Transition Element:

THE USE OF CATALYST IN

INDUSTRY
Name :Muhammad Syahmi bin Zainal Abidin
College No: 15435
Class: 406
Homeroom :Cikgu Zuraida

WHAT IS CATALYST
Catalysis is the increase in the rate of a chemical reaction due to the participation of an
additional substance called a catalyst. With a catalyst, reactions occur faster and with less
energy. Because catalysts are not consumed, they are recycled. Often only tiny amounts
are required. Catalyst also a substance that starts or speeds up a chemical reaction while
undergoing no permanent change itself. The enzymes in saliva, for example,
are catalysts indigestion. In chemistry, a substance that causes a chemical reaction to
occur but is not itself involved in the reaction.

TYPICAL MECHANISM

Catalysts generally react with one or more reactants to form intermediates that
subsequently give the final reaction product, in the process regenerating the catalyst. The
following is a typical reaction scheme, where C represents the catalyst, X and Y are
reactants, and Z is the product of the reaction of X and Y:

X + C XC (1)
Y + XC XYC (2)
XYC CZ (3)
CZ C + Z (4)

HARBER PROCESS

The Haber process, also called the HaberBosch process, is an artificial nitrogen
fixation process

and

is

the

main

industrial

procedure

for

the

production

of ammonia today. The process converts atmospheric nitrogen (N2) to ammonia (NH3) by
a reaction with hydrogen(H2) using a metal catalyst (The most popular catalysts are based
on iron promoted with K2O, CaO, SiO2, and Al2O3. The original HaberBosch reaction
chambers

used osmium as

the

catalyst).under

high

temperatures

and

pressures.So,conclusively :
Iron in the Haber Process
The Haber Process combines hydrogen and nitrogen to make ammonia using an iron
catalyst.

Although the Haber process is mainly used to produce fertilizer today, during WWI, it
provided Germany with a source of ammonia for the production of explosives,
compensating for the Allied trade blockade on Chilean saltpeter.

THE PROCESS

This conversion is typically conducted at 1525 MPa (2,2003,600 psi) or 200

250 bar and between 400500 C (752932 F), as the gases are passed over four beds
of catalyst, with cooling between each pass so as to maintain a reasonable equilibrium

constant. On each pass only about 15% conversion occurs, but any unreacted gases are
recycled, and eventually an overall conversion of 97% is achieved.

The steam reforming, shift conversion, carbon dioxide removal, and methanation
steps each operate at pressures of about 2.53.5 MPa (360510 psi) or 2535 bar, and the
ammonia synthesis loop operates at pressures ranging from 618 MPa (8702,610 psi) or
60180 bar, depending upon which proprietary process is used.

The reaction mechanism, involving the heterogeneous catalyst, is believed to involve

the following steps:
1. N2 (g) N2 (adsorbed)
2. N2 (adsorbed) 2 N (adsorbed)
3. H2(g) H2 (adsorbed)
4. H2 (adsorbed) 2 H (adsorbed)
5. N (adsorbed) + 3 H(adsorbed) NH3 (adsorbed)
6. NH3 (adsorbed) NH3 (g)

The Harber process now produces 450 million tonnes (440,000,000 long tons;
500,000,000

short

tons)

of

nitrogen fertilizer per

year,

mostly

in

the

form

of

anhydrous ammonia,ammonium nitrate, and urea. 35% of the world's natural gas
production is consumed in the Haber process (~12% of the world's annual energy
supply). In combination with pesticides, these fertilizers have quadrupled the productivity of
agricultural land.

CONTACT PROCESS

The contact process is the current method of producing sulfuric acid in the high
concentrations needed for industrial processes. Platinum used to be the catalyst for this
reaction, however as it is susceptible to reacting with arsenic impurities in the sulfur
feedstock, vanadium(V) oxide (V2O5) is now preferred. This process was patented in 1831
by British vinegar merchant Peregrine Phillips. In addition to being a far more economical
process for producing concentrated sulfuric acid than the previous lead chamber process,
the contact process also produces sulfur trioxide and oleum.

The process can be divided into five stages:

1.

combining of sulphur and oxygen

2.

purifying sulphur dioxide in the purification unit;

3.

adding excess of oxygen to sulfur dioxide in presence of catalyst vanadium

pentoxide, with temperatures of 450 degrees Celsius and pressure of 1-2 atm.;

4.

sulfur trioxide formed is added to sulfuric acid which gives rise to oleum
(disulfuric acid);

5.

the oleum then is added to water to form sulfuric acid which is very concentrated.

Purification of air and SO2 is necessary to avoid catalyst poisoning (i.e. removing
catalytic activities). The gas is then washed with water and dried by sulfuric acid. To
conserve energy, the mixture is heated by exhaust gases from the catalytic converter by
heat exchangers.Conclusively:

Vanadium(V) oxide in the Contact Process

Sulphur dioxide gas is passed together with air (as a source of oxygen) over a solid

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vanadium(V) oxide catalyst.

As stated above, contact process produce concentrated sulfuric acid which is

valuable to our country industries .The uses of sulfuric acid in industry are as stated below;

i
t

OSTWALD PROCESS

The Ostwald

process is

a chemical process for

making nitric

acid (HNO3).

Wilhelm Ostwald developed the process, and he patented it in 1902. The Ostwald process
is a mainstay of the modern chemical industry, and it provides the main raw material for the
most common type of fertilizer production. Historically and practically, the Ostwald process
is closely associated with the Haber process, which provides the requisite raw
material, ammonia (NH3).

PROCESS

Ammonia is converted to nitric acid in 2 stages. It is oxidized (in a sense "burnt")

by heating with oxygen in the presence of a catalyst such as platinum with 10% rhodium, to
form nitric oxide and water. This step is strongly exothermic, making it a useful heat source
once initiated:
4 NH3 (g) + 5 O2 (g) 4 NO (g) + 6 H2O (g) (H = 905.2 kJ)

Stage

two

encompasses

two

reactions

and

is

carried

out

in

an absorption apparatus containing water. Initially nitric oxide is oxidized again to

yield nitrogen dioxide. This gas is then readily absorbed by the water, yielding the desired
product (nitric acid, albeit in a dilute form), while reducing a portion of it back to nitric oxide:

2 NO (g) + O2 (g) 2 NO2 (g) (H = 114 kJ/mol)

3 NO2 (g) + H2O (l) 2 HNO3 (aq) + NO (g) (H = 117 kJ/mol)

The NO is recycled, and the acid is concentrated to the required strength

by distillation. Alternatively, if the last step is carried out in air:

4 NO2 (g) + O2 (g) + 2 H2O (l) 4 HNO3 (aq)

As stated above, Ostwad process produce nitric acid which is valuable to our
country industries .The principal end-use of nitric acid is in the production of nitrogen
fertilizers, an important source of plant nutrients. Non-fertilizer uses include the production
of: explosive-grade ammonium nitrate; adipic acid, for making nylon, and toluene
diisocyanate, for manufacturing polyurethane.