CHEMICAL INDUSTRY

I. Sulfuric Acid
II. Hydrochloric Acid
III. Ammonia and Nitric Acid

In today’s society chemicals, whether we like it or not are part of our life. Many people are
afraid of chemicals and their effects on them and to the environment. This is understandable
because the truth of the matter is that chemicals can do some horrible things to humans,
animals and the whole ecosystem but chemicals has a big contribution in our life.

-GREETINGS

Chemical Industry is engaged in the development, optimization, and monitoring of

fundamental chemical processes used in industry for transforming raw materials and
precursors into useful commercial products for society. This has brought a tremendous
change in the way the things operate.

It may not be obvious, but industrial chemicals are ingredients used in many end products
that are all around us. They are used to make consumer goods - from smart phones to textiles
and cleaning products; from foam mattresses to food packaging and clothing.

The chemical industry is comparatively a new addition to the manufacturing world. The
prosperity of chemical industry in the national economy is the true reflection of the
simultaneous development of the industries like engineering, metallurgy and several other
manufacturing activities.

I. SULFURIC ACID

A. Sulfuric acid
- also known in antiquity as oil of vitriol, is a mineral acid composed of the
elements sulfur, oxygen, and hydrogen, with the molecular formula H2SO4.
- It is a colorless, odorless, and viscous liquid that is miscible with water.
- It is highly corrosive towards other materials as it is an oxidant and has a
strong acidic nature.
- king of chemicals

Properties of Sulfuric Acid

1. Melting Point- 10 degree Celsius
2. Boiling Point- 337 degree Celsius
3. Solubility- soluble in water at different concentrations.

B. History
● 8th Century- discovery of sulfuric acid is credited to the Arabian chemist and
alchemist, Jabir ibn Hayyan (Geber).
 17th century- the German-Dutch chemist Johann Glauber prepared sulfuric acid by
burning sulfur together with saltpeter (potassium nitrate, KNO3), in the presence of
steam
● 1736- Joshua Ward, a London pharmacist, used this method to begin the first large-
scale production of sulfuric acid.
● 1746 - in Birmingham, John Roebuck adapted this method to produce sulfuric acid in
lead-lined chambers
● 1831- British merchant Peregrine Phillips patented the contact process, which was a
far more economical process for producing sulfur trioxide and concentrated sulfuric
acid.
● Today- nearly all of the world's sulfuric acid is produced using contact process.

C. Uses

● Fertilizer Production - Sulphuric acid is widely utilized in the production of

fertilizers. It is one of the major uses of sulphuric acid. The most commonly used
fertilizers which require sulphuric acid as one of their raw materials include lime
superphosphate (a mixture of calcium dihydrogen phosphate and calcium sulfate or
gypsum and ammonium sulfate.)
● Production of Organic Chemicals - used in the manufacturing of certain very
powerful alkylating agents such as dimethyl sulphate and various other esters and
diesters derive from sulphuric acid.
● Petroleum refining - Sulphuric acid is used in the petroleum industry to refine the
extracted crude hydrocarbons as well as their refined products such as gasoline, jet
fuel and diesel so as to remove all the organic impurities present in them.
● Pharmaceutical industry - Sulphuric acid is used as a solvent for the chemical
synthesis of a variety of chemical substances including active pharmaceutical
ingredients. One of the types of pharmaceutical ingredients manufactured by using
sulphuric acid are the alkylating agents which are commonly used in chemotherapy.
Chemotherapy is treatment for cancer.
● Paints and Pigments - Sulphuric acid is used to prepare many dyes and pigments in
coloring industry. One of the famous coloring agents used industrially is the titanium
dioxide which is prepared as a result of treatment of titanium iron oxide mineral ore
(also commonly known as ilmenite) with concentrated sulphuric acid and titanium
oxygen sulphate.
● Manufacture of Paper and Pulp Products - Sulphuric acid is one of the raw
materials in the paper and pulp industry for the production of chlorine dioxide, a
powerful oxidizing and bleaching agent which is used specifically for the bleaching of
water (or chlorination of water) done commonly for the treatment of drinking water.
● Domestic and industrial cleaning products -It is also a commonly found ingredient
in many cleaning products due to its corrosive nature. Its strength and acidity make it
a powerful cleaning agent, and it is often found in domestic and industrial versions of
products like drain unblockers, cleaners, detergents, and chemical sprays.
● Batteries - Sulfuric acid is used in combination with lead to produce a reaction that
generates enough electrons for large batteries (like the ones used in automobiles and
 tractors) to produce the necessary voltage. This is sometimes commonly referred to as
“battery acid”, and sulfuric acid is an essential component of the solution that
produces the battery energy.
● Metal Processing- It is also widely used in processing metals. Metal processing is
where metal is heated, cooled, and shaped to form any particular product made out of
steel, iron, or copper (i.e. transportation, computer parts, construction, piping, housing
materials, etc.). Sulfuric acid is used in a mixture for what is known as “steel
pickling”, which is a surface treatment process that is used to remove any rust or
carbon impurities to finish the metal and is one of the final and most important stages
of metal processing.
 Production of explosive materials - In order to produce explosives materials,
sulfuric acid is used in two steps; First, it is used in the nitration of organic
compounds, such as toluene and phenol. Secondly, it is used as a dehydrating agent.
● Catalyst - Sulfuric acid is used as a catalyst to initiate the reaction by providing an
alternative (acid-catalyzed) pathway with lower activation energy.
● Anti Rusting Agent - When a metal surface begins to rust, there is a layer of ferric
sulfate that deposits on the surface of the metal. Ferric sulfate is soluble in water. This
dissolution process can be catalyzed by using sulfuric acid.

