As I have mentioned on here often I spent twenty years as a fertilizer company agronomist before transitioning to tech. So I know all about NH3 or anhydrous ammonia. If these guys are really able to cut both the price and the pollution generated from manufacture by 40% this is a really big deal.
Where I disagree is using anhydrous ammonia as a power source. I was safety officer at the last fertilizer plant where I worked. We had to identify every home owner within a certain distance according to state law. I knew every house, their phone number as well as the total number of the people at the residence. If we had a leak on ammonia (which is a gas) everyone needed to be contacted to evacuate. If we were unable to reach them we needed to physically go to their house and knock on the door.
Luckily ammonia leaks are fairly rare, the company I worked for had five locations and in their fifty year history had never had it happen. But the stuff is really that dangerous.
The previous company I worked for did have a leak before I worked there. The delivery driver didn't know what he was doing and overfilled the tank. The owner put on a suit with an oxygen tank, shut everything off and then started filling empty portable tanks (that the farmers used for application) until the big tank was below 85%.
So I cannot imagine a train or semi-truck running on the stuff since they do have real accidents each year.
rmason•1h ago
Where I disagree is using anhydrous ammonia as a power source. I was safety officer at the last fertilizer plant where I worked. We had to identify every home owner within a certain distance according to state law. I knew every house, their phone number as well as the total number of the people at the residence. If we had a leak on ammonia (which is a gas) everyone needed to be contacted to evacuate. If we were unable to reach them we needed to physically go to their house and knock on the door.
Luckily ammonia leaks are fairly rare, the company I worked for had five locations and in their fifty year history had never had it happen. But the stuff is really that dangerous.
The previous company I worked for did have a leak before I worked there. The delivery driver didn't know what he was doing and overfilled the tank. The owner put on a suit with an oxygen tank, shut everything off and then started filling empty portable tanks (that the farmers used for application) until the big tank was below 85%.
So I cannot imagine a train or semi-truck running on the stuff since they do have real accidents each year.