream (40) and a nitrogen oxides-loaded air stream (41), the former being fed to the second bleacher (7) and the latter being recycled to the delivery-side of said compressor (5).

A dual-pressure plant for the synthesis of nitric acid comprising: a reactor (4) providing a gaseous effluent (15) containing nitrogen oxides; an absorption tower (6) nitrogen oxides react with water providing raw nitric acid and, said absorption tower operating at a pressure greater than the pressure of the reactor; a compressor (5) elevating the pressure of the reactor effluent (15) to the absorption pressure; said plant also comprising a first bleacher (37) and a second bleacher (7), said first bleacher (37) stripping with air (39) nitrogen oxides from the output stream (27) of the absorption tower (6) providing a partially stripped nitric acid stream (40) and a nitrogen oxides-loaded air stream (41), the former being fed to the second bleacher (7) and the latter being recycled to the delivery-side of said compressor (5).

A dual-pressure plant for the synthesis of nitric acid comprising: a reactor (4) providing a gaseous effluent (15) containing nitrogen oxides; an absorption tower (6) nitrogen oxides react with water providing raw nitric acid and, said absorption tower operating at a pressure greater than the pressure of the reactor; a compressor (5) elevating the pressure of the reactor effluent (15) to the absorption pressure; said plant also comprising a first bleacher (37) and a second bleacher (7), said first bleacher (37) stripping with air (39) nitrogen oxides from the output stream (27) of the absorption tower (6) providing a partially stripped nitric acid stream (40) and a nitrogen oxides-loaded air stream (41), the former being fed to the second bleacher (7) and the latter being recycled to the delivery-side of said compressor (5).