Ammonia iron oxide systems

Reforming is completed in a secondary reformer, where air is added both to elevate the temperature by partial combustion of the gas stream and to produce the 3 1 H2 N2 ratio downstream of the shift converter as is required for ammonia synthesis. The water gas shift converter then produces more H2 from carbon monoxide and water. A low temperature shift process using a zinc—chromium—copper oxide catalyst has replaced the earlier iron oxide-catalyzed high temperature system. The majority of the CO2 is then removed. 

Nitrogenase (ferredoxin) [EC 1.18.6.1] catalyzes the reaction of three reduced ferredoxin molecules with protons, N2, and n ATP molecules to produce three oxidized ferredoxin molecules, two ammonia molecules, n ADP molecules, and n orthophosphate molecules where n is between 12 and 18. This iron-sulfur system also uses either molybdenum or vanadium ions. (2) Nitrogenase (flavodoxin) [EC 1.19.6.1] catalyzes the reaction of six reduced flavodoxin molecules with protons, N2, and n ATP molecules to produce six oxidized flavodoxin molecules, two ammonia molecules, n ADP molecules, and n orthophosphate molecules. This system uses iron-sulfur and molybdenum ions. 

Strangely enough, a combination similar to the ammonia catalyst, iron oxide plus alumina, yielded particularly good results (32). Together with Ch. Beck, the author found that other combinations such as iron oxide with chromium oxide, zinc oxide with chromium oxide, lead oxide with uranium oxide, copper oxide with zirconium oxide, manganese oxide with chromium oxide, and similar multicomponent systems were quite effective catalysts for the same reaction (33). 

Acrolein and Acrylic Acid. Acrolein and acrylic acid are manufactured by the direct catalytic air oxidation of propylene. In a related process called ammoxida-tion, heterogeneous oxidation of propylene by oxygen in the presence of ammonia yields acrylonitrile (see Section 9.5.3). Similar catalysts based mainly on metal oxides of Mo and Sb are used in all three transformations. A wide array of single-phase systems such as bismuth molybdate or uranyl antimonate and multicomponent catalysts, such as iron oxide-antimony oxide or bismuth oxide-molybdenum oxide with other metal ions (Ce, Co, Ni), may be employed.939 The first commercial process to produce acrolein through the oxidation of propylene, however, was developed by Shell applying cuprous oxide on Si-C catalyst in the presence of I2 promoter. 

Successful ammonia conversion required discovery of a catalyst, which would promote a sufficiently rapid reaction at 100-300 atm and 400-500°C to utilize the moderately favorable equilibrium obtained under these conditions. Without this, higher temperatures would be required to obtain sufficiently rapid rates, and the less favorable equilibrium at higher temperatures would necessitate higher pressures as well, in order to obtain an economic conversion to ammonia. The original synthesis experiments were conducted with an osmium catalyst. Haber later discovered that reduced magnetic iron oxide (Fe304) was much more effective, and that its activity could be further enhanced by the presence of the promoters alumina (AI2O3 3%) and potassium oxide (K2O 1%), probably from the introduction of iron lattice defects. Iron with various proprietary variations still forms the basis of all ammonia catalyst systems today. 

Iron-zeolite catalysts present an important type of materials with broad application for selective oxidations (i.e. benzene hydroxylation) and environmentally important processes, like SCR reduction of NOx or N2O decomposition. In the case of SCR reaction they could provide a convenient substitution of the vanadia-based system using environmentally problematic ammonia, by more convenient paraffin as a reducing agent. Unfortunately, the efficiency in utilization of paraffin is inferior in comparison to ammonia, namely due to paraffin nonselective oxidation by oxygen catalyzed by unspecified iron-oxide type species typically present in the iron-zeolite catalysts. The mostly used preparation processes include impregnation from water solutions, ion exchange procedures, both in water solution or solid state, as well as gas phase CVD. 

The method is affected by different parameters like the type and concentration of salts, temperature, pH and the addition rate of ammonia. After coprecipitation by the addition of a basic medium, the system is subjected to different purification steps like magnetic separation, filtration and washing. It should be mentioned here that a rapid pH increase (from 8.5 to 10), and not using strong bases like LiOH or NaOH, are important to avoid the precipitation of nonmagnetic hydroxides of iron [71]. Nanosized iron oxide magnetic particles dispersed in aqueous or organic medium can be directly produced by this wet chemical method. 

The original Citro-Solv process was used at temperatures of about 200°F (93°C)for the iron stage and at about 150°F (66°C) for the copper stage. Recent improvements have included the use of ammonium bifluoride to speed the rate of iron oxide removal, and the use of higher temperatures, that is, up to 300°F (149°C). The increased temperatures require that the iron stage is conducted at a pH of 6.0, so that the inhibitors can adequately control the corrosion rate of the metal being cleaned. Additional variations include the use of triethanolamine (TEA—instead of ammonia) for primary pH control. This variation improves the safety of the solvent used (TEA is less toxic than ammonia), and it also reduces the cracking incidents of copper-base metals in mixed metal systems (ferrous and copper). 

