Nitrous oxide gas is mainly used for anesthetic purposes. With the increase in standard of living of third world countries nitrous oxide consumption is bound to increase. Applications of nitrous oxide gas are listed below:

• The gas can be used as a propellant in food, perfumes & cosmetics.
• It can be used for Cryosurgery.
• As an oxide gas for atomic absorption in spectrophotometry.
• As a fuel oxidant for racing vehicles.
• The oxidizing property of N2O is helpful for etching microchips.

Heating ammonium nitrate (even technical grade) to high temperature in a melter produces nitrous oxide gas. The molten ammonium nitrate is transferred into a combustion pot where it is decomposed according to the reaction:

NH4NO3 --------- N2O + 2H2O

The reaction needs to be handled carefully. If temperature of ammonium nitrate is allowed to go beyond a certain point then this reaction gives different gases.

Our nitrous oxide plant is designed to give a yield of nitrous oxide gas and our gas passes European standard of purity. Our plants eleminates acidic, basic and other impurities the gases are washed successly in the solutions of caustic soda, acid and other chemicals.

The steam generated during the process is condensed in the primary scrubber. The moisture & traces of ammonium nitrate are separated in the mist separator.

The gas containing some nitrogen is stored in the gas balloons. This gas is compressed, dried refrigerated and then stored in the high pressure storage vessels. The liquid N2O is drawn by weight. In a low pressure nitrous oxide plant, after refrigeration the gas is stored and then analyzed in the laboratory from each batch. All this is to ensure that the quality of the final product and proper records are duly maintained.