Fertilizer Industry AECH 1103 PDF

Topic 5 Fertilizer Industry AECH 1103 Industrial Process Overview  Ammonia Ammonia (NH3) is used mostly to produce fertilizers. Uses of ammonia 2  Ammonia Properties Co...

Topic 5 Fertilizer Industry AECH 1103 Industrial Process Overview  Ammonia Ammonia (NH3) is used mostly to produce fertilizers. Uses of ammonia 2  Ammonia Properties Colorless: liquid or gas Pungent odor (really strong smell) Liquefied at 8-10 atm pressure Boiling point at -33°C Melting Point: -78°C Flammable gas Toxic 3  Ammonia for Fertilizer It provides nitrogen to plants to make plant proteins. Necessary for growth and repair of plant cells. Nitrogen fertilizers promote plant growth and increase crop yields Plant cannot use Nitrogen gas directly from atmosphere (air). Plants get nitrogen supply by absorbing soluble nitrogen compounds from the soil. Examples: ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, urea CO(NH2)2 4  Reversible Reaction Reactions that can go either direction. Forward and backward reactions take place at the same time. Do not go into completion. Reactions achieve equilibrium [equilibrium is achieved when amounts of reactants and products no longer change] A mixture of reactants and products at the end of the reaction. Amounts of reactants and products at equilibrium can be changed by altering conditions [e.g. temperature and pressure]. Video: Ammonia Production https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bv8Wybi4I94 5 6  Haber process Invented in 1908 by Fritz Haber. 200Atm Cooling 1:3 Originally used to make explosives. Iron Catalyst Soon became the main More cooling source of ammonia to Recycling make nitrogen fertilizers. 400-450 Celsius Video: What Is The Haber Process Video: Ammonia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWhZ77Qm5y4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiwl4eoHbig 7 Conditions for Haber Process Temperature: 450 °C Pressure: 250 atm Catalyst: Iron catalyst for maximum yield 8  The effect of temperature and pressure A lower temperature increases the yield of ammonia. However, a lower temperature also results in a slower reaction. Increasing pressure increases the yield (production rate)of ammonia, as well as the rate of reaction. However, maintaining higher pressure is costly and involves a safety risk. The percentage of ammonia obtained at different temperature and pressure 9  Urea What is urea? It is an organic compound of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen. Urea molecule. Formula: (NH2)2CO 10 Applications of Urea: Used worldwide as a fertilizer. Main nitrogen fertilizer used in agriculture (60%). For the manufacturing of dermatological products. Essential for making feedstock, glue, commercial products. For the manufacturing of Urea formaldehyde resins. To product Urea Nitrate which is explosive. Automobile Urea is produced as: Granules, crystals, solutions or pellets. 11  Urea Production Process Urea is manufactured by reacting ammonia and carbon dioxide into the reactor at high pressure (35 atm) and temperature (135oC) Urea production consists of main two reactions. 1. Formation of ammonium carbamate. CO2 + 2NH3 → NH2COONH4 2. Dehydration of ammonium carbamate to produce molten urea. NH2COONH4 → NH2CONH2 + H2O Undesirable side reaction taking place is: 2NH2CONH2 → NH2CONHCONH2 + NH3 (Biuret) * Biuret is a by-product produced during the manufacture of Urea. 12 Urea Production Process Schematic representation of urea synthesis 13  Additives in Urea Most commonly used by farmers to grow crops. However, after they are applied to soil, more than 3 quarters of their nutrients wash away before plants can absorb them. Solution: Use of slow-release urea Coating of urea with water-insoluble sulfur or polymers. 14  Additives in Urea In a sulfur or polymer coated urea, nitrogen is released once water penetrates through the coating. In a polymer-coated urea, nitrogen release can be delayed for 10 months after application. Disadvantage Polymer-coated urea has higher cost than sulfur coated area. 15  Additives in Urea Use of inhibitors to reduce nitrogen volatilization: To reduce nitrogen volatilization losses, other additives are also used which are called urease inhibitors. They are: Copper (Cu2+) Boric acid (H3BO3) NBPT (N-(n-Butyl) thiophosphoric triamide) 16  Qatar Production (Fertilizer) Annual production capacity at QAFCO Ammonia: 3.8 million MT Urea: 5.6 million MT Source: http://www.qafco.qa/Satellite/Qafco/en/AboutUs 17 Source: https://www.ifa.ie/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/IFPRI-Presentation-wp.pdf 18  Test your self 1. What is the primary role of ammonia in fertilizers? 5. What effect does increasing pressure have on the production of ammonia in the Haber process? A) To provide potassium to plants A) Decreases the yield of ammonia B) To provide phosphorus to plants B) Increases the yield of ammonia C) To provide nitrogen to plants C) Has no effect on the yield D) To provide sulfur to plants D) Causes the reaction to stop 2. Why can't plants utilize nitrogen gas directly from the atmosphere? 