Ammonia is one of the most highly produced inorganic chemicals. There are numerous large-scale ammonia production plants worldwide, producing a total of 131 million tons of nitrogen (equivalent to 159 million tons of ammonia) in 2010. China produced 32.1% of world production, Followed by India with 8.9%, Russia with 7.9%, and the United States with 6.3%. 80% or more of the ammonia produced is used to fertilize agricultural crops. Ammonia is also used for the production of plastics, fibers, explosives, nitric acid (through the Ostwald process) and intermediates for dyes and pharmaceuticals.
Before the beginning of World War I, most of the ammonia was obtained by dry distillation of plant products and nitrogenated animals; By the reduction of nitrous acid and nitrites with hydrogen; And also by the decomposition of ammonium salts by alkaline hydroxides or by quicklime, the salt being most commonly used is chloride (salt-ammonia).
Today, most of the ammonia is produced on a large scale by the Haber process with capacities of up to 3,300 metric tons per day. In this process, the gases N2 and H2 are allowed to react at pressures of 200 bar.