[Terrapreta] eprida nitrogenous char

[Sean K. Barry]

Hi Gerrit,

Nitrogen prices are so high because almost all nitrogen based fertilizers are made from natural gas.  Natural gas is mostly Methane-CH4, some Carbon monoxide-CO, and some Hydrogen H2.  These gases can be easily reformed, "cracking" the larger molecules into H2, CO, and CO2.
Further H2 can be obtained by using a "water-shift" reaction on this "synthesis gas" (H2, CO, CO2), that uses hot injected steam to convert come of the CO to CO2 and release more H2 for the H2O (water) injection.   The Hydrogen gas-H2 then becomes the feedstock for making ammonia-NH4 using the Haber-Bausch process that combines Nitrogen gas-N2 form the air with the Hydrogen-H2 gas to make NH3.

Ammonia is the principle chemical component in ALL industrially made high nitrogen fertilizers.  Ammonium carbonate - (NH4)2CO3, Ammonium bicarbonate - NH4HCO3, Ammonium sulfate - (NH4)2SO4,  and Ammonium nitrate - NH4NO3 are all ammonia salts that are constituents of high nitrogen fertilizers.

So, as natural gas prices go up, so does the cost of manufacturing and supplying (as well as the price of buying) high nitrogen fertilizers.

Regards,

SKB
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Gerald Van Koeverden<mailto:vnkvrdn at yahoo.ca> 
  To: Terra Preta<mailto:terrapreta at bioenergylists.org> 
  Sent: Sunday, January 13, 2008 11:04 PM
  Subject: [Terrapreta] eprida nitrogenous char


  Has anybody heard what Eprida figures the production cost of their high nitrogen char would be to the producer using their equipment?  What is the nitrogen content of their char? 


  the reason I'm asking is that nitrogen fertilizers are becoming much more expensive recently - $0.55-0.60/lb..  Is the cost of Eprida's nitrogen anywhere close?  Since charcoal absorbed nitrogen would be a more efficient source of supplying nitrogen, even if it were, let's say 30-40% more expensive, it might still be competitive, with the added bonus of adding charcoal to the soil... 


  Why
  "Why are nitrogen prices so high?"


        by Eddie Funderburg<http://www.noble.org/Ag/Staff/Profile/Funderburg_Eddie.html>
       

  "Nitrogen fertilizer prices have been high for several months now. In some cases, the price has gone up 50 percent or more, but why is it increasing? The price of nitrogen fertilizers is directly related to the price of natural gas (methane). Manufacturing 1 ton of anhydrous ammonia fertilizer requires 33,500 cubic feet of natural gas. This cost represents most of the costs associated with manufacturing anhydrous ammonia. When natural gas prices are $2.50 per thousand cubic feet, the natural gas used to manufacture 1 ton of anhydrous ammonia fertilizer costs $83.75. If the price rises to $7.00 per thousand cubic feet of natural gas, the cost of natural gas used in manufacturing that ton of anhydrous ammonia rises to $234.50, an increase to the manufacturer of $150.75."

  http://www.noble.org/Ag/Soils/NitrogenPrices/Index.htm<http://www.noble.org/Ag/Soils/NitrogenPrices/Index.htm>




  "Larry Oldham, Extension soil specialist, said corn uses between 130 and 250 pounds of nitrogen fertilizer per acre, depending on the soil and crop management factors. 

  'Our nitrogen prices have been 55 to 60 cents a pound. That’s a historical high,' Oldham said."

  http://msucares.com/news/print/agnews/an07/071219.html

  Gerrit







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