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The nitric acid industry outlines its key development priorities Author/Source: Sinochem News Network Date: October 20, 2021 Clicks: 12 On October 20, Gu Zongqin, president of the China Nitrogen Fertilizer Industry Association, said in his speech at the 2021 Nitric Acid Industry Meeting as well as the meeting of the Calcium Magnesium Nitrate Fertilizers Sub-committee that the 14th Five-Year Plan clearly states that China is still in an important strategic period of opportunity at present and for some time to come. The nitric acid industry is closely linked to the development of the national economy. We must seize these opportunities firmly, adhere unwaveringly to the principles of safe development, green development, and low-carbon development, strive to carry out all relevant tasks properly, and promote the sustainable development of this industry. Efforts should be made to promote industrial transformation and upgrading. Gu Zongqin pointed out that the first step in such transformation and upgrading is to implement strict control over the total volume. For new nitric acid projects, in accordance with the requirements of the \"Notice on Further Strengthening the Safety Management of Nitric Acid,\" strict approval procedures must be followed, taking into account factors such as resource availability, environmental capacity, industrial infrastructure, and downstream supporting facilities. No approval will be given to any construction project that does not comply with laws, regulations, standards related to safe production, as well as industry development plans ； Secondly, it is necessary to vigorously promote the optimization of existing assets. It is necessary to utilize advanced technologies and equipment for production, environmental protection, energy conservation, and carbon reduction in order to upgrade existing production capacity and improve the efficiency of current production facilities ； Third, it is necessary to optimize the industrial layout. Encourage enterprises involved in the production and use of nitric acid to be located in nearby areas, thereby reducing the safety risks associated with the storage and transportation of nitric acid and achieving a basic balance between supply and demand for this substance in the region ； Fourth, all segments of the industrial chain must develop in a balanced and secure manner. In accordance with the new requirements, the product structure of *ao acid an should be adjusted, and peak-shifting devices or capacity-diversion facilities such as nitro-composite fertilizers and *ao acid an solutions that are compatible with the production capacity of solid *ao acid an should be developed accordingly. Continuously improving the inherent safety level of the industry: Gu Zongqin emphasized that efforts to enhance inherent safety in this industry must involve proactive responses to policy changes. The industry must adapt to the new, stricter regulatory requirements and carry out self-inspections and corrective actions across all aspects and throughout the entire process. Second, it is necessary to strengthen safety management in the production process. It is necessary to carefully identify the hazardous areas and risk indicators of the process equipment. It is necessary to control the key points in the process, managing the levels of impurities such as chloride ions and oils in the dilute nitric acid fed into the device, as well as the organic content in the final product. To ensure the reliability of all interlocked control valves, it is necessary to properly control the pH value during the amino acid neutralization process. The production of nitrate fertilizers requires strict compliance with relevant laws, regulations, and standard requirements; nitrate fertilizers with an *ao acid an content of over 50% must undergo explosion resistance testing every three years as specified. Third, it is necessary to ensure proper safety management for the storage and transportation of *ao acid an. As required, further improve the storage conditions for solid *ao acid an in warehouses, and strictly regulate the safety requirements for storage tanks containing *ao acid an solutions. Manufacturing enterprises must entrust companies with the appropriate qualifications for the road transport of hazardous goods to transport phosgene, ensuring that the transport vehicles are not used to carry other materials together with it. Fourth, carry out the work of revising and formulating relevant standards. Further improve the group standard for \"Safety Production Specifications for Nitrogen Fertilizers\", and actively participate in the revision of standards for *ao acid an products as well as safety standards for *ao acid an solutions. Further strengthen efforts in technological innovation. Gu Zongqin believes that technological innovation is of great importance; it is necessary to fully leverage its supporting role in order to continuously enhance the industry’s core competitiveness. First, advanced technologies must be employed to optimize and upgrade existing facilities. The key areas include: energy-saving upgrades to the oxidation furnaces in nitric acid production plants, converting the four-in-one units in double-pressure nitric acid production plants from steam-driven to electric-driven systems, upgrading the wastewater treatment systems for concentrated nitric acid and *ao acid an plants, modifying the concentration towers in concentrated nitric acid production plants, and changing the granulation methods used for *ao acid an calcium/nitrogen-based fertilizers ； Secondly, it is necessary to advance the research and development as well as the dissemination of technologies such as the single-pressure nitric acid production method, large-scale four-in-one units, nitric acid-based phosphate fertilizers, and nitrogen oxide emission reduction; to leverage innovation platforms; and to accelerate the transformation and application of achievements in independent innovation ； Third is to use digital applications to improve the industry’s development level and safety management standards. Leverage 5G and big data technologies to promote the deep integration of the industrial internet, big data, artificial intelligence, and various industries. Efforts should be made to promote the low-carbon development of the industry. Gu Zongqin noted that the nitric acid production process generates heat, has a low energy consumption level, and results in carbon dioxide emissions of less than 1 ton per ton of product produced. However, the nitric acid production process releases nitrous oxide gas, which has a high greenhouse gas global warming potential and the ability to damage the ozone layer; compared to carbon dioxide, its global warming potential (GWP) is 298. Gu Zongqin explained that China is a major producer of nitric acid, with an annual production volume of 13.5 million tons. The annual emissions of nitrous oxide amount to 108,000 tons, which is equivalent to approximately 32 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions. Currently, there are no relevant regulatory restrictions in China on nitrous oxide emissions, and nitrous oxide exhaust is released directly into the atmosphere without treatment. Internationally, nitrogen oxide catalytic emission reduction technologies are already quite mature; catalysts from companies such as Zhejiang Xinhua Wanfeng and BASF have been in use for over 20 years. Sichuan Shutai emission reduction catalysts have been successfully tested on a 100,000-ton/year nitric acid production plant in Sichuan Jinxiang. If nitrous oxide is included in the national carbon emission trading market, this catalyst will play an important role in companies’ efforts to reduce carbon emissions. This year, China has decided to accept the Kigali Amendment to strengthen the control of non-carbon dioxide greenhouse gases. Gu Zongqin emphasized that in the future, nitric acid manufacturers should actively carry out emission reduction efforts to prepare for the reduction of non-carbon dioxide greenhouse gases. In addition, efforts should be made to revise the standard for \"Energy Consumption Limits per Unit of Product for Dilute Nitric Acid\". Commissioned by the Petrochemical Federation, the China Nitrogen Fertilizer Industry Association organized the revision of the energy consumption limits per unit of production for five products: synthetic ammonia, methanol, urea, ammonium bicarbonate, and nitric acid. The draft standard for nitric acid is set to be submitted for review by the end of this year. Gu Zongqin said that after years of structural adjustment and industrial upgrading, China’s nitric acid industry has reached a new level in terms of technical standards, industrial competitiveness, as well as safety in production and environmental protection, and it holds a significant position on the international stage. However, development knows no end; the 14th Five-Year Plan period is a critical stage for the development of the nitric acid industry, characterized by both opportunities and challenges. The entire industry must, as always, unite as one, adhere to the new development concepts, take proactive actions, work hard, and move forward steadily, so as to jointly write a new chapter in the high-quality development of the industry.