Question

Although dihydrogen can be prepared by electrolysis of water but in fertilizer industry, dihydrogen needed for making urea is prepared froom natural gas or naphtha. Why so ?

Answer 1

Manufacturing of `H_(2)` by electrolysis of water is a highly expensive process, therefore, in industry , it is manfactured by partial oxidation of natural gas or naphtha.
`underset("Natural gas")(CH_(4)(g)) + underset("Ni")(1270K)to underset("Syn gas")ubrace (CO(g) + 3H_(2)(g))`
`underset("Naphtha")(C_(n)H_(2n+2))+ underset("Steam")(nH_(2)O) underset(Ni) overset(1270K)to nCO + (2n+1)H_(2)`
CO is then removed from syn gas by water gas shift reaction.