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Ok, but most fertilizer production uses natural gas to supply the hydrogen and fossil fuels of one sort or another to bring everything up to temperature. So, wh
by jonnycomputer 5y ago
Ok, but most fertilizer production uses natural gas to supply the hydrogen and fossil fuels of one sort or another to bring everything up to temperature. So, why should this article go out and say, 'well theoretically we could obtain hydrogen some other way...'.
- namibj 5y agoHaber-Bosch is slightly exothermic. The turbomachinery for doing the pressure-swing product condensing in the loop might have too high losses to get by without external power supply, though.
- Robotbeat 5y agoElectricity is a pretty great way to power turbomachinery.
- namibj 5y agoWell, the reaction needs a compressor, followed by a pipe reactor loaded with catalyst, followed by an expander, followed by an ammonia droplet seperator/condenser. That result is then fed back to the input along with more educts, and side-products are siphoned off slowly to prevent their accumulation. The expander is there because you increase the percentage of ammonia that will condense by both lowering the temperature and lowering the pressure, which an ideal expander is very good at. You'd prefer if that expander can power the compressor, with this setup being essentially a gas turbine with exhaust rebreathing and the combustion chamber replaced with a giant tube reactor filled with catalyst.
- Robotbeat 5y agoIt’s not “theoretical.” It’s literally how we used to make hydrogen for ammonia. And all I’m asking is to mention this uses hydrogen so people aren’t confused.