1

UJJAIN ENGINEERING
COLLEGE

Session 2019-2020
INORGANIC PROCESS
TECHNOLOGY
Topic:-

Submitted to:
DR. ANJANI KUMAR DWIVEDI SIR
Submitted by:
Parv Pandya (0701cm181037)
3rd Semester
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Index
S.NO. CONTENT PG.NO.
1. Acknowledgement 3
2. Preface 4
3. Introduction 5
4. Manufacturing of HCl 8-24
5. Safety aspects 25-30
6. Storage & disposal 31-32
7. Recent trends & 33-36
advancements
8. Uses of HCl 37-39
9. Remarks 40-41
10. References 42
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Acknowledgement

I want to thank professor Dr. Anjani

Kumar Dwivedi Sir for giving me this
opportunity to get a deep knowledge
and insights about HCl, and for
providing guidance during the whole
assignment.
I also want to thank my partner Samyak
Sharma for all the help during the
assignment.
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Preface
This project work is an insight into
production of HCL and various aspects
related to it such as its raw materials,
production, safety measures etc. It also
throws light on pollution control
measures and recent trends in the HCL
manufacturing industries. It is an attempt
to study the HCL industry in detail and
understand its environ-economic and
other important phases.
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Introduction
● Hydrochloric acid (HCl, also known as
muriatic acid) is a colourless corrosive,
strong mineral acid with many industrial
uses among which, when it reacts with an
organic base it forms a hydrochloride salt.
Hydrochloric acid is a versatile chemical
that hydrochloric acid is used in
the chemical industry as a
chemical reagent in the large-scale
production of vinyl chloride (CH2CHCl) for
PVC plastic, and polyurethane.
It has numerous other industrial uses such as:-
⮚ Hydrometallurgical processing, for
example, production of alumina
and/or titanium dioxide.
⮚  Chlorine dioxide synthesis.
⮚  Hydrogen production.
⮚  Activation of petroleum wells.
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⮚ Miscellaneous cleaning/etching
operations including metal cleaning (e.g.,
steel pickling).

● Hydrochloric acid (HCl) is supplied

commercially at concentrations mainly
within the range 28–36% w/w. At these
concentrations it evolves hydrogen
chloride vapour with a sharp irritant
odour. Both the acid and the vapour are
highly corrosive to most common metals.
Because hydrochloric acid is a reactive
liquid, it serves in the production of water
treatment chemicals, batteries and feed
phosphates.

Manufacturing of HCl
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HCl is manufactured by various methods

as follows:-

● Synthesis from hydrogen and

chlorine.

● From salt and sulphuric acid.

● As by-product from chemical

processes.

● From incineration of waste organics.

● Hydrochloric acid solutions.

 

1. Synthesis from Hydrogen and

Chlorine

There is large demand in the market for

water white acid. Such acid is obtained
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by synthetic method, and most of the

plants are based on this process.

⮚ Raw materials
Basis: 1000kg of Hydrochloric acid (98%
yield)
Hydrogen = 28.21kgChlorine = 999.21k
g

⮚ Sources of raw material

 
Both hydrogen and chlorine can be obtained
during electrolysis of brine for
manufacturing of Noah as described.
Also, hydrogen can be synthesized from
any one method of following which are
described:-
 
▪ Lane process or iron steam process.

▪ Steam hydrocarbon process.

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▪ Liquefaction of coal gas and coke

oven gas.

▪ Bosch process or water gas-steam

process.

⮚ Reaction:-

RH₂ +Cl₂→2 HCl, ΔH =- 43.9kcals

⮚ FLOWSHEET:-
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⮚ Manufacturing Process

● The plant consists of combustion

chamber of structural carbon or lined
with silica bricks provided with cooling
device which may consist even of cold-
water circulation in the shell. To ensure
all the chlorine reacts with hydrogen,
excess of 10%hydrogen compare to
chlorine is charged from the bottom of
the combustion chamber. Also, care
should be taken that the combustion
chamber and length of ducting which
leads the gas to absorber should be
sufficiently specious, otherwise
hydrochloric acid will contain free
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chlorine. The burning of hydrogen is

started by igniting the burner with an
external air-hydrogen torch. Dry chlorine
is passed into the combustion chamber,
where hydrogen burns in an atmosphere
of chlorine top produce HCl. The
exothermic nature of the direct
combination of both gases (H₂ and Cl₂) is
such as to raise the temperature of the
reagents, and the reaction products to a
point where they are incandescent. The
reaction is carried out at2400ºCwith
greenish flame. The gases are always
kept above the dew point to avoid
corrosion. The combustion chamber is
then cooled externally by water and
gas tight lid is fitted at the top of the
reactor which suddenly opens to allow
the gases to escape in case of
emergency. Hydrochloric acid gas is
cooled absorbed in water or dilute HCl
solution by passing through cooler and
absorber through the connecting pipe.
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The strength of acid produced is

generally 32-33 %. The heat of
absorption of HCl in water is removed by
spray of cold water outside the absorber.
The solution of HCl flows into a storage
tank.

