Adipic acid industry -: N2O abatement -: Implementation of technologies for abatement of N2O emissions associated with adipic acid manufacture

Adipic acid (AA) manufacture results in the production of off-gases containing ca. 0.3 ton of nitrous oxide (N2O) per ton of AA. When major AA producers learned in 1991 that this N2O might make a measurable contribution to global warming and ozone depletion, an inter-industry group was formed to facilitate development of new technologies for N2O abatement. Producers also agreed upon a goal to substantially reduce these emissions by 1996-1999. N2O abatement facilities are now operating at nearly all sites of the major adipic acid producers. DuPont utilizes advanced thermal destruction for N2O associated with AA production in Singapore (1995) and in Wilton, U.K. (1998). Catalytic destruction technology was developed for the DuPont plants in Orange and Victoria, Texas, USA, as well as in Maitland, Ontario, Canada (1996-1997). DuPont also collaborated with Rhodia on development of a process to convert N2O to nitric acid, which is currently operational in Chalampe, France. All technologies have demonstrated the capability to very efficiently abate N2O emissions. Technology choice is a matter determined by individual site economics.