This supplemental report reviews the developments since the original report, "Adipic Acid," was issued in 1965. The principal development has been in the boric acid-modified oxidation of cyclohexane and therefore this receives the primary emphasis in this report. The Scientific Design and IFP processes are evaluated and compared. The conventional cyclohexane oxidation process and the nitric acid oxidation of crude KA oil were covered in the original report and have not been redesigned. However, costs for these processes have been revised using our current cost correlations and a plant capacity of twice that in the original report.
The work-up of by-product dibasic acids to produce pure succinic acid has been evaluated. A description of the Scott Oxanon Effluent Recovery Process is included. This was designed for use in a caprolactam process based on conventional cyclohexane oxidation. However, it could also be applicable to an adipic acid plant if only purified KA oil was to be oxidized to adipic acid by nitric acid.
