Commercial-scale manufacture of nitric acid in fertilizer facilities relies on___________________?
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Answer: A. Oxidation of ammonia
Explanation
Commercial nitric acid production relies on the catalytic oxidation of ammonia over platinum-rhodium gauzes, followed by absorption of nitrogen oxides in water. Ammonia reacts with oxygen at high temperatures over precious metal catalysts to yield nitric oxide and water vapor. Subsequent oxidation of nitric oxide to nitrogen dioxide and absorption in water produces concentrated nitric acid solutions. The Ostwald process serves as the foundational industrial method for manufacturing nitric acid worldwide. Precious metal alloy gauzes provide active catalytic surfaces promoting rapid selective ammonia oxidation reactions. Absorption towers utilize countercurrent water flow to scrub nitrogen dioxide gases and yield high-purity acid products.
Reacting calcium nitrate with sulfuric acid is an obsolete or alternative method not used for primary commercial manufacture. Passing air through electric arcs is an outdated historical fixation method rendered uneconomical by catalytic ammonia oxidation. Stating none of these is incorrect because catalytic oxidation of ammonia is indeed the correct commercial manufacturing route.
- Subject
- Engineering
- Category
- Chemical Engineering
- Topic
- —
- Difficulty
- medium
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