6. Which of the following is a common application of urea? A) It is too volatile A) As a pesticide B) It is not soluble in water B) As a nitrogen fertilizer in agriculture C) They lack the necessary enzymes C) As a herbicide D) It is too heavy D) As a soil pH adjuster 3. Which of the following is NOT a nitrogen fertilizer? 7. What is a by-product of the urea production process? A) Ammonium nitrate A) Ammonium sulfate B) Urea B) Biuret C) Potassium chloride C) Urea formaldehyde D) Ammonium sulfate D) Nitric acid 4. In the Haber process, what is the optimal temperature for ammonia production? 8. What is the purpose of using slow-release urea in agriculture? A) 250 °C A) To increase the immediate availability of nutrients B) 350 °C B) To reduce nutrient loss and improve absorption by plants C) 450 °C C) To enhance soil acidity D) 550 °C D) To increase the cost of fertilizers 19  Test your self 9. How does polymer-coated urea differ from sulfur-coated urea? 12. Which of the following statements about the Haber process is true? A) It only occurs at atmospheric pressure A) It releases nitrogen immediately B) It uses a catalyst to increase the reaction rate B) It is less expensive C) It does not require any heat C) It can delay nitrogen release for several months D) It produces nitrogen gas as a main product D) It has no coating 10. Which of the following is a urease inhibitor used to reduce nitrogen 13. What is the chemical formula of ammonia? volatilization? 14. At what temperature does ammonia boil? A) Ammonium nitrate 15. Describe the Haber process and its significance in ammonia production. B) Copper (Cu2+) 16. Analyze the trade-offs between temperature and pressure in the Haber process regarding ammonia yield and reaction rate. C) Urea formaldehyde 17. Evaluate the impact of slow-release urea. D) Biuret 11. What is the consequence of not using additives in urea fertilizers? True or False: A) Increased crop yield 1. The Haber-Bosch process is a high-temperature, high-pressure process. B) Greater nutrient retention in soil 2. Urea is a nitrogen-rich fertilizer. 3. Biuret is a desirable component in fertilizers. C) Significant nutrient loss before plant absorption 4. Slow-release fertilizers can help reduce nitrogen loss from the soil. D) Enhanced soil structure 5. Ammonia is a colorless gas with a pungent odor. 20  Test your self Match the items in Column A with the correct descriptions in Column B by writing the letter of the correct match next to the corresponding number. Column A Column B 1. Ammonia A. A nitrogen compound used extensively in agriculture and industry. 2. Haber Process B. A by-product formed during the production of urea. 3. Urea C. A process that synthesizes ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen. 4. Biuret D. A method to enhance nutrient retention in soil. 5. Slow-release urea E. A chemical reaction that can proceed in both forward and backward directions. 6. Urease inhibitors F. Compounds that reduce nitrogen loss from fertilizers. 7. Nitrogen fixation G. The conditions that affect the yield of ammonia in the Haber process. 8. Fertilizer application H. A key component in promoting plant growth and increasing crop yields. 9. Equilibrium I. The various ways fertilizers are applied to crops to maximize effectiveness. 10. Temperature and pressure J. The process of converting atmospheric nitrogen into a form usable by plants. 21  Test your self Fill-in-the-Gaps 1. Ammonia is crucial for providing _______ to plants, which is essential for the formation of plant proteins. 2. Plants cannot directly use nitrogen gas from the _______ and must absorb soluble nitrogen compounds from the soil. 3. Common nitrogen fertilizers include ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, and _______. 4. A reversible reaction is characterized by the ability to proceed in _______ directions, achieving a state of _______. 5. The Haber process operates under specific conditions: a temperature of _______ °C and a pressure of _______ atm. 6. The main nitrogen fertilizer used in agriculture is _______. 7. Urea is produced through a reaction that involves _______ and water, resulting in the formation of urea and a by-product known as _______. 8. The equilibrium of a reversible reaction can be altered by changing conditions such as _______ and _______. 9. To enhance nutrient retention in urea fertilizers, farmers can use _______-release urea or coat urea with water-insoluble _______. 10. In polymer-coated urea, nitrogen release can be delayed for up to _______ months after application. 22  Answers Matching Fill-in-the-Gaps 1. C / 2. B / 3. C / 4. C / 5. B / 6. B 1. H 1. nitrogen 7. B / 8. B / 9. C / 10. B / 11. C / 12. B 2. C 2. atmosphere 3. A 3. urea 13. NH3 14. -33°C 4. B 4. both, equilibrium 15. The Haber process, invented by Fritz Haber in 1908, is a method for synthesizing ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen gas under 5. 450, 250 5. D high temperature and pressure, and it became the primary source 6. urea of ammonia for nitrogen fertilizers. 6. F 16. Lower temperature increases yield but slows the reaction; higher 7. ammonia, biuret 7. J pressure enhances both but increases costs. 8. temperature, 17. Reduces nutrient loss, improves absorption, but may be costlier. 8. I pressure True or False: 9. E 9. slow, sulfur 1. True / 2. True / 3. False / 4. True / 5. True 10. G 10. 10 23