D. Raw Materials in Manufacturing Sulfuric Acid

1. Sulfur
The sources of sulfur and sulfur dioxide are as follows:
a. Sulfur from mines
b. Sulfur or hydrogen sulfide recovered from petroleum desulfurization
c. Recovery of sulfur dioxide from coal or oil-burning public utility stack gases
d. Recovery of sulfur dioxide from the smelting of metal sulfide ores
e. Isolation of Sulfur dioxide from pyrite
2. Air
3. Water

E. Manufacturing of Sulfuric Acid

Contact Process - a modern industrial method of producing sulfuric acid; it has

largely replaced the chamber, or lead-chamber, process. The contact process is the
latest method of producing sulfuric acid in large quantities in the industrial scale. The
acid produced in this method is in high concentrations needed for industrial processes.

Step 1: Production of Sulfur Dioxide Gas (SO2)

SO2 is prepared by burning sulfur in the presence of excess air so that the product
combines with oxygen which is helpful for the next stage.
2SO2(g) + O2(g) ⇌ 2SO3(g)

Step 2: Production of Sulfur Trioxide Gas (SO3)

Sulphur trioxide is formed when sulphur dioxide reacts with oxygen in a ratio of 1:1
at a temperature of 400 °C – 450°C and a pressure of 1-2 atm in the presence of V2O5
as a catalyst. This reaction is reversible in nature.
 2SO2(g) + O2(g) ⇌ 2SO3(g)

Step 3: Production of Sulphuric Acid (H2SO4)

The sulphur trioxide formed is first made to react with concentrated sulphuric acid.
Sulphur trioxide cannot be dissolved in water directly as it leads to the formation of
fog. The product obtained after this reaction is known as oleum. The oleum obtained
is then dissolved in water to obtain concentrated sulphuric acid.
H2SO4 + SO3(g) → H2S2O7(l)
H2S2O7(l) + H2O(l) → 2H2SO4

Sulphuric Acid Manufacturers

Philippines

1. Chemphil Manufacturing Corp. (CMC)-. The manufacturing plant is located in

Bo. Kalawaan, Pasig. . CMC now operates a double contact/double absorption
sulfuric acid plant using Monsanto Technology.

