How is ammonia used in production or processing of steel? There are some large tanks of ammonia in nearby iron works.



I wonder, what do they need it for? What is the application of ammonia in steel industry - what processes of making or processing steel require this much ammonia?
Likely, for nitriding http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitriding . Essentially, ammonia is used as nitrogen donor. Nitrogen atoms diffuse into steel, producing hardened, corrosion-resistant surface layer.