Ostwald process
Encyclopedia
The Ostwald process is a chemical
process for producing nitric acid
, which was developed by Wilhelm Ostwald
(patented 1902). It is a mainstay of the modern chemical industry
. Historically and practically it is closely associated with the Haber process
, which provides the requisite raw material, ammonia
.
(in a sense "burnt") by heating with oxygen
in the presence of a catalyst such as platinum
with 10% rhodium
, to form nitric oxide
and water
. This step is strongly exothermic, making it a useful heat source once initiated:
Stage two (combining two reaction steps) is carried out in the presence of water in an absorption apparatus. Initially nitric oxide is oxidized again to yield nitrogen dioxide
:
This gas is then readily absorbed by the water, yielding the desired product (nitric acid, albeit in a dilute form), while reducing
a portion of it back to nitric oxide:
The NO is recycled, and the acid is concentrated to the required strength by distillation
.
Alternatively, if the last step is carried out in air:
Typical conditions for the first stage, which contribute to an overall yield of about 96%, are:
A complication that needs to be taken into consideration involves a side-reaction in the first step that reverts the nitric oxide back to :
This is a secondary reaction that is minimised by reducing the time the gas mixtures are in contact with the catalyst.
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
process for producing nitric acid
Nitric acid
Nitric acid , also known as aqua fortis and spirit of nitre, is a highly corrosive and toxic strong acid.Colorless when pure, older samples tend to acquire a yellow cast due to the accumulation of oxides of nitrogen. If the solution contains more than 86% nitric acid, it is referred to as fuming...
, which was developed by Wilhelm Ostwald
Wilhelm Ostwald
Friedrich Wilhelm Ostwald was a Baltic German chemist. He received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1909 for his work on catalysis, chemical equilibria and reaction velocities...
(patented 1902). It is a mainstay of the modern chemical industry
Chemical industry
The chemical industry comprises the companies that produce industrial chemicals. Central to the modern world economy, it converts raw materials into more than 70,000 different products.-Products:...
. Historically and practically it is closely associated with the Haber process
Haber 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....
, which provides the requisite raw material, ammonia
Ammonia
Ammonia is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula . It is a colourless gas with a characteristic pungent odour. Ammonia contributes significantly to the nutritional needs of terrestrial organisms by serving as a precursor to food and fertilizers. Ammonia, either directly or...
.
Description
Ammonia is converted to nitric acid in two stages. It is oxidizedRedox
Redox reactions describe all chemical reactions in which atoms have their oxidation state changed....
(in a sense "burnt") by heating with oxygen
Oxygen
Oxygen is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O. Its name derives from the Greek roots ὀξύς and -γενής , because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition...
in the presence of a catalyst such as platinum
Platinum
Platinum is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Pt and an atomic number of 78. Its name is derived from the Spanish term platina del Pinto, which is literally translated into "little silver of the Pinto River." It is a dense, malleable, ductile, precious, gray-white transition metal...
with 10% rhodium
Rhodium
Rhodium is a chemical element that is a rare, silvery-white, hard and chemically inert transition metal and a member of the platinum group. It has the chemical symbol Rh and atomic number 45. It is composed of only one isotope, 103Rh. Naturally occurring rhodium is found as the free metal, alloyed...
, to form nitric oxide
Nitric oxide
Nitric oxide, also known as nitrogen monoxide, is a diatomic molecule with chemical formula NO. It is a free radical and is an important intermediate in the chemical industry...
and water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
. This step is strongly exothermic, making it a useful heat source once initiated:
- 4 NH3 (g) + 5 O2 (g) → 4 NO (g) + 6 H2O (g) (ΔH = −905.2 kJ)
Stage two (combining two reaction steps) is carried out in the presence of water in an absorption apparatus. Initially nitric oxide is oxidized again to yield nitrogen dioxide
Nitrogen dioxide
Nitrogen dioxide is the chemical compound with the formula it is one of several nitrogen oxides. is an intermediate in the industrial synthesis of nitric acid, millions of tons of which are produced each year. This reddish-brown toxic gas has a characteristic sharp, biting odor and is a prominent...
:
- 2 NO (g) + O2 (g) → 2 NO2 (g) (ΔH = −114 kJ/mol)
This gas is then readily absorbed by the water, yielding the desired product (nitric acid, albeit in a dilute form), while reducing
Redox
Redox reactions describe all chemical reactions in which atoms have their oxidation state changed....
a portion of it back to nitric oxide:
- 3 NO2 (g) + H2O (l) → 2 HNO3 (aq) + NO (g) (ΔH = −117 kJ/mol)
The NO is recycled, and the acid is concentrated to the required strength by distillation
Distillation
Distillation is a method of separating mixtures based on differences in volatilities of components in a boiling liquid mixture. Distillation is a unit operation, or a physical separation process, and not a chemical reaction....
.
Alternatively, if the last step is carried out in air:
- 4 NO2 (g) + O2 (g) + 2 H2O (l) → 4 HNO3 (aq)
Typical conditions for the first stage, which contribute to an overall yield of about 96%, are:
- pressurePressurePressure is the force per unit area applied in a direction perpendicular to the surface of an object. Gauge pressure is the pressure relative to the local atmospheric or ambient pressure.- Definition :...
between 4 and 10 atmospheresAtmosphere (unit)The standard atmosphere is an international reference pressure defined as 101325 Pa and formerly used as unit of pressure. For practical purposes it has been replaced by the bar which is 105 Pa...
(approx. 400-1010 kPa or 60-145 psig) and - temperatureTemperatureTemperature is a physical property of matter that quantitatively expresses the common notions of hot and cold. Objects of low temperature are cold, while various degrees of higher temperatures are referred to as warm or hot...
is about 1173 KKelvinThe kelvin is a unit of measurement for temperature. It is one of the seven base units in the International System of Units and is assigned the unit symbol K. The Kelvin scale is an absolute, thermodynamic temperature scale using as its null point absolute zero, the temperature at which all...
(approx. 900 °C or 1652 °F.).
A complication that needs to be taken into consideration involves a side-reaction in the first step that reverts the nitric oxide back to :
- 4 + 6 → 5 + 6
This is a secondary reaction that is minimised by reducing the time the gas mixtures are in contact with the catalyst.
External links
- Physics Daily
- Nitrogen & Phosphorus (General Chemistry course), Purdue University
- Drake, G; "Processes for the Manufacture of Nitric Acid" (1963), International Fertiliser Society
- Manufacturing Nitrates: the Ostwald process Carlton Comprehensive High School; Prince Albert; Saskatchewan, Canada.