⮚ Anhydrous hydrogen chloride

● Hot gases originating from combustion
chamber are passing over anhydrous
CaCl₂ or washing them with 98%
sulphuric acid and then cooled and
compressed to 60atm pressure. The
cooled and compressed gas having 99.9%
purity is filled in steel cylinders. In
another process, absorb the combustion
gas into water and distilled it to36%
concentration of HCl. If one is to obtain
97% HCl at the top of the column.
The35% acid is cooled to -12ºC and
aqueous liquid containing 50% HCl is
left to condense, while residual gases,
when they have been de nebulised as
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compressed to 60atm are of purity

exceeding 99.5%.

⮚ Thermodynamics and kinetics

H₂ + Cl₂→2 HCl ΔH =- 44kcal

● Above exothermic reaction is much
favoured by both by large evolution of
energy and the product gas leaving the
chamber, thereby circumventing the fact
that equilibrium would otherwise attained.
The very fact that equilibrium is not
established also precludes the large increase
in temperature from having a negative effect
on the yield of highly exothermic reaction.
On account of the existence of large energy
barrier to the reaction, mixture of molecular
H₂ and Cl₂ is stable at ambient temperatures
and in absence of suitable wavelengths.
Photons with frequencies which are able to
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furnishing the activation energy can be

produced by creating an electrical spark in a
mixture of molecular H₂ and Cl ₂or by first
burning mixture of H₂ with air and then
gradually replacing air with chlorine.
The initiation, propagation and termination
of the chain reactions are as follows
▪ Initiation
Cl₂+ hυ→2Cl•

▪ Propagation
Cl•+ H₂ →HCl + H 
H  •+ Cl₂→ HCl + Cl•

▪ Termination
Cl• + Cl•→Cl₂ + heat
H•+ H•→H₂ + heat
H• + Cl•→HCl +heat
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● A large amount of heat is developed both

from chain propagation reactions and
from chain termination processes, the
continued renewal of the chain
propagators by thermal route is ensured
over the long term. In brief reaction
between hydrogen and oxygen to produce
hydrogen chloride is a chain reaction
with a high quantum yield.

⮚ Engineering aspect

● The combustion chamber and ducting to

absorber should be sufficiently specious
for avoiding wall effect. From
physicochemical point of view if the walls
of reactor in which chain reactions takes
place by their varying nature,
development, shape and orientation as to
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affect the chain carriers is called wall

effect. In the present case wall tends to
interrupt the process by promoting the
chain breaking reaction (termination
reactions). Physico chemically, chain
terminators act as a third body in a
system which already consists of the
reactant bodies.

2. The Salt–  Sulphuric acid process

The reaction between NaCl and sulphuric
acid occurs in two endothermic stages.
⮚ Raw materials
Basis: 1000kg Hydrochloric acid
Sodium Chloride = 3206kg
Sulphuric acid = 2688kg
 
⮚ Sources of raw material:-
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 Sodium chloride can be obtained from sea

water, salt lake and sub -Soil water.
Sulphuric acid can be obtained by contacting
process.
⮚ Reaction
NaCl + H₂SO4→ NaHSO4 + HCl
NaCl +NaHSO4→ Na₂SO4 + HCl

