Sheffield in Colbert County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)
Nitrate Plant No. 1
Photographed by Bernard Fisher, October 14, 2021
1. Nitrate Plant No. 1 Marker
Several complications impeded this plant's full operation including its inability to operate at the required pressure of 200 atmospheres at 500-600° C. Most importantly, ammonia synthesis could not be sustained due to the lack of a sufficient catalyst.
An Engineering Landmark
Despite the difficulties, as the first operational Haber process outside Germany, this plant was a building-block for the U.S.'s world leadership in this dual food & munitions technology. The Haber process is still used today to produce fertilizer that supports half the world's food supplies. Its current implementation owes much to the once-unrealized potential and lessons learned from this first plant.
(captions)
Ammonium Nitrate Production 1918
Neutralizer-Oxidizer-Nitric Acid- Steam Units
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce.
Location. 34° 45.382′ N, 87° 42.654′ W. Marker is in Sheffield, Alabama, in Colbert County. It is on West 20th Avenue west of Treatment Plant Road, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map.
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in North Alabama and in the Shoals. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, in Appalachia, and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: A different marker also named Nitrate Plant No. 1 (here, next to this marker); Furnace Hill (approx. Ό mile away); In Memory of Our Comrades of Sheffield (approx. 0.7 miles away); President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (approx. 0.7 miles away); Winston Cemetery (approx. 0.7 miles away); Percy Sledge / Producer Quin Ivy (approx. Ύ mile away); History of Sheffield (approx. 0.8 miles away); Village One (approx. 0.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Sheffield.
Photographed by Bernard Fisher, October 14, 2021
2. Nitrate Plant No. 1 Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on October 16, 2021. It was originally submitted on October 16, 2021, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,151 times since then and 32 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 16, 2021, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia.
