Industrial Processes Flashcards
haber process
used to make ammonia
what’s unique about the haber process
reversible reaction
use of ammonia
explosives and fertilizer
4 reasons why is ammonia by itself not a good fertilizer
- gas at roop temp
- reversible reaction at room temp(will turn back into nitrogen and hydrogen)
- ammonia is a base whereas salts containing ammonia are neutral
- salts are soluble in water
optimum conditions for the haber process
- low temp
- high pressure
- powdered iron catalyst
temp used during the haber proccess and reasoning
450°C
Compromise temp = compromise between reaction rate and yield
pressure used in the haber process and reasoning
200Atm (medium pressure)
High pressure means high operating cost, equipment to understand pressure, safety
describe collection of ammonia after the haber process
frac distillation – ammonia has the highest bpt so will condense first. N2 and H2 are reused.
how to make ammonia a better fertilizer
react with phosphoric acid to make ammoniumphosphate
contact process
used to make sulfuric acid
raw materials of contact process and where to get them
sulfur (crude oil), oxygen (from air), water
first step in contact process
S + O2 —-blue flame—> SO2
second step in contact process
2SO2 + O2 <====> 2SO3
theoretical third step in contact process and why dont we use it?
SO3 + H2O ——> H2SO4
too exothermic!!
actual third step and why is it better?
SO3 + H2SO4 —> H2S2O7 (oleum)
H2S2O7 + H2O —–> 2H2SO4
much less exothermic and still 98 percent pure!!
optimum conditions for contact process (reversible step 2SO2 + O2<===> 2SO3)
2SO2 + O2<===> 2SO3
- high pressure
- low temp
- vanadium (V) oxide powdered catalyst
actual pressure for contact process and why?
1 Atm (very low!!) yield is already 98 percent. the increase in yield isn’t worth the energy costs
actual temp for contact process and why?
400-450ºC
compromise temp between yield and reaction rate
why do we use ammonium salts as fertilizers instead of just ammonia???
- ammonia is a base, ammonium salts are neutral
- salts are solids at room temp whereas ammonia is a agas
- salts are soluble in water
- reversible reaction!!!! will just turn back into hydrogen and nitrogen lmao
