Argus – Fertilizer Focus, Nov-Dec 2023

In this article, the focus is on the development of nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers on a commercial scale. The author discusses the history and advancements in the production of nitrogen fertilizers, specifically the Frank-Caro cyanamide process, the Birkeland-Eyde oxidation process, and the Haber-Bosch ammonia process. The Haber-Bosch process, developed by Fritz Haber and his colleagues, allowed for the synthesis of ammonia on a large scale and played a significant role in the expansion of the nitrogen fertilizer industry in the early 20th century. Germany, with its ammonia plants, was able to become self-sufficient in the production of nitrogen chemicals for fertilizers. The article also mentions the development of calcium cyanamide as a source of ammonia and its use as a nitrogen fertilizer. The article highlights the growth of the ammonia industry, with world capacity reaching 316 kt/y N in 1923. Germany and the USA were the main players in ammonia production, with smaller units being built by other countries to test various production processes. By 1934, the ammonia industry had expanded significantly, with 97 production units worldwide and an aggregate capacity of 2.9 mn t/y N. Germany, Chile, and the USA were the largest producers of chemical nitrogen fertilizers at that time. Overall, the article provides a historical overview of the development of nitrogen fertilizers and highlights the key processes and players in the industry during the early 20th century.