The Production Process of Ammonia

The production of ammonia is a critical process in the chemical industry, as it is used in the production of fertilizers, explosives, and various chemical products.
The production process of ammonia involves several steps, which are described below.

Step 1: Synthesis of Nitrogen and Hydrogen

The first step in the production of ammonia is the synthesis of nitrogen and hydrogen gases.
Nitrogen gas is obtained by the fractional distillation of air, while hydrogen gas is produced by the steam methane reforming process.
In this process, methane gas is reacted with steam at high temperatures and pressures to produce hydrogen gas and carbon dioxide.

Step 2: Haber Process

The second step in the production of ammonia is the Haber process, which involves the synthesis of ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen gases.
The Haber process was developed by the German chemist Fritz Haber in 1908, and it involves the reaction of nitrogen and hydrogen gases under high pressures and temperatures in the presence of a catalyst, such as iron or ruthenium.
The reaction is as follows:

N2 + 3H2 → 2NH3

The reaction is exothermic, and it produces ammonia gas, which is separated from the reaction mixture by distillation.

Step 3: Compression and Cooling

After the ammonia gas is produced by the Haber process, it is compressed and cooled to liquefy it.
The liquefied ammonia is then transported to the next step in the production process.

Step 4: Oxidation

The next step in the production of ammonia is oxidation, which involves the conversion of liquefied ammonia to aqueous ammonia.
The oxidation process is exothermic, and it is typically carried out in the presence of an oxidizing agent, such as oxygen or nitric acid.
The reaction is as follows:

2NH3 → N2 + 2H2O

After the oxidation process, the aqueous ammonia is separated from the reaction mixture and purified by distillation.