Recovery of N2O From Off-Gases

The remarkable oxidation properties of nitrous oxide discussed above open a new field of its application. The capacity of this field will depend on the economic aspects, that is, on the availability and cost of N2O. There are two sources of nitrous oxide the recovery from off-gases and deliberate preparation. 

N2O emission at chemical plants and the methods of its abatement have been considered in several reviews [185-187]. The major emission is related to the preparation of nitric add and its use in oxidation processes, like those involved in the production of adipic acid, caprolactam, glyoxal, acrylonitrile, and so forth. Of them, the biggest emission is the off-gases of adipic acid about 1 MMT N2O per year with a concentration of 30-40%. Recovery and purification of N2O from these offgases for use in the oxidation of benzene to phenol are described by Uriarte [188]. Some companies use these offgases to obtain medical-grade nitrous oxide. 

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