Abstract: A process for an efficient carbon-free fertilizer production from renewable resources generates utilizable energy for grid balancing. The integrated fertilizer production process entails the steps of hydrogen production, nitrogen production, ammonia production, nitric acid production, neutralization, and granulation with the utilization of renewable resources of energy such as hydroelectric power, solar photovoltaic power, and wind power.

Abstract: A high energy recovery process in nitric acid production process recovers, utilizes and/or stores heat energy in at least four stages. In the first stage, a first heat energy is recovered at the catalytic oxidation of ammonia to nitric oxide to generate high-pressure steam used for a first electrical power generation. A second heat energy is recovered at the catalytic oxidation of nitric oxide to nitrogen dioxide to generate low-pressure steam used for a second electrical power generation in the second stage. The nitrogen dioxide is further cooled in a condenser and a third heat energy is recovered and stored in a thermal storage via a heat pump. The nitrogen gas is absorbed to produce nitric acid in an absorber resulting in a hot tail gas stream. The hot tail gas stream is expanded over a tail gas turbine for a third electrical power generation.