Globally

1. Mosaic Company (U.S) - Mosaic is the world's leading producer and marketer of
concentrated phosphate and potash, both of which are used in the manufacturing of
fertilizer. Mosaic's facility in Uncle Sam, Louisiana, is one of its principle phosphate
production facilities and produces phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, hydrofluorosilicic
acid, and silicon tetra fluoride.
2. PotashCorp (Canada) - The world’s largest fertilizer company by capacity,
PotashCorp produces potash, phosphate and nitrogen
3. MAADEN - Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Saudi Arabia) - includes a
processing complex at Ras Az Zawr on the Kingdom’s East coast consisting of four
plants producing sulphuric acid, ammonia, phosphoric acid and, DAP respectively.
4. Office Chérifien des Phosphates Group or OCP Group (Morocco) -The
projects will be two of the largest sulfuric acid plants in the world. The sulfuric acid
will be mainly used in the manufacture of granulated phosphate fertilizers.

II. HYDROCHLORIC ACID

A. Hydrochloric acid, also known as muriatic acid or spirits of salt, is an aqueous

solution of hydrogen chloride with the chemical formula HCl (aq).When hydrogen
chloride is dissolved in water, HCl is [Link] is also a naturally-occurring
component of the gastric acid produced in the digestive systems of most animal
species, including humans.

Physical Properties: Hydrochloric acid is a clear, colorless solution and has a very
caustic odor. Consist of Hydrogen Chloride, a gas, dissolved in water.
Chemical Properties: Hydrochloric acid is a strong, monoprotic acid, which means it
can release only one H+ ion (proton)
B. History

● 800 C.E - Jabir Ibn Hayyan (Geber) first discovered Hydrochloric acid by mixing
common salt with vitriol (sulfuric acid).
● 15th century - Basilius Valentinius described the production of hydrochloric acid by
acidifying brine of common salt (sodium chloride)
● 17th century - Johann Rudolf Glauber from Germany used sodium chloride salt and
sulfuric acid to prepare sodium sulfate. In doing so he released Hydrogen Chloride
Gas.
● 1772 - Joseph Priestley of Leeds discovered hydrogen chloride (HCl), which he called
“marine acid air”.
● 1818 - Humphry Davy of Penzance proved that the chemical composition included
hydrogen and chlorine
● Industrial Revolution - Nicolas Leblanc demand for alkaline substances such as soda
ash increased in Europe, and the new industrial soda process. In the Leblanc process,
salt is converted to soda ash using sulfuric acid, limestone, and coal. Hydrogen
chloride is released as a by-product.
● Early in the 20th century - Leblanc process was effectively replaced by the Salvay
process without the hydrochloric acid by-product.

C. Uses

● Food Production and Processing - The food industry uses hydrochloric acid to
process a variety of food products, such as corn syrups used in soft drinks, cookies,
crackers, ketchup and cereals. Hydrochloric acid is also used as an acidifier in sauces,
vegetable juices and canned goods, to help enhance flavor and reduce spoilage.
● For regeneration of ion exchanger - Hydrochloric acid is more efficient than
sulfuric acid to regenerate a strongly acidic cation exchange.
● Oil and Gas Industry - Hydrochloric acid is used in large quantities as a bore-hole
drilling agent. This fracture stimulation fluid reduces the pH of drilling fluid systems
and helps dissolve rock during drilling for the Oil and Gas Industry. Also
Hydrochloric acid is used in the activation of petroleum wells.
● Steel pickling - Hydrochloric acid is used in pickling operations for carbon, alloy,
and stainless steels. Steel pickling is the process by which iron oxides and scale are
removed from the surface of steel by converting the oxides to soluble compounds.
Pickling is required for steel products that undergo further processing such as wire
production, coating of sheet and strip, and tin mill products. Hydrochloric acid is used
primarily for continuous pickling operations in which hot-rolled strip steel is passed
through a countercurrent flow of acid solution
● For pH Control - Hydrochloric acid (HCI) is supplied in liquid form of varying
strengths. It is used for pH control when the pool water is treated with sodium or
calcium hypochlorite. Hydrochloric acid can be used to regulate the acidity (pH) of
solutions.
● Leather processing - Hydrochloric acid is one of the substances used in the leather
process. HCL was used to stop the development of bacteria and maintain the proper
pH level of leather
● Production of Calcium Chloride - Neutralizing hydrochloric acid with limestone
(CaCO3) produces calcium chloride. The largest use for calcium chloride is highway
deicing with production dependent on weather conditions. Other uses include dust
control, industrial processing, oil recovery, concrete treatment, and tire ballasting.
Calcium chloride is also used in oil recovery products such as drilling muds and work
over/completion fluids.
● Ore Processing - Hydrochloric acid is consumed in many mining operations for ore
treatment, extraction, separation, purification, and water treatment. Significant
quantities are used in the recovery of molybdenum and gold. Hydrochloric acid is
used to convert high-grade scheelite concentrate (CaWO4) and crude sodium
tungstate to tungstic acid, which in turn, can be used to produce tungsten metal and
chemicals. Hydrochloric acid is also used in uranium and zirconium processing,
solution mining of borate ores, as a pH regulator in the froth flotation of potash ores,
and in rare earth extraction from bastnasite

