The present invention relates to a process for the purification of hydrogen cyanide, comprising the steps of a) splitting a liquid feed stream (1) comprising hydrogen cyanide into at least a first liquid stream (2) and a second liquid stream (3), b) introducing the first liquid stream (2) into a distillation column (4) at a point between the top and the bottom of the distillation column, c) introducing the second liquid stream (3) into the distillation column (4) at the top of the distillation column, d) withdrawing an overhead vapor stream (5) enriched in hydrogen cyanide from the distillation column (4), and e), withdrawing a bottom stream (6) depleted in hydrogen cyanide, wherein the temperature of the second liquid stream (3) in step c) is lower than the temperature of the first liquid stream (2) in step b).

Provided are a method for producing hydrocyanic acid and a device for producing hydrocyanic acid, which can improve a yield of the hydrocyanic acid in a vapor phase contact ammoxidation reaction of methanol. The method for producing hydrocyanic acid includes a step of obtaining hydrocyanic acid by a vapor phase contact ammoxidation reaction by supplying a raw material gas including methanol in a fluidized bed reactor (1) through a raw material gas disperser (7) disposed in the fluidized bed reactor (1) and bringing the methanol into contact with ammonia and oxygen in the presence of a metal oxide catalyst, in which the raw material gas disperser (7) has one or more pores for releasing the raw material gas into the fluidized bed reactor (1), and the number of pores per unit cross-sectional area of the fluidized bed reactor (1) is 10 to 45 pieces/m.sup.2.

A reactor system for carrying out an endothermic reaction of a feed gas, including: a structured catalyst arranged for catalyzing the endothermic reaction of a feed gas, the structured catalyst including a macroscopic structure of electrically conductive material, the macroscopic structure supporting a ceramic coating, wherein the ceramic coating supports a catalytically active material; a pressure shell housing the structured catalyst; heat insulation layer between the structured catalyst and the pressure shell; at least two conductors electrically connected to the electrically conductive material and to an electrical power supply placed outside the pressure shell, wherein the electrical power supply is dimensioned to heat at least part of said structured catalyst to a temperature of at least 200° C. by passing an electrical current through the electrically conductive material. Also, a process for performing an endothermic reaction of a feed gas.

A reactor system for carrying out an endothermic reaction of a feed gas, including: a structured catalyst arranged for catalyzing the endothermic reaction of a feed gas, the structured catalyst including a macroscopic structure of electrically conductive material, the macroscopic structure supporting a ceramic coating, wherein the ceramic coating supports a catalytically active material; a pressure shell housing the structured catalyst; heat insulation layer between the structured catalyst and the pressure shell; at least two conductors electrically connected to the electrically conductive material and to an electrical power supply placed outside the pressure shell, wherein the electrical power supply is dimensioned to heat at least part of said structured catalyst to a temperature of at least 200° C. by passing an electrical current through the electrically conductive material. Also, a process for performing an endothermic reaction of a feed gas.

A device and a method are provided for reacting a starting material in at least two reactors connected to each other, including the reacting of the starting material in a first reactor to a first product, removing the first product from the first reactor using a jet pump, wherein a negative pressure zone of the jet pump is operationally connected to the first reactor, so that the first product of the first reactor moves through the negative pressure zone in a propulsion jet of a propulsion medium of the jet pump, conducting the propulsion medium having the first product into a second reactor, wherein the first product is allowed to react into a second product, separating the second product from the propulsion medium and discharging the separated second product.

The invention relates to a process for the preparation of alkali metal cyanides as a solid substance, comprising the steps of: i) an absorption step in the form of an absorption of hydrogen cyanide from a hydrogen cyanide-containing synthesis gas in an aqueous alkali metal hydroxide solution; ii) a crystallization step in the form of introducing said alkali metal cyanide solution into an evaporative crystallizer; iii) a separation step; iv) a recycle step; v) a drying step.

Present invention relates to a process and an installation (100) for the preparation of hydrogen cyanide by the Andrussow process, and more precisely for improving the conditions of mixing the reactant gases before feeding the Andrussow type reactor (60), in order to improve safety, to avoid any risk of explosion and to produce HCN in safe and efficient manner. The installation is configured in such a manner that oxygen is pre-mixed with air with a ratio comprised between 20.95% and 32.5% by volume, preferably between 25% and 30.5% by volume; methane containing gas and ammonia are simultaneously added in the pre-mixture of oxygen-enriched air in such a manner that the volumic ratio of methane to ammonia is comprised between 1.35 and 1.02 depending on the content of oxygen into air; said obtained reactant gases mixture having a temperature comprised between 80 C. and 120 C., preferably between 95 C. and 115 C. for feeding the Andrussow type reactor (60).

A method for producing a cyanide including the steps of supplying a hydrocarbon and nitrogen source to an onsite plasma reactor and removing cyanide synthesised inside the onsite plasma reactor to thereby produce the cyanide is disclosed. Also disclosed is a method which includes a monitor for monitoring the cyanide requirement of an onsite cyanide utilising system and supplying the hydrocarbon and nitrogen source in accordance with the cyanide requirement. Additionally, a method for recovering, refining, purifying or treating a metal including the steps of monitoring a cyanide requirement of the method and supplying to the method in a just in time sequence a cyanide synthesised onsite to thereby recover, refine, purify or treat the metal is disclosed.

The invention relates to a process for the preparation of alkali metal cyanides as a solid substance, comprising the steps of: i) an absorption step in the form of an absorption of hydrogen cyanide from a hydrogen cyanide-containing synthesis gas in an aqueous alkali metal hydroxide solution; ii) a crystallization step in the form of introducing said alkali metal cyanide solution into an evaporative crystallizer; iii) a separation step; iv) a recycle step; v) a drying step.

The invention relates to a catalyst material comprising a support, a first metal and a second metal on said support. The first and second metals are in the form of a chemical compound. The first metal is Fe, Co or Ni, and the second metal is selected from the group consisting of Sn, Zn and In. The invention also relates to a process for the preparation of hydrogen cyanide (HCN) from methane (CH.sub.4) and ammonia (NH.sub.3), wherein the methane and ammonia are contacted with a catalyst according to the invention.