THE AMMONIA MANUFACTURING PROCESS
Ammonia is produced in a process known as the Haber process, in which nitrogen and
hydrogen react in the presence of an iron catalyst to form ammonia. The hydrogen is formed
by reacting natural gas and steam at high temperatures and the nitrogen is supplied from the air.
. Other gases (such as water and carbon dioxide) are removed from the gas stream and
the nitrogen and hydrogen passed over an iron catalyst at high temperature and pressure to form the ammonia.
The raw materials for this process are hydrogen and nitrogen. Hydrogen is obtained by reacting natural gas - methane - with steam, or through the cracking of oil. Nitrogen is obtained by burning hydrogen in air. Air is 80 per cent nitrogen; nearly all the rest is oxygen. When hydrogen is burned in air, the oxygen combines with the hydrogen, leaving nitrogen behind.
Nitrogen and hydrogen will react together under these conditions:
a high temperature - about 450ºC
a high pressure - about 200 atmospheres (200 times normal pressure)
an iron catalyst
The reaction is reversible.
nitrogen + hydrogen --> ammonia
N2(g) + 3H2(g) --> 2NH3(g)
The (g) indicates that the substance is a gas.
The flow chart shows the main stages in the Haber process. The reaction is reversible, and some nitrogen and hydrogen remain mixed with the ammonia. The reaction mixture is cooled so that the ammonia liquefies and can be removed. The remaining nitrogen and hydrogen are recycled.
Ammonia is produced in a process known as the Haber process, in which nitrogen and
hydrogen react in the presence of an iron catalyst to form ammonia. The hydrogen is formed
by reacting natural gas and steam at high temperatures and the nitrogen is supplied from the air.
. Other gases (such as water and carbon dioxide) are removed from the gas stream and
the nitrogen and hydrogen passed over an iron catalyst at high temperature and pressure to form the ammonia.
The raw materials for this process are hydrogen and nitrogen. Hydrogen is obtained by reacting natural gas - methane - with steam, or through the cracking of oil. Nitrogen is obtained by burning hydrogen in air. Air is 80 per cent nitrogen; nearly all the rest is oxygen. When hydrogen is burned in air, the oxygen combines with the hydrogen, leaving nitrogen behind.
Nitrogen and hydrogen will react together under these conditions:
a high temperature - about 450ºC
a high pressure - about 200 atmospheres (200 times normal pressure)
an iron catalyst
The reaction is reversible.
nitrogen + hydrogen --> ammonia
N2(g) + 3H2(g) --> 2NH3(g)
The (g) indicates that the substance is a gas.
The flow chart shows the main stages in the Haber process. The reaction is reversible, and some nitrogen and hydrogen remain mixed with the ammonia. The reaction mixture is cooled so that the ammonia liquefies and can be removed. The remaining nitrogen and hydrogen are recycled.
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