Hydrogen Module - Ammonia
Products, Technologies, Production-Models for Hydrogen, Ammonia and Syngas
Communicator
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Ammonia is an inorganic chemical compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the molecular formula NH₃. As the simplest and most stable nitrogen hydride, it is a colourless, toxic gas with a distinctively pungent odour, highly soluble in water to form ammonium hydroxide (aqueous ammonia).
Physical & Chemical Properties
Ammonia is one of the most abundant nitrogen-containing compounds in the atmosphere and occurs naturally through the anaerobic decay of plant and animal matter. Biologically, it is a common nitrogenous waste — particularly among aquatic organisms — and plays a key role in the nitrogen cycle. It can absorb substantial amounts of heat from its surroundings (approximately 327 calories per gram), which underpins its utility as a refrigerant.
Production
Industrial-scale production relies almost exclusively on the Haber–Bosch Process: a gas-phase catalytic reaction between Hydrogen (H₂) and Nitrogen (N₂) at approximately 450 °C and 100 atm (10 MPa) pressure. Just over 70% of ammonia is produced via steam methane reforming (SMR), with the remaining share derived from coal gasification. An emerging pathway — green ammonia — replaces fossil-derived hydrogen with green hydrogen from water electrolysis powered by renewable energy, combined with atmospheric nitrogen via the same Haber–Bosch synthesis.
Key Derivatives & Applications
Ammonia serves as a foundational building block across several industrial sectors:
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Fertilizers (>70% of global use): Converted into urea, diammonium phosphate (DAP), monoammonium phosphate (MAP), ammonium nitrate, and ammonium sulphate — collectively serving as precursors to approximately 45% of the world's food supply
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Nitric acid: Produced via the Ostwald Process by catalytic oxidation of ammonia over platinum at 700–850 °C and ~9 atm; nitric acid is in turn used to manufacture fertilisers, explosives, and organonitrogen compounds
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Refrigeration (R-717): Used as an industrial refrigerant owing to its superior thermodynamic properties and low cost; widely applied in cold storage, food processing, and ice rinks
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Pharmaceuticals: Used as a respiratory stimulant, neutralising agent, and for antibacterial properties; ammonium hydroxide is a key ingredient in pharmaceutical-grade formulations
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Cleaning & industrial degreasers: Found in glass cleaners, floor cleaners, heavy-duty degreasers, and hospital-grade disinfectants
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Plastics, fibres & other chemicals: Used in the manufacture of rayon, urea resins, plastics, dyes, pesticides, and — combined with benzene — in the production of aniline and downstream isocyanates such as MDI
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Metallurgy: Applied in nitriding of alloy steels to harden surfaces, and as a convenient portable source of atomic hydrogen for welding
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Water treatment: Used as a stabiliser, neutraliser, and nitrogen source in municipal water purification and wastewater treatment
Collection & Handling
In laboratory settings, ammonia gas is collected by upward displacement of air (being lighter than air) and cannot be collected over water due to its high solubility. Industrially, it is handled and transported as a liquefied gas under pressure. Its toxicity and corrosive nature require specialised corrosion-resistant equipment, which limits domestic-scale applications
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Production locations
Map of Ammonia
producing locations in ppPLUS
(Select from Production table below for a detailed map of Products)
Production
Production data of Ammonia and its Products.