The bis-hydroxylamine adduct [Fe (tpp)(NH20H)2] is stable at low temperatures, but decomposes to [Fe(tpp)(NO)] at room temperature. [Fe(porphyrin)(NO)] complexes can undergo one-and two-electron reduction the nature of the one-electron reduction product has been established by visible and resonance Raman spectroscopy. Reduction of [Fe(porphyrin)(NO)] complexes in the presence of phenols provides model systems for nitrite reductase conversion of coordinated nitrosyl to ammonia (assimilatory nitrite reduction), while further relevant information is available from the chemistry of [Fe (porphyrin)(N03)]. Iron porphyrin complexes with up to eight nitro substituents have been prepared and shown to catalyze oxidation of hydrocarbons by hydrogen peroxide and the hydroxylation of alkoxybenzenes. ... 

Nitrite reductase (NAD(P)H) [EC 1.6.6.4] catalyzes the reaction of three NAD(P)H with nitrite to yield three NAD(P)+, NH4OH, and water. Cofactors for this enzyme include FAD, non-heme iron, and siroheme. (2) Nitrite reductase (cytochrome) [EC 1.7.2.1] is a copper-depen-dent system that catalyzes the reaction of nitric oxide with two ferricytochrome c and water to produce nitrite and two ferrocytochrome c. (3) Ferredoxin-nitrite reductase [EC 1.7.7.1], a heme- and iron-dependent enzyme, catalyzes the reaction of ammonia with three oxidized ferredoxin to produce nitrite and three reduced ferredoxin. (4) Nitrite reductase [EC 1.7.99.3] is a copper- and FAD-dependent enzyme that catalyzes the reaction of two nitric oxide with an acceptor substrate and two water to produce two nitrite and the reduced acceptor. 

History. Braun and Tschemak [23] obtained phthalocyanine for the first time in 1907 as a byproduct of the preparation of o-cyanobenzamide from phthalimide and acetic anhydride. However, this discovery was of no special interest at the time. In 1927, de Diesbach and von der Weid prepared CuPc in 23 % yield by treating o-dibromobenzene with copper cyanide in pyridine [24], Instead of the colorless dinitriles, they obtained deep blue CuPc and observed the exceptional stability of their product to sulfuric acid, alkalis, and heat. The third observation of a phthalocyanine was made at Scottish Dyes, in 1929 [25], During the preparation of phthalimide from phthalic anhydride and ammonia in an enamel vessel, a greenish blue impurity appeared. Dunsworth and Drescher carried out a preliminary examination of the compound, which was analyzed as an iron complex. It was formed in a chipped region of the enamel with iron from the vessel. Further experiments yielded FePc, CuPc, and NiPc. It was soon realized that these products could be used as pigments or textile colorants. Linstead et al. at the University of London discovered the structure of phthalocyanines and developed improved synthetic methods for several metal phthalocyanines from 1929 to 1934 [1-11]. The important CuPc could not be protected by a patent, because it had been described earlier in the literature [23], Based on Linstead s work the structure of phthalocyanines was confirmed by several physicochemical measurements [26-32], Methods such as X-ray diffraction or electron microscopy verified the planarity of this macrocyclic system. Properties such as polymorphism, absorption spectra, magnetic and catalytic characteristics, oxidation and reduc-... 

Figure 8. SEM surface images of partly crystallized sections of an activated Fe Zr alloy used for ammonia synthesis [23, 24J The main image reveals the formation of a stepped iron metal structure with a porous zirconium oxide spacer structure An almost ideal transport system for gases into the interior of the catalyst is created with a large metal-oxide interface which provides high thermal and chemical stability of this structure The edge contrast in the 200 keV backscatlered raw data image arises from the large difference in emissivity between metal and oxide It is evident that only fusion and segregation-crystallization can create such an interface structure.

Nitrite reduction in assimilatory nitrate-reducing Neurospora crassa, Torulopsis nitratophila, Azotobacter vinelandii, and Azotobacter chro-ococcum appears to be catalyzed by enzyme systems which require flavin and metals. The enzyme from N. crassa has been partially purified, and its molecular weight has been estimated to be 300,000 (344, 346, 351, 367). The enzyme reduces both nitrite and hydroxylamine to ammonia and utilizes NADH or NADPH as electron donor. It is reported to be a FAD-dependent enzyme and to contain iron, copper, and active thiol (346, 367). Three moles of NADH are oxidized per mole of nitrite reduced to ammonia. It has been suggested that the reduction of nitrite occurs in three steps, each involving two electrons. Thus, hyponitrite and hydroxylamine have been proposed as successive intermediates in the re-... 

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