Ammonia synthesis early investigation

Dm-ing the early stages in the development of ammonia synthesis catalysts, German chemists investigated over 20,000 catalyst formula proportions and spent amazing efforts into it. Over the century, the compositions, properties, reaction mechanism and kinetics of the catalysts have been extensively studied in the world and we have accmnulated large munber of data and information. Now, it is possible to design the ammonia synthesis catalysts on those bases. 

Despite the novelty of the new process, a small pilot plant was rapidly constructed in 1909 so that metallurgical and operating problems could be investigated. The first full-scale, 30-tons.day , ammonia plant was then built at Oppau in 1912 and was operating by 1913. By 1916 production had been increased to 250 tonnes.day and a further plant was operating at Leima with a capacity of 36,000 tonnes.year, wMch had increased to 240,000 tormes.year by 1918. An early ammonia synthesis converter is shown in Figure 2.5. 

As early as 1932, H.A. Krebs and K. Henseleit established that of the investigated amino acids, only ornithine was able to effect a real increase in the synthesis of urea from ammonia (although arginine also displayed low efficacy), (quot. 57) Thus it seemed possible to raise the turnover of ammonia in the metabolism process by using intermediates of the urea cycle. (127) (s. tab. 15.6) (s. fig. 3.10) To this end, ornithine aspartate (oral and parenteral route), arginine malic... 

As early as 1932, H.A. Krebs and K. Henseleit discovered in their investigation of the amino acids that ornithine, even in small amounts, was capable of increasing urea synthesis from (toxic) ammonia. Otherwise, only arginine had a slight effect in this respect. (138) The following table shows which of the amino adds involved in the urea cycle are available for therapeutic purposes ... 

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