D. Manufacturing of Hydrochloric Acid

Hydrochloric Acid is manufactured by various methods as follows:

1. Synthesis from hydrogen and chlorine

- production of HCl via the combustion of chlorine with hydrogen gas.
- The process involves burning hydrogen gas and chlorine in a gas combustion
chamber, producing hydrogen chloride gas. The hydrogen chloride gas then passes
through a cooler to an absorber where process water is introduced, producing aqueous
hydrochloric acid.

2. From salt and sulfuric acid (Manheim process)

- Sodium Chloride and sulfuric acid react in a reaction furnace. Either of these
two are kept in the liquid state. This process produces an intermediate Sodium
Sulphate which is scraped from the bottom. The final product, hydrochloric acid is
then produced by a reaction with nitric acid in a cooling tower.
 3. As by-product from chemical process
Over 90% of the hydrogen chloride produced as a by-product from various chemical
processes. The crude HCl generated in these processes is generally contaminated with
impurities such as unreacted chlorine, organics, chlorinated organic and entrained
catalyst particles. A wide variety of techniques are employed to treat these HCl
streams to obtain either anhydrous HCl or hydrochloric acid. Some of the processes in
which HCl is produced as by-product is the manufacture of
chlorofluorohydrocarbons, manufacture of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons,
production of high surface area silica, and the manufacture of phosphoric acid and
esters of phosphoric acid.

4. From incineration of waste organics

Environmental regulations regarding the disposal of chlorine-containing organic
wastes have motivated the development of technologies for burning or paralyzing the
waste organics and recovering the chlorine values as hydrogen chloride. Several
catalytic and non-catalytic processes have been developed to treat these wastes to
produce hydrogen chloride.

5. Hydrochloric acid solutions

Gaseous hydrogen chloride is obtained by partially stripping concentrated HCl acid
using an absorber–desorber system. The stripper is operated at a pressure of 100–
200kPa (1– 2atm) for improved recovery of HCl. The overhead vapors consisting of
97% HCl and 3% H2O is cooled to remove most of the water as concentrated HCl,
and the residual water vapor is removed by drying the gas with sulfuric acid.

Top Companies in the Global Hydrochloric Acid Market

1. BASF - founded in the year 1865 and is currently headquartered in Germany. BASF
is known to be the largest chemical producer in the world. The company’s products
and solutions primarily aim at conserving resources, ensuring good nutrition, and
improving quality of life. Their product portfolio includes chemicals, plastics,
performance chemicals, catalysts, coatings, crop technology, crude oil, and natural
gas exploration and production.
2. MERCK KGAA - Having a rich history of over 350 years, Merck KGAA is the
world’s oldest operating chemical and pharmaceutical company in the world. Merck
KGAA is a global company with approximately 53,000 employees spanning across 66
countries. In the year 1967, the company initiated its involvement in liquid crystals,
leading to its market-leading role today. Liquid crystals account for a major chunk of
the company’s profits at present. Currently, the company is the world leader in
producing liquid crystals for Flat-TV’s and monitors.

3. THERMO FISHER - This American biotechnology product development company

was founded in the year 2006 by the merger of two companies-Thermo Electron and
Fisher Scientific. The company currently operates in over 50 countries with a total
workforce of approximately 70,000 employees. One of the key features of the
 hydrochloric acid offered by this company is that it is packaged in ampules to
eliminate contamination and ensure product integrity.

