BMA process

Abstract: A process for the production of hydrogen cyanide is provided, wherein hydrogen cyanide is synthesized by reacting methane or methane-containing natural gas, ammonia and oxygen-enriched air or oxygen in the presence of a catalyst comprising platinum or a platinum alloy; wherein the reactants are present in the following molar ratios (see formula I) where a molar ratio of ammonia to the sum of oxygen and nitrogen obeys the following relationship: Y = m.cndot.X - a, wherein (see formula II) m= 1.25 to 1.40; and a= 0.05 to 0.14.

Abstract: Hydrogen cyanide is produced by reacting ammonia and a hydrocarbon gas in the presence of a platinum-group-metal catalyst while the catalyst is heated by induction heating at a frequency of 0.5 to 30 MHz.

Abstract: For the reduction of the ammonia content in the product gas of the hydrocyanic acid-methane-ammonia (BMA) process and accordingly to increase the yield the reaction gas mixture of this process is brought into contact with zeolite and the ammonia thereafter desorbed from the zeolite preferably again employed in the reaction step. If the desorption is carried out with a flushing gas such as the hydrocarbon used in the reaction then this mixture can be directly supplied again to the BMA reactor. Through this procedure the amount of ammonia previously lost to the process can again be made useful in the process itself.