⮚ FLOWSHEET:-

⮚ Manufacturing Process
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● Salt (NaCl) and sulphuric acid are

charged to the furnace. It is desirable to
keep one of the components in the
reaction mixture in a liquid form in both
steps. The first step is carried out at the
lower temperature compare to second
step. Even so, for liquefaction of
NaHSO4, which is required to carry out
in a second step , material is heated up to
400ºC. Sodium sulphate in the form of
sludge is collected from the bottom of the
furnace. The product and unconverted
sulphuric acid is sent to further
processing in which recovery of
sulphuric acid and nitric acid in cooling
tower and absorber respectively.
3. As by-product from chemical processes
● Over 90% of the hydrogen chloride
produced as a by-product from various
chemical processes. The crude HCl
generated in these processes is generally
contaminated with impurities such as
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unreacted chlorine, organics, and

chlorinated organic and entrained
catalyst particles. A wide variety of
techniques are employed to treat these
HCl streams to obtain either anhydrous
HCl or hydrochloric acid. Some of the
processes in which HCl is produced as
by-product is the manufacture of
chlorofluorohydrocarbons, manufacture
of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons,
production of high surface area silica,
and the manufacture of phosphoric acid
and esters of phosphoric acid.

 
4. From incineration of waste organics
● Environmental regulations regarding the
disposal of chlorine-containing organic
wastes have motivated the development of
technologies for burning or paralyzing
the waste organics and recovering the
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chlorine values as hydrogen chloride.

Several catalytic and non-catalytic
processes have been developed to treat
these wastes to produce hydrogen
chloride.
5. From hydrochloric acid solutions
● Gaseous hydrogen chloride is obtained by
partially stripping concentrated HCl acid
using an absorber – disrober system. The
stripper is operated at a pressure of
100-200kPa (1– 2atm) for improve
recovery of HCl. The overhead vapours
consisting of 97% HCl and 3% H₂ O is
cooled to remove most of the water as
concentrated HCl, and the residual water
vapour is removed by drying the gas with
sulphuric acid.

Safety Aspects
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● Concentrated hydrochloric acid (fuming

hydrochloric acid) forms acidic mists.
Both the mist and the solution have a
corrosive effect on human tissue, with the
potential to damage respiratory organs,
eyes, skin, and intestines irreversibly.
Upon mixing hydrochloric acid with
common oxidizing chemicals, such
as sodium hypochlorite (bleach, NaClO)
or potassium permanganate (KMnO4),
the toxic gas chlorine is produced.

Personal protective equipment such

as latex gloves, protective eye goggles, and
chemical-resistant clothing and shoes will
minimize risks when handling hydrochloric
acid. The United States Environmental
Protection Agency rates and regulates
hydrochloric acid as a toxic substance.
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The UN number or DOT number is 1789.

This number will be displayed on a placard
on the container.

⮚ How to Handle Hydrochloric Acid Safely

● Safety is of utmost importance when

handling dangerous chemicals like
hydrochloric acid. The Environmental
Protection Agency regulates hydrochloric
acid as a toxic substance, and it should
be treated as such. It is recommended
that you wear the following protective
equipment when using hydrochloric acid
of any concentration:
● Vapour respirator
● Rubber gloves
● Boots
● Full suitFace shield
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o If using hydrochloric acid at your

workplace, it is highly recommended
that you have access to an eye-flush
station in case of accidental exposure.
You should also review all
Hydrochloric Acid MSDS information
before making contact. If using
hydrochloric acid household cleaners
in your home, follow the label
directions and safety instructions
closely. (It is usually recommended
that you first dilute the cleaner to
reduce its concentration.) It is still
important to wear protective clothing
when using diluted acid, to ensure
that it doesn’t come into contact with
your skin, eyes, or mouth.

⮚ Proper Care for Hydrochloric Acid

Exposure
● Depending on the concentration of the
hydrochloric acid you are working with,
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accidental exposure can occur as skin

contact, eye contact, ingestion or
inhalation of acidic vapours. Each of
these types of exposure can pose serious
hazards to your health and should be
managed immediately.
❖ Skin Contact – If hydrochloric acid
comes into contact with your skin, flush
immediately with plenty of water for at
least 15 minutes, and remove any
contaminated clothing. In case of serious
skin contact, use water, disinfectant soap,
and anti-bacterial cream. Seek immediate
medical attention.
❖ Eye Contact– If hydrochloric acid or
acidic mists get into your eyes,
immediately flush with plenty of water
for at least 15 minutes. Seek immediate
medical attention.
❖ Ingestion– If swallowed, do not
induce vomiting. Seek immediate medical
attention.
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❖ Inhalation – If you inhale

hydrochloric acid vapours or mists, seek
fresh air and medical attention
immediately.