Hydrochloric Acid Manufacturer in the Philippines

● Mabuhay Vinyl Corporation - is the lone chlor-alkali producer in the Philippines. It

is the country’s manufacturer of caustic soda and hydrochloric acid and the only
company that produces chlorine in commercial quantities. In addition, it supplies
more than 50% of the country’s requirement for sodium hypochlorite. The products
end up in the manufacture of many useful consumer products that are important in our
daily lives. The company is backed by a team of technically skilled managers with
long and extensive experience in the field of PVC and chlor-alkali production.
Through the years, MVC continues to affirm its commitment to quality.
III. AMMONIA AND NITRIC ACID

III.1 Ammonia

A. Ammonia, also known as NH3, is a colorless gas with a distinct odor composed of
nitrogen and hydrogen atoms. It is produced naturally in the human body and in
nature—in water, soil and air, even in tiny bacteria molecules.

Some chemical/physical properties of ammonia are:

● Ammonia is lighter than air with a density of 0.769 kg/m3 at STP and has
boiling point and melting point with -33.73 and -77.73 deg c.
● In pure form, it is known as anhydrous ammonia and is hygroscopic (readily
absorbs moisture).
● Ammonia has alkaline properties and is corrosive.
● Ammonia gas dissolves easily in water to form ammonium hydroxide, a
caustic solute and weak base.
● Ammonia gas is easily compressed and forms a clear liquid under pressure.
● Ammonia is not highly flammable, but containers of ammonia may explode
when exposed to high heat.

B. History

● 13th century – ammonia was known to the alchemists in the form of sal ammoniac,
which was mentioned by Albertus Magnus. It was also used by dyers in the Middle
Ages in the form of fermented urine to alter the color of vegetable dyes.
● 15th century – Basilius Valentinus (Basil Valentine) showed that ammonia could be
produced by the action of alkalis on sal ammoniac.
● 1774 – Gaseous ammonia was first isolated in 1774 by Joseph Priestley, who called it
alkaline air.
● 1784 - Claude Louis Berthollet ascertained its composition.
● 1900 – Wilhelm Ostwald, a German chemist and first to succeed in synthesizing
ammonia but the success results in the contamination of machine.
● 1909 - Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch developed a method of producing ammonia from
atmospheric nitrogen. This method, called the Haber process or the Haber-Bosch
 process, was first used on an industrial scale by the Germans during World War I. The
ammonia was used to produce explosives to sustain their war effort.

C. Uses

● Agriculture - Ammonia is used mainly in Agricultural industries. About 90 %of all

ammonia produced is used in this field. Since ammonia acts as a rich source of
nitrogen and other elements, it is used in fertilizers to basically sustain food
production. It is also used in the production of liquid fertilizer solutions consisting of
compounds like ammonium nitrate, salts, urea and others. And there’s more.
Ammonia is often used as an antifungal agent on certain fruits and as preservatives.
● Household Products - Ammonia is one of the main ingredients in a lot of household
cleaning products. It is used as a cleaning agent and can be used to remove stains or
clean mirrors, tubs, sinks, windows and more. Some other uses include antimicrobial
agent or an antiseptic, and ammonia is also used as a fuel.
● Chemicals - Ammonia in the manufacturing of a number of compounds like nitric
acid, Hydrogen cyanide, Ammonium carbonate, Phenol, Urea, Amino acids, and a lot
of other items.
● Metal Treating - The dissociated ammonia is used in operations like carbon
nitriding, furnace brazing, bright annealing, sintering, atomic hydrogen welding and
other operations.
● Petroleum - In the petroleum industry ammonia is utilized in counterbalancing the
acid constituents of oil which is in crude form. It also helps to keep equipment free
from corrosion. Additionally, Ammonia is used in the mining industry for extraction
of several metals.
● Pharmaceuticals - It is used in manufacturing certain types of drugs such as
sulfonamide, antimalarials, and vitamins such as thiamine and nicotinamide.
● Pulp and Paper - It is used for pulping wood & as a casein dispersant in the coating of
paper.
● Refrigeration - It is also used in large-scale refrigeration plants, air-conditioning
units in Buildings, etc. Ammonia is an efficient refrigerant used in food processing
and preservation, as well as many other refrigeration and air-conditioning processes.

