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TNT MANUFACTURE 351

is maintained by introducing live steam. 4000 kg of molten TNT (the amount

obtained from 4 nitrators) are run into the tank and stirred for half an hour. Then

the stirrer is stopped and water decanted off. This operation is repeated 3-4 times,

then the molten TNT is drained off at the bottom of the tank into pans (2 m x 0.6 x

x 0.12 m), six of which are placed on top of each other on carts (Fig. 79).

FIG. 79. Pans for crystallization of TNT (Pascal [5]).

The construction of these pans is such as to allow TNT to flow down to the

lowest pan after the upper ones have been filled. The TNT solidifies slowly in the

and forming large crystals, separated from lower melting impurities, which accu-

mulate in the lowest pan in the form of oil. This product is a grade III TNT (“liquid

TNT”) used for the manufacture of mining explosives. The main product is re-

moved from the pans, crushed with wooden hammers, and ground finally in a cylin-

drical mill. During the grinding TNT is sprayed with water to prevent it from emitting

dust. The ground TNT is ready for further purification.

Old British method...............................

Some features of the British method which was developed during the 1914

1918 period are worth mentioning. One of them was the use of toluene derived

from petroleum (Borneo petroleum), as well as toluene from coal.

Petroleum fractions distilling from 95°C to 115°C containing 55-60% of toluene,

were used. The remainder constituted aliphatic hydrocarbons which would not

nitrate under the conditions of the process. The MNT thus obtained, containing

some petroleum components, was purified by distilling off the petroleum fraction.

Detoluation. Another characteristic feature of this method was the extraction

of higher nitrated toluene derivatives, dissolved in the spent acids. The latter were

conveyed to denitration and distillation (concentration) only after the nitro com-

pounds present in them had been extracted with nitrotoluene, an operation which

was called “detoluation”. Primarily it consisted in stirring the spent acids, heated

to 75-80°C with a quantity of crude MNT, amounting to one quarter of the acid

volume. A slight amount of nitrotoluene became nitrated due to the presence of the

unreacted HNO 3 in the spent acid.

Later the detoluation operation was combined with partial nitration of MNT

to DNT, by adding to the spent acid a certain quantity of nitric acid from the recov-

ery operation (denitration).
Detoluation consisted of two stages, carried out in a detoluator and in a super-

detoluator (Fig. 80).