Hydrochloric Acid Storage

and Disposal

● Hydrochloric acid should be stored in a

cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from
sources of moisture. Keep away from
incompatible materials such as oxidizing
agents, organic materials, metals and
alkalis. Hydrochloric acid has the ability
to corrode metallic surfaces. Keep
container tightly closed and store in a
safe place. Whether you encounter
hydrochloric acid in diluted household
cleaners at home or in concentrated
forms at your workplace, safety is
extremely important when handling this
toxic, corrosive liquid.
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Recent Trends &

Advancements
●The growing demand of HCl in
application industries such as oil and
gas and food processing. The North
America oil and gas industry is
expected to grow over 30% in the next
five years in light of shale gas
discoveries. In addition, the
increasing oil and gas industry in the
Middle East, has resulted in increased
oil acidizing activities boosting the
demand for HCL. The demand for
HCL in steel pickling is expected to
witness a sharp rise due to the
substitution of sulphuric acid in the
pickling process. In spite of the lower
cost of sulphuric acid, HCL is used
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extensively due to it being a much

faster and effective pickling agent.
● Hydrochloric acid is used in the food
processing industry for the processing of
High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
which is primarily used in the beverage
industry.
● Asia Pacific was the largest consumer of
HCL due to the increasing industrial
activities in China, India and Indonesia.
However, the countries of the Middle
East, China, Canada and Indonesia are
expected to witness fastest growth on
account of the growing oil and gas
industry.

⮚ Key Companies for production of

HCl:-
● Dow Chemical
● Olin
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● Covestro
● OxyChem
● Axiall
● INOVYN
● Westlake Chemical
● BASF
● Shin-Etsu Chemical
● UNID
● Orica Watercare
● Detrex Chemicals
● Canexus
● Solvay
● ERCO Worldwide
● Dupont
● Coogee Chemicals

⮚ Top companies in India:-

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● Surya fine chem.(Pune ,India)

● B Roshanlal chemicals
pvt.Ltd(Indore, India)

● Arth minerals and chemicals(Raipur ,

India)

● Meera chemical industry (thane,

India)

Uses of HCL
⮚ Production of Organic Compounds
●Hydrochloric acid/is used in the
production of organic compounds
like vinyl chloride and
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dichloromethane for plastics or PVC

(Polyvinyl Chloride), bisphenol A,
and many others.

⮚ Production of Inorganic Compounds

● This acid is used to prepare compounds
that are used as water treatment
chemicals. Some examples include
polyaluminium chloride (PAC), iron (III)
chloride, ferric acid, an aluminum
carbohydrate which are used in treating
the water. It is also used in the
regeneration of ion exchange resins and
it is specifically used to rinse the cations
from the resins.

⮚ Removing Metal Stains and Cleaning

Stone and Tiles
● Hydrochloric acid is highly corrosive and
because of this nature, it is used as a
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chemical to remove stains or rust

especially from metals like iron, copper,
and others. It is often used in a diluted
form. Hydrochloric acid is commonly
used for cleaning tiles in kitchens and
bathrooms and it also disinfects
thoroughly. It is also used in the textile
industry for bleaching clothes and
process leather in the leather tanning
industry.

⮚ For Purification of Table Salt and

pH Control
● This acid is used to purify table salts.
Further, HCl is used mostly for
regulating the acidity (pH) of solutions
and it is used in controlling the pH of
pharmaceutical products, foods, and
water.

⮚ For Oil Production

● Hydrochloric acid is used in the
production of oil production. Generally,
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HCl acid is injected into a rock where

due to the reaction the rock forms large-
pore structures. Now, this significantly
assists in oil production.

Remarks
⮚ Preparing this assignment
work was a golden opportunity to
get the knowledge, getting
meaningful inferences and
capturing the real essence of
industrial processes. By doing
this assignment i realized that
industries not only produce
materials but have to deal with
many more important aspects.
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⮚ In this assignment I came to

know about the safety
measures, which are adopted in
plants, and also how the
chemical components are being
stored. As I moved further I
came to know about pollution
control and recent
advancements in HCL
industries.

⮚ At last I want to conclude

that the industries should focus
on manufacturing which is
sustainable and eco friendly.
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References

⮚ Book referred: - Dryden’s Outlines of

Chemical Technology.

⮚ Websites referred:-
●Wikipedia, HCL
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/HCl
●NPTEL, Chemical Engineering,
Chemical Process technology
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https://nptel.ac.in/courses/
103/106/103106108/
●Recent trends & advancements in HCl
https://www.mordorintelligence.com/
industry-reports/hydrochloric-acid-
market