D. Raw Materials in Manufacturing Ammonia.

1. Air, which supplies the nitrogen.

2. Natural gas and water supply the hydrogen and the energy needed to heat the
reactants.
3. Iron is the catalyst and does not get used up.

E. Manufacturing of Ammonia

Process Flow Diagram (Haber Bosch Process)

 Two types of Production Process:
1. Steam reforming of natural gas or other light hydrocarbons (Natural Gas liquids,
Liquefied Petroleum Gas, Naptha).
- About 85% of world ammonia production is based on steam reforming process.
2. Partial oxidation of heavy fuel oil or vacuum residue.

Process Conditions

● Temperature: 400-450C, moderately high

● Pressure: 200 atm
● Catalyst: Iron

Steps in Production Process of Ammonia

1. Desulfurization
- Removal of sulphur oxide and hydrogen sulphide
- The sulphur is removed to less than 0.1 ppm in the gas feed
- Zinc sulphide remains in the absorption bed

2. Primary Reforming
-The steam/gas mixture is then heated further to 500-600
- The reformer consists of iron-containing reforming catalyst
- Highly endothermic and additional heat is required to raise the temperature
to 780-830 deg c at the reformer outlet.

3. Secondary Reforming
· Only 30%-40% of the hydrocarbon react
· Addition of air to convert the methane molecules that did not react during
primary steam reforming process.

4. Shift conversion (Effects of catalysts on Reaction rate)

· The process gas from the secondary reformer contains 12-15% CO.
· The process gas from the secondary will passed through a bed of iron
oxide/chromium oxide catalyst at around 400 deg c.

5. CO2 Removal
· The carbon dioxide is then removed either by absorption in aqueous
ethanolamine solutions.
 6. Methanation
· The small amounts of CO and CO2 must be removed by conversion to CH4
· The reaction take place at around 300 in a reactor filled with nickel containing
catalyst

7. Haber-Bosch Process
· The modern ammonia plant use centrifugal compressors for systhesis gas
compression
· The systhesis of ammonia take place on an iron catalyst at pressure usually in
the range of 98.7-246.7 atm and temperatures in the range of 350-550 deg c.
· Only 20-30% is reacted per pass in the converter due to the unfavourable
equilibrium conditions.

Top Ammonia Manufacturers and Suppliers

Philippines

● Manila Global Chemical

● Labsmoni Ssd Solutions Laboratory
● Meridian Nature-Tek Corporation
● Isles Trading

Globally
● BASF SE
● CF Industries Holdings Inc.
● CSBP Limited
● EuroChem
● Group DF

3.2 Nitric Acid

A. Nitric Acid is a strong acid with a chemical formula HNO3. It is also known as the
spirit of niter and aqua fortis. In its pure form, it is colourless but as it gets older it
turns into a yellow cast. This colour appears due to the decomposition of Nitric acid to
oxides of nitrogen and water. It is highly corrosive and toxic. It causes severe skin
burn. It reacts with hydroxides, metals, and oxides to form nitrate salts. It has boiling
point of 83 deg C and a melting point of -42 deg C.

B. History

● 17th Century - Johann Rudolf Glauber devised a process to obtain nitric acid by
distilling potassium nitrate with sulfuric acid.
● 1776 - Antoine Lavoisier cited Joseph Priestley's work to point out that it can be
converted from nitric oxide (which he calls "nitrous air"), "combined with an
 approximately equal volume of the purest part of common air, and with a considerable
quantity of water.
● 1785 - Henry Cavendish determined its precise composition and showed that it could
be synthesized by passing a stream of electric sparks through moist air.
● 1806 - Humphry Davy reported the results of extensive distilled water electrolysis
experiments concluding that nitric acid was produced at the anode from dissolved
atmospheric nitrogen gas.
● 1905 - The industrial production of nitric acid from atmospheric air began with the
Birkeland–Eyde process, also known as the arc process.
● 1913 - Haber process for the efficient production of ammonia was introduced, nitric
acid production from ammonia using the Ostwald process overtook production from
the Birkeland–Eyde process. This method of production is still in use today.

