Recent Technological Developments in Nitrogenous Fertilizer Production

摘要

The conclusion reached at this point is that both the technical and economic aspects of coal-based ammonia production are unclear. It is apparent that no one gasification process will be applicable for all ammonia from coal applications in the US. In addition to the selection of the gasification process, there are numerous other technical alternatives that the ammonia producer must consider, depending on his particular circumstances. The economic picture will depend on future availability and costs of feedstocks. We expect that natural gas costs will continue to increase in the future. We also expect the cost of coal to increase. It would appear that coal costs will not increase as much as natural gas in the next 10 to 15 years, but there is no certainty of this. One main objective of the TVA project is to firmly establish the economics of producing ammonia from coal. Accomplishment of this objective will provide a useful yardstick for US industry as producers consider alternatives for meeting the nation's nitrogen fertilizer demand in the future.