Ammonia Synthesis
Ammonia is primarily used for production of fertilizers, playing a vital role in global agriculture. However, its applications extend beyond farming; ammonia is also a key component in the production of plastics, synthetic fibers, explosives, nitric acid, as well as intermediates for dyes and pharmaceuticals. These diverse uses make ammonia an essential industrial chemical across multiple sectors.
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The Haber–Bosch process is the dominant industrial method for synthesizing ammonia by combining nitrogen (Nâ‚‚) from the air with hydrogen (Hâ‚‚) under high pressure and temperature, using an iron catalyst to facilitate the reaction.
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One of the key challenges of the Haber process is its relatively low yield per cycle, with only around 15% conversion of nitrogen and hydrogen into ammonia at a time. However, with repeated recycling and processing, an overall conversion efficiency of 97% is eventually achieved.
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Hydrogen for the Haber process is mainly derived from natural gas steam reforming. Sustainable hydrogen for ammonia synthesis can be produced by water electrolysis.
In the Haber–Bosch process, nitrogen from the atmosphere (Nâ‚‚) is combined with hydrogen (Hâ‚‚) in the presence of a finely divided iron catalyst, which is required to accelerate the activity of unreactive nitrogen. The reaction is performed under high pressure and high temperature, the hot product gases are cooled allowing the ammonia to condense and be removed as a liquid. Unreacted hydrogen and nitrogen gases are returned to the reaction vessel for another round.
Envitrack provides two types of catalysts for the ammonia synthesis process:
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Iron-based catalysts RCAT®-5520 (oxidized form) and RCAT®-5520R (pre-reduced form)
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Wustite-type RCAT®-5505 (oxidized form) and RCAT®-5505R (pre-reduced form).
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Ammonia Cracking
Ammonia plays a crucial role in the hydrogen value chain, as it can be produced with low carbon emissions in regions rich in renewable energy. Its molecular stability allows for large-scale transport across long distances, making it an ideal carrier for excess energy. Thanks to existing infrastructure, ammonia can be transported globally and then converted back into hydrogen for end users.
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Ammonia cracking is the process used to convert ammonia back into hydrogen on a large scale. Central to this process is the ammonia cracker, a catalytic furnace that reverses the ammonia synthesis reaction at high temperatures. The resulting cracked gas is primarily composed of hydrogen and nitrogen, and after a separation step, purified hydrogen is produced.
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For smaller-scale applications, decentralized plants can process several hundred kilograms of ammonia per hour to produce high-purity hydrogen, ideal for uses like fuel cells in vehicles. These plants are best located near hydrogen refueling stations.
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On a larger scale, industrial plants capable of processing over 1,000 tons per day of ammonia are preferable, especially for supplying hydrogen to the energy grid or industrial sectors such as steel, cement, and chemicals. These large plants typically use two types of reactors—adiabatic and fired tubular reactors—to maximize efficiency.
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Envitrack develops high-efficiency catalysts for low-temperature ammonia cracking, tailored to customer needs. Our research team uses a range of metals and custom supporting materials, ensuring we meet specific performance and application requirements. For further information please do not hesitate to contact us.