Analytical Solutions for the Haber-Bosch Process

At the turn of the 20th century the first commercial ammonia plant using the Haber process was built in Germany. Without this revolutionary invention, modern life would not be possible. Today, over 175 million metric tons of ammonia are produced annually. In fact, half of the nitrogen atoms in your body were derived from nitrogen sources that were fixed by the Haber process.

The Haber process can best be described in six major steps: reforming, gas-shifting, CO₂ scrubbing, dehydration, methanation, and ammonia synthesis. The process is sensitive to disruptions, and as a result of this, operating off specification can have serious financial consequences for the plant. For example, catalyst poisons like sulfur can ruin a plant’s ability to shift carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide. This will prevent a plant from being able to effectively remove CO and CO₂ from the reactor feed. The presence of these compounds in the ammonia reactor can lead to problematic solids forming inside the reactor.

However, Applied Analytics offers analytical solutions throughout this entire process that enable plant staff to correct these issues in real time. For example, our inline UV analyzer offers real-time analysis of sulfur compounds, like hydrogen sulfide, which is not possible with other technology offerings such as gas chromatographs or GCs. Likewise, our inline IR spectrometer, the OMA-300-InGaAs, can measure multiple components at once, eliminating the need for multiple analyzers while simultaneously enabling adjustments to be made to the reactor without having to wait for GC readouts.

If you’re looking to update your analyzer systems for your ammonia plant, reach out to one of our engineers today and let us provide you with a window into your process.

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