Ammonia Systems for Chemical Processing
Fertilizer & Agriculture
- Agricultural industries are the major users of ammonia, representing nearly 80% of all ammonia produced in the United States.
- Ammonia is most commonly used as a fertilizer and applied directly to the soil from tanks containing the liquefied gas.
- Ammonia is a very valuable source of nitrogen that is essential for plant growth.
- Ammonia is used in the production of liquid fertilizer solutions that consist of ammonia, ammonium nitrate, urea and aqua ammonia.
- The fertilizer industry also uses ammonia to produce ammonium and nitrate salts.
- Ammonia and urea are used as a source of protein in livestock feeds for animals such as cattle, sheep and goats.
- Ammonia is used as a pre-harvest cotton defoliant, an anti-fungal agent on certain fruits and a preservative for the storage of high-moisture corn.
Nitric Acid
- The chemical industries most important use of ammonia is to produce nitric acid (HNO3).
- Ammonia is oxidized with the aid of a catalyst and platinum with a small percentage of rhodium that is made to react with water to form nitric acid.
- Nitric acid treated with ammonia forms ammonium nitrate, a fertilizer and a constituent of many explosives.
Other Ammonia Uses
- Ammonia is used by the ammonia-soda industry for producing soda ash.
- Ammonia is used in the manufacture of certain dyes and applied in the dyeing and scouring of cotton, wool and silk.
- The pharmaceutical industry uses ammonia in the manufacture of certain products such as sulfa drugs, vitamins and cosmetics.
- The petroleum industry utilizes ammonia to neutralize acid constituents of crude oil and to protect equipment from corrosion.
- The mining industry uses ammonia to extract certain metals such as copper, nickel and molybdenum from their ores.
- The rubber industry uses ammonia to prevent premature coagulation by stabilizing natural and synthetic latex during transportation from plantation to factory.
- The pulp and paper industry use ammonia for pulping wood and as a casein dispersant in the coating of paper.
- The food and beverage industry use ammonia as a nitrogen source needed by yeast and microorganisms.
- The textile industry uses ammonia in the manufacture of synthetic fibers such as nylon and rayon.
- The plastics industry uses ammonia in the manufacture of phenolics and polyurethanes.
- Ammonia is used by the leather industry as a curing agent, as a slime and mold preventative in tanning liquors and as a protective agent for leathers and furs in storage.
- Weak ammonia solutions are also widely used as commercial and household cleaners and detergents.