Market Assessment for Electrochemical Method and System for Preparation of Ammonium Nitrate-based Fertilizers from Ammonia Waste

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Ammonia-enriched waste streams originating from human activities require being treated to prevent negative effects on the environment, such as algae blooms and climate change. Large amounts of nitrogen-containing waste are treated within anaerobic digestion plants to produce biogas and ammonium laden wastewater that is subsequently converted into dinitrogen or ammonium sulphate fertilizer. The main disadvantages of the current approach are low value of the final products and the reliance on hazardous chemicals required for the conversion. Moreover, the use of ammonium sulphate as a fertilizer is restricted in some municipalities due to a high sulphur content detrimental to certain soil performance. The present invention represents a method and system for electrochemical synthesis of nitrogen fertilizers with low to no sulphur content (specifically, sulphur- and phosphorus-containing ammonium nitrate) coupled with hydrogen or syngas production. This method enables sustainable conversion of concentrated ammonia solutions into high-value fertilizers with high current efficiency and excellent ammonia removal efficiency (up to 98%).