What is the #"Ostwald process"#?

1 Answer
Jul 14, 2017

Just to retire this the question, the Ostwald process is the industrial process for nitric acid manufacture........

Explanation:

The Ostwald process is very much complementary to the Haber process for dinitrogen fixation, as it utilizes tonne quantities of ammonia.......

#4 NH_3(g) + 5O_2 (g) rarr 4NO(g) + 6H_2O(g) +Delta#

And once you got #NO#, this can be oxidized up to nitric acid...

#NO(g) + 1/2O_2(g) rarrNO_2(g)#

And finally...........

#3NO_2(g)+H_2O(l) rarr 2HNO_3(l) + NO(g) #

The nitrous oxide can be distilled off and recycled back into the former processes........