Did you know that Terra Indsutries, Inc., is not the only thing that produces ammonia and urea? Through a chemical reaction, your own body produces ammonia and urea as well. Every time you exhale, you breathe out ammonia.
Chemical reactions occur everyday in our lives, whether it is our own body or a process at a chemical plant.
At Terra Industries, Inc., our chemical process involves ammonia and urea.
Ammonia and urea are produced from three substances common to the environment – natural gas, air and water.
To produce ammonia, the three substances are combined under the influence of heat with temperatures as high as 1500ºF in the presence of a catalyst. Under these conditions, the substances chemically react to form a gas stream of hydrogen, nitrogen and other gases. Using a series of catalysts and chemical solutions, all gases are removed with the exception of nitrogen and hydrogen. The commingled nitrogen and hydrogen, called synthesis gas, reacts to form ammonia gas. The ammonia gas is then cooled to - 28ºF and condensed to a liquid.
During the process of making ammonia, a gas by-product, carbon dioxide, is produced. This gas, along with warm liquid ammonia, is used to produce urea. The urea production process involves mixing liquid ammonia and carbon dioxide under high pressure and heat to form carbamate. The carbamate is then converted to liquid urea and water.
The urea solution then flows through a series of evaporators to further separate the liquid urea and water. Ultimately, a water-free concentrated liquid is carried to the top of a prilling tower, some 15 stories high.
At this point, the liquid urea solution is sprayed in a circular motion, which forms small liquid droplets that free fall to the base of the tower. While the liquid droplets are falling, air is pulled up through the tower to assist in cooling the liquid. When the droplets have reached the base of the tower, they have solidified to form solid urea prills ready for use.
USAGE
Anhydrous ammonia is primarily used as a direct application nitrogen fertilizer with quick nutrient release properties. Ammonia, when mixed with different chemical compounds, is used in a variety of other fertilizers in a solid or liquid form. Mixed fertilizers provide a combination of nutrients for the soil. Ammonia, as a component of other chemical compounds, is used for many industrial applications. The liquid is also used as a cleaning fluid and as a refrigerant.
Urea is primarily used as a nitrogen fertilizer in prill form and applied directly to the soil with slower and longer lasting release properties. Urea can be mixed with other types of fertilizer to produce combination products a farmer may need to replenish nutrients required on different soils. It is used as an animal feed when mixed in the appropriate proportion with other types of animal feed products.
Urea, in the building industry, is used in a resin form to produce plastics, moldings, and adhesives.
Just as chemists are continuing to research the affects that ammonia and urea have on your body, similar research is being done towards the development of additional uses of ammonia and urea within the chemical industry to improve the world.
We at Terra Industries, Inc. are proud to be part of the world of chemistry. For more information contact:
http://www.terraindustries.com/ |
