Ammonia shipment

Liquid ammonia shipments by barge constitute a larger volume than by road or rail. Barge shipments supply users without then own production and to meet needs caused by operating breakdowns. Refrigerated ammonia is the preferred... 

Ammonia is delivered in small containers, tank trucks, tank cars, barges, and via pipeline. The most common small containers are cylindrical steel bottles and pressurized flasks that contain about 20 to 200 kg and polyethylene canisters and metals casks.74 Trucks have ammonia capacities up to 100 m3 whereas jumbo rail cars hold up to 150 m3. Liquid ammonia shipments by barge constitute a larger volume than by road or rail. 

Additional guidelines about ammonia shipments are given in References 57 and 74. 

Ammonia, hydrochloric acid, and sodium perchlorate are mixed and the reaction mixture crystallised in a vacuum-cooled crystalliser. Ammonium perchlorate crystals are centrifuged, reslurried, recentrifuged, and then dried and blended for shipment. Mother Hquor is evaporated to precipitate sodium chloride and the depleted mother Hquor is recycled to the reactor. The AP product made by this method is 99% pure and meets the specifications for propeUant-grade ammonium perchlorate. The impurities are ammonium chloride, sodium perchlorate, ammonium chlorate, and water insolubles. 

Pipeline systems for transporting anhydrous ammonia that are urea and ammonium nitrate (UAN) and LNG compatible, exist in Europe, Mexico, and the Soviet Union. Export-oriented ammonia producing countries utilize huge ocean-going tankers that contain up to 50,000 t for distribution of ammonia. Co-shipment in refrigerated LNG tankers is usuaky done. 

Manufacture, Shipment, and Analysis. In the United States, sodium and potassium thiocyanates are made by adding caustic soda or potash to ammonium thiocyanate, followed by evaporation of the ammonia and water. The products are sold either as 50—55 wt % aqueous solutions, in the case of sodium thiocyanate, or as the crystalline soHds with one grade containing 5 wt % water and a higher assay grade containing a maximum of 2 wt % water. In Europe, the thiocyanates may be made by direct sulfurization of the corresponding cyanide. The acute LD q (rat, oral) of sodium thiocyanate is 764 mg/kg, accompanied by convulsions and respiratory failure LD q (mouse, oral) is 362 mg/kg. The lowest pubhshed toxic dose for potassium thiocyanate is 80—428 mg/kg, with hallucinations, convulsions, or muscular weakness. The acute LD q (rat, oral) for potassium thiocyanate is 854 mg/kg, with convulsions and respiratory failure. 

Ammonia production requires storage facilities to smooth over fluctuations in production, usage and shipments. Ammonia is stored in bulk in large capacity containers installed above or below ground. It is distributed to point of use almost exclusively as a liquid. Gaseous ammonia sometimes is used within plants74. 

Truck transportation rates for anhydrous ammonia are relatively high because of liability insurance rates and the need to use specialized equipment. Distribution is further complicated by attempts to restrict the movement of ammonia in some jurisdictions. In 1990, the U.S. Department of Transportation classified anhydrous ammonia as a non-flammable gas and required shipments to be marked with the words inhalation hazard. International shipments are required to carry the inhalation hazard and poison gas markings57. 

The ammonia-formaldehyde reaction is highly exothermic. Therefore the reactor is operated under a vacuum so that the heat of reaction can be used to evaporate some of the water of reaction. This helps concentrate and crystallize the hexamine in the water solution. If dry solids are desired, the hexamine-water solution is pumped through a crystals receiver and then separated in a centrifuge. The crystals pass through a rotary dryer and are packaged for shipment. In some cases a liquid solution may be shipped to customers125. 

The distribution in rail cars (capacities normally up to 100 m3 Jumbo rail cars 150 m3) and trucks primarily serves to supply smaller processing operations and wholesale merchants. However, rail transport of liquid ammonia may to some extent supplement large marine and pipeline shipments. Reference [1318] examines rail freight cost. Normally, shipping liquid ammonia by truck is used only where other means of transport are not available, e.g., in the agricultural practice of direct fertilization. 

The purified nickel and cobalt sulfates, with low concentrations of ammonium sulfate, are reduced with hydrogen in agitated autoclaves at 375°F and 650 psig. By controlling the pH between 0.9-1.8 by continuous addition of aqueous ammonia, 95% of the Ni is preferentially reduced. The nickel powder is washed, filtered, dried, and packaged or is briquetted and sintered at 1750°F in hydrogen before shipment to alloy manufacturers. 

Liquid ammonia from the low-pressure separator will give an analysis of 99.5+% ammonia. This product is stored in refrigerated, insulated storage tanks. A large volume of ammonia storage capacity is necessary because its major market - fertilizer production - is seasonal. For shipment, the ammonia is fed from storage to insulated tank trucks, tank cars, or barges for delivery. 

Transport Incidents a no score has been given since no data is provided on either the safety of BASF operations or on environmental incidents. This is in spite of inclusion in the report of a separate section on Transport Safety . In it articles describe the introduction of a safety and quality evaluation scheme for shipments of ammonia and naphtha by sea, and there is a discussion on the role of the new European Inland Shipping Inspection System (EBIS). 

The results of the prioritization process are detailed in Table 3.5. Three activities have been ranked as Lower Risk and will be dropped from further consideration. These chemicals have been ranked as lower risk because the concentration of aqueous ammonia and formaldehyde in combination with a small shipment volume presents only a minor enviromnental impact potential. Additionally, methyl bromide is used at some facilities, but it is received in small cylinders that have only a localized impact potential if released while in transit. These chemicals and modes of transport will, however, continue to be reviewed and monitored as part of the global risk management program, including a primary management system review. The remaining chemical and modes of transport will be escalated for qualitative risk analysis. 

Several recent studies by the SRI Chemical Economics Department. SRI Chemical Economics Handbook. U.S. Bureau of Census Data on Ammonia Producers Shipments... 

The terminal cost for any given annual throughput decreases as the size of the terminal decreases. However, a smaller terminal capacity requires a larger number of shipments in smaller ships, which may increase freight costs. Therefore, determination of the minimum cost of importing ammonia involves a balance between freight costs and terminal costs,... 

For overseas or coastal shipment of ammonia, the ships that are commonly used are equipped with well-insulated tanks to contain liquid ammonia at dightly above... 

Ammonia competes with LPG in the shipping sector. However, there is a dedicated ammonia fleet of 40-65 vessels. Since the start of 1990, the shipment of ammonia has consistently required a total of 65 vessels with an aggregate capacity of 1.7 million [II. The total available capacity to carry either LPG or ammonia was estimated at about 8.6 million in 1992. Generally, the size of the vessel determines whether LPG or ammonia is shipped. Table 7.4 provides the general guidelines. Ships larger than 60,000 m are mostiy used for LPG, except for two Russian vessels used exclusively for ammonia. 

The seasonality of the LPG market has a direct bearing on ammonia freight. Demand for both is quieter in the summer months than in the winter, when the colder weather causes demand for LPG to rise sharply. The freight rates fluctuate for every shipment. 

Transportation of anhydrous ammonia by pipeline is economically attractive in some cases. Examples of long distance ammonia transport by pipeline are found in Mexico, the former Soviet Union, and the United States. Pipelines may be used to transport ammonia from manufacturing plants to maritime terminals for shipment to factories that produce finished fertilizers or to market areas for direct application. A pipeline may serve some combination of these purposes. 

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