C. Uses

● Fertilizers - The primary industrial use of nitric acid is for the production of fertilizer.
When combined with ammonia, nitric acid makes a great fertilizer as ammonium
nitrate. Another manufactured fertilizer is calcium nitrate. These fertilizers are used
on farms throughout the country.
● Explosives - Nitric acid is used to create many different types of explosives like
nitroglycerin and trinitroglycerin (TNT). These are military grade and used for
national defense.
● Adhesive - Nitric acid is a common component of an adhesive that is used in food
packaging and paperboard.
● Medicinal - In its pure form, with its caustic nature, nitric acid can be used to remove
warts and boils. If it is diluted it can be used to treat indigestion.
● Purifying Metals- Nitric acid can be used to purify and clean noble metals like
platinum, gold and silver. It forms aqua regia when combined with hydrochloric acid,
which can even dissolve gold and platinum.
● Drug Detection- Nitric acid is able to be utilized in a colorimetric test to detect the
difference between heroin and morphine. It is also important in spot testing that can
identify LSD.
● Furniture Coating - Nitric acid is a major component in furniture varnish. When a
colored pigment is added to it, it is then often used as a lacquer. It can even give pine
and maple wood the artificial appearance of being aged.
● Laboratory Use - Nitric acid is a critical chemical for laboratory operations. It is a
pH buffer, cleaning agent, and a preservative for water samples requiring metal
analysis.

D. Raw Materials in Manufacturing Nitric Acid

The Ostwald Process for production of nitrogen used ammonia as its primary raw
material. The nitric acid is produced by a series of oxidation steps starting from oxidation
of ammonia. The other raw materials are water and a source of oxygen, commonly air is
used.

E. Manufacturing of Nitric Acid

Process flow diagram (Ostwald’s Process)

Three primary chemical reaction process:

● Catalytic oxidation of ammonia to yield nitrogen monoxide.
● Oxidation of nitrogen monoxide to yield oxides of nitrogen.
● Absorption of oxides of nitrogen in water to yield nitric acid.

Production Conditions:
The conditions favoring the formation of the products at suitable reaction rates for
the reactions are:
● High pressure
● Excess Air
● Catalyst
● A high temperature that is consistent with practicable reaction rates,
catalyst efficiency and operation pressure.

Most plants operate with:

● Temperature: 1200K
● Pressure: 10-13 atm, moderate
● Catalyst: Alloy of platinum and rhodium
● Oxygen (Air)

Steps in Production Process

1. Primary oxidation
- Oxidation of ammonia is carried out in a catalyst chamber in which one part
of ammonia and eight parts of oxygen by volume are introduced. The temperature
of the chamber is about 600 oC. This chamber contains a platinum gauze which
serves as the catalyst.
- Oxidation of ammonia is a reversible and exothermic process. Therefore
according to Le- chatelier’s principle, a decrease in temperature favors reaction in
forwarding direction. In primary oxidation, 95 percent of ammonia is converted
into nitric oxide (NO).
4NH3 + 5O2 ↔ 4NO + 6H2O
2. Secondary oxidation
 - Nitric oxide gas obtained by the oxidation of ammonia is very hot. In order
to reduce its temperature, it is passed through a heat exchanger where the
temperature of nitric oxide is reduced to 150oC. Nitric oxide after cooling is
transferred to another oxidizing tower where at about 50 oC it is oxidized to
nitrogen dioxide (NO2).

2NO + O2 ↔2 NO2

3. Absorption of NO2
- Nitrogen dioxide from the secondary oxidation chamber is introduced into
a special absorption tower. NO2 gas passes through the tower and water is
showered over it. By the absorption, nitric acid is obtained. 3NO 2 + H2O ->
2HNO3 + NO
- Nitric acid obtained is very dilute. It is recycled in the absorption tower so
that more and more NO2 gets absorbed. HNO3, after recycling, becomes about 68
percent concentrated.

4. Concentration
- In order to increase the concentration of HNO 3, vapors of HNO3 are
passed over concentrated H2SO4. Being a dehydrating agent, H2SO4 absorbs water
from HNO3 and concentrated HNO3 is obtained.