Filter:
| Site Category | Country | Site | Entity | Main-Product | Sub-Product | Loc | Tons/Year | Country | Sub-Product | Sub-ProductID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemicals |
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Sadara |
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Ammonia | Ammonia (Gas) | 180,000 | Saudi Arabia | Ammonia (Gas) | 302 | |
| Chemicals |
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Togliatti |
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Ammonia | Ammonia (Gas) | 499,999 | Russian Federation (the) | Ammonia (Gas) | 302 | |
| Chemicals |
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Jilin Ammonia |
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Ammonia | Ammonia (Gas) | 365,000 | China | Ammonia (Gas) | 302 | |
| Chemicals |
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Simplot Phosphates |
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Ammonia | Ammonia (Gas) | 219,000 | United States of America (USA) | Ammonia (Gas) | 302 | |
| Chemicals |
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OQ Ammonia Plant |
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Ammonia | Ammonia (Gas) | 365,000 | Oman | Ammonia (Gas) | 302 | |
| Project |
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Madoqua Sines |
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Ammonia | Ammonia (Gas) | 499,999 | Portugal | Ammonia (Gas) | 302 | |
| Chemicals |
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Sorfert |
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Ammonia | Ammonia (Gas) | 1,600,000 | Algeria | Ammonia (Gas) | 302 | |
| Chemicals |
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Yara Freeport |
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Ammonia | Ammonia (Gas) | 750,000 | United States of America (USA) | Ammonia (Gas) | 302 | |
| Chemicals |
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Yara Pilbara |
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Ammonia | Ammonia (Gas) | 840,000 | Australia | Ammonia (Gas) | 302 | |
| Project |
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GCA Texas City |
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Ammonia | Ammonia (Gas) | 1,300,000 | United States of America (USA) | Ammonia (Gas) | 302 | |
| Project |
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Salalah Ammonia |
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Ammonia | Ammonia (Gas) | 365,000 | Oman | Ammonia (Gas) | 302 | |
| Project |
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Topolobampo |
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Ammonia | Ammonia (Gas) | 810,300 | Mexico | Ammonia (Gas) | 302 | |
| Refining / Chemicals |
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Bina Refinery |
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Ammonia | Ammonia (Gas) | 1,000 | India | Ammonia (Gas) | 302 | |
| Refining / Chemicals |
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Tuke Chemical Branch |
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Ammonia | Ammonia (Gas) | 999,999 | China | Ammonia (Gas) | 302 | |
| Project |
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NEOM Hydrogen |
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Ammonia | Green Ammonia | 1,260,505 | Saudi Arabia | Green Ammonia | 479 | |
| Project |
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Wusta/Dhofar |
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Ammonia | Green Ammonia | 10,000,000 | Oman | Green Ammonia | 479 | |
| Chemicals |
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Indorama Fertilizer |
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Ammonia | Ammonia (Liquid) | 805,000 | Nigeria | Ammonia (Liquid) | 517 | |
| Chemicals |
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Indorama Fertilizer |
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Ammonia | Ammonia (Liquid) | 805,000 | Nigeria | Ammonia (Liquid) | 517 | |
| Refining / Chemicals |
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Pusri II-B |
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Ammonia | Ammonia (Liquid) | 660,000 | Indonesia | Ammonia (Liquid) | 517 | |
| Refining / Chemicals |
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Helwan Plant |
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Ammonia | Ammonia (Liquid) | 400,000 | Egypt | Ammonia (Liquid) | 517 | |
| Chemicals |
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Beaumont Methanol |
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Ammonia | Ammonia (Liquid) | 340,000 | United States of America (USA) | Ammonia (Liquid) | 517 | |
| Totals |
Technologies
See all Technologies utilized and modelled in ppPLUS for the production of Ammonia
| Technologies |
|---|
| CLG Delayed Coking |
| KBR Purifier |
| Linde LAC |
| Thyssenkrupp Ammonia |
| Topsoe 2-Step Ammonia |
| Topsoe SynCOR Ammonia |
Select "All Technologies" to view all modelled (also non-applied) Technologies in ppPLUS.
Ammonia Product-Structure
All Products of the Main-Product Ammonia
The colors of Ammonia (Links to Ammonia Sub-Product)
| Green | Processes for manufacturing GREEN AMMONIA continue to use the Haber-Bosch Process. However, the Green Hydrogen used in the reaction is generated by Electrolysis of Water using Renewable Energy Sources. Methane is not used. The Solid Oxide Electrolysis can also generate pure Nitrogen, thus eliminating the need for Cryogenic Separation of Air into Nitrogen and Oxygen. |
| Blue | Some companies are developing processes for manufacturing “blue” hydrogen. The basic process remains the same as for brown hydrogen except that the generated CO2 is not released to the atmosphere. Instead it is sequestered, i.e., stored underground, either directly or as a carbonate. When blue hydrogen is used in the Haber-Bosch process the ammonia product is also referred to as “blue”. |
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Brown Black |
BROWN AMMONIA and BLACK AMMONIA are made respectively from the corresponding Brown Hydrogen Black Hydrogen (produced through Gasification of Coal) and produced in the conventional Haber-Bosch (H-B) Process. It has been been used world-wide for more than a century. |
| Grey | Grey Ammonia is made from the corresponding Grey Hydrogen (obtained through Steam Reformingl) and produced in the conventional Haber-Bosch (H-B) Process shown in the sketch. It has been been used world-wide for more than a century. Although there have been many advances in the Technology since Haber and Bosch did their work in the first part of the 20th century, the required conversion of Methane to Hydrogen and Carbon Dioxide has not changed. |
