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Title: Electrochemical process for the preparation of nitrogen fertilizers

Abstract

The present invention provides methods and apparatus for the preparation of nitrogen fertilizers including ammonium nitrate, urea, urea-ammonium nitrate, and/or ammonia utilizing a source of carbon, a source of nitrogen, and/or a source of hydrogen. Implementing an electrolyte serving as ionic charge carrier, (1) ammonium nitrate is produced via the reduction of a nitrogen source at the cathode and the oxidation of a nitrogen source at the anode; (2) urea or its isomers are produced via the simultaneous cathodic reduction of a carbon source and a nitrogen source; (3) ammonia is produced via the reduction of nitrogen source at the cathode and the oxidation of a hydrogen source at the anode; and (4) urea-ammonium nitrate is produced via the simultaneous cathodic reduction of a carbon source and a nitrogen source, and anodic oxidation of a nitrogen source. The electrolyte can be solid.

Inventors:
; ;
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Energy & Environmental Research Center Foundation, Grand Forks, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1083035
Patent Number(s):
8398842
Application Number:
13/420,979
Assignee:
Energy & Environmental Research Center Foundation (Grand Forks, CA)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
C - CHEMISTRY C05 - FERTILISERS C05C - NITROGENOUS FERTILISERS
C - CHEMISTRY C25 - ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES C25B - ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS
DOE Contract Number:  
FC36-03GO13055
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY

Citation Formats

Aulich, Ted R., Olson, Edwin S., and Jiang, Junhua. Electrochemical process for the preparation of nitrogen fertilizers. United States: N. p., 2013. Web.
Aulich, Ted R., Olson, Edwin S., & Jiang, Junhua. Electrochemical process for the preparation of nitrogen fertilizers. United States.
Aulich, Ted R., Olson, Edwin S., and Jiang, Junhua. Tue . "Electrochemical process for the preparation of nitrogen fertilizers". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1083035.
@article{osti_1083035,
title = {Electrochemical process for the preparation of nitrogen fertilizers},
author = {Aulich, Ted R. and Olson, Edwin S. and Jiang, Junhua},
abstractNote = {The present invention provides methods and apparatus for the preparation of nitrogen fertilizers including ammonium nitrate, urea, urea-ammonium nitrate, and/or ammonia utilizing a source of carbon, a source of nitrogen, and/or a source of hydrogen. Implementing an electrolyte serving as ionic charge carrier, (1) ammonium nitrate is produced via the reduction of a nitrogen source at the cathode and the oxidation of a nitrogen source at the anode; (2) urea or its isomers are produced via the simultaneous cathodic reduction of a carbon source and a nitrogen source; (3) ammonia is produced via the reduction of nitrogen source at the cathode and the oxidation of a hydrogen source at the anode; and (4) urea-ammonium nitrate is produced via the simultaneous cathodic reduction of a carbon source and a nitrogen source, and anodic oxidation of a nitrogen source. The electrolyte can be solid.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Mar 19 00:00:00 EDT 2013},
month = {Tue Mar 19 00:00:00 EDT 2013}
}

Works referenced in this record:

Process for the selective electrochemical oxidation of organic compounds
patent-application, March 2002


Electrochemical Synthesis of Urea at Gas-Diffusion Electrodes
journal, January 1998


Electrochemical process for the preparation of nitrogen fertilizers
patent, April 2012


Process for the synthesis of ammonia using catalysts supported on graphite containing carbon
patent, August 1979


Organic compound hydrogenation apparatus and method for hydrogenating organic compound
patent, December 2010


Method and apparatus for recovering condensables in vapor from a urea vacuum evaporator
patent, April 1998


Electrochemical Process for the Preparation of Nitrogen Fertilizers
patent-application, May 2011


Electrochemical synthesis of ammonia
patent, January 2008


Electrolytic oxidation/apparatus
patent, June 1988


Method and apparatus for generating hydrogen
patent-application, January 2004