Frank-Caro process
Encyclopedia
The Frank–Caro process, also called cyanamide process, is the nitrogen fixation
reaction of calcium carbide
and nitrogen gas in an electric furnace heated at about 1,000°C. The synthesis produces calcium cyanamide
(CaCN2) and carbon
.
The Frank–Caro process was the first commercial process that was used worldwide to fix atmospheric nitrogen. The product was used as fertilizer
and commercially known as Nitrolim or Kalkstickstoff in German.
The method was developed by the German chemists Adolph Frank
and Nikodem Caro
between 1895–1899. The world market for inorganic fertilizer was the first decades dominated by factories utilizing the cyanamid process.
(Germany). From 1908 the Frank–Caro process was used at North Western Cyanamide Company in Odda
, Norway. With an annual production capacity of 12,000 ton from 1909, the factory in Odda was by far the largest in the world. At this time, first phase factories was established in Briançon
(France), Martigny (Switzerland), Bromberg (Prussia
/Poland
) andg Knapsack
(Germany). Today the cyanamide factory in Odda is still intact and put on the Norwegian tentative list to the UNESCO World Heritage List.
gradually took over. In 1945 the production of calcium cyanamide reached a peak of an estimated 1.5 million tons a year.
Nitrogen fixation
Nitrogen fixation is the natural process, either biological or abiotic, by which nitrogen in the atmosphere is converted into ammonia . This process is essential for life because fixed nitrogen is required to biosynthesize the basic building blocks of life, e.g., nucleotides for DNA and RNA and...
reaction of calcium carbide
Calcium carbide
thumb|right|Calcium carbide.Calcium carbide is a chemical compound with the chemical formula of CaC2. The pure material is colorless, however pieces of technical grade calcium carbide are grey or brown and consist of only 80-85% of CaC2 . Because of presence of PH3, NH3, and H2S it has a...
and nitrogen gas in an electric furnace heated at about 1,000°C. The synthesis produces calcium cyanamide
Calcium cyanamide
Calcium cyanamide or CaCN2 is a calcium compound used as fertilizer, first synthesized in 1898 by Adolph Frank and Nikodem Caro . It is formed when calcium carbide reacts with nitrogen. It is commercially known as Nitrolime....
(CaCN2) and carbon
Carbon
Carbon is the chemical element with symbol C and atomic number 6. As a member of group 14 on the periodic table, it is nonmetallic and tetravalent—making four electrons available to form covalent chemical bonds...
.
- CaC2 + N2 = CaCN2 + C
History
Fertilizer
Fertilizer is any organic or inorganic material of natural or synthetic origin that is added to a soil to supply one or more plant nutrients essential to the growth of plants. A recent assessment found that about 40 to 60% of crop yields are attributable to commercial fertilizer use...
and commercially known as Nitrolim or Kalkstickstoff in German.
The method was developed by the German chemists Adolph Frank
Adolph Frank
Adolph Frank was a German chemist, engineer, and businessman. He is best known for having discovered uses of potash and creating the industry....
and Nikodem Caro
Nikodem Caro
Nikodem Caro was an industrial chemist and entrepreneur. Caro was born in Łódź, and studied chemistry in Berlin at the Royal Technical College of Charlottenburg and got his doctorate from Rostock University...
between 1895–1899. The world market for inorganic fertilizer was the first decades dominated by factories utilizing the cyanamid process.
Production facilities
The first full-scale factories was established in 1905 in Piano d´Orta (Italy) and WesteregelnWesteregeln
Westeregeln is a village and a former municipality in the district Salzlandkreis, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2010, it is part of the municipality Börde-Hakel....
(Germany). From 1908 the Frank–Caro process was used at North Western Cyanamide Company in Odda
Odda
is a municipality and town in the county of Hordaland, Norway. Odda was separated from Ullensvang on 1 July 1913 and on 1 January 1964 Røldal was merged with Odda. The town of Odda is the centre of the landscape of Hardanger, located at the end of the Hardangerfjord.In 1927, Erling Johnson,...
, Norway. With an annual production capacity of 12,000 ton from 1909, the factory in Odda was by far the largest in the world. At this time, first phase factories was established in Briançon
Briançon
Briançon a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department....
(France), Martigny (Switzerland), Bromberg (Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
/Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
) andg Knapsack
Knapsack, Germany
Knapsack is a locality of Hürth, Rhine-Erft district, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany..On Wednesday 17 October, 2007, King Harald of Norway opened Statkraft's first gas power plant at Knapsack in Germany...
(Germany). Today the cyanamide factory in Odda is still intact and put on the Norwegian tentative list to the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Haber process
In the 1920s the more energy efficient Haber processHaber process
The Haber process, also called the Haber–Bosch process, is the nitrogen fixation reaction of nitrogen gas and hydrogen gas, over an enriched iron or ruthenium catalyst, which is used to industrially produce ammonia....
gradually took over. In 1945 the production of calcium cyanamide reached a peak of an estimated 1.5 million tons a year.
See also
- Linde process
- Odda process
- Birkeland–Eyde process
- Haber–Bosch process
- Linde–Frank–Caro process, a method to produce hydrogen from water gasWater gasWater gas is a synthesis gas, containing carbon monoxide and hydrogen. It is a useful product but requires careful handling because of the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. The gas is made by passing steam over a red-hot hydrocarbon fuel such as coke:...