Aqueous nitric acid from ammonia oxidation

1. Scope and Applicability

This manufacturing method covers aqueous single-species nitric acid made by catalytic ammonia oxidation, NO oxidation, water absorption and bleaching, through bulk plant-gate acceptance. The current native reference supports the 60% industrial-grade solution. Other aqueous delivery grades use the same methodological identity only after verification of their own compatible native reference and assay basis; concentration or end-use labels do not establish separate PCRs. Sulphonitric acid is a HNO3/H2SO4 mixture requiring both component accounts and a different mixing boundary. Excluded are sulphuric mixtures/oleum, concentrated/fuming acid, dehydration/rectification, acid regeneration, purchased-acid-only dilution/blending and downstream nitration, fertiliser production and use. The downstream intended use alone does not exclude otherwise compatible acid manufacture at the plant gate. [ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998; yara-nitric-acid]

The inventory options below are bounded configurations, not a universal bill of materials. Actual abatement hardware, reagents, catalyst formulation, utility source and discharge endpoints must be declared. A different catalyst, hydrogen or peroxide reagent, packaged sale, onsite fired boiler or direct aqueous discharge requires a separately evidenced atomic extension; do not mark a missing configuration as zero. Historical descriptions and single-plant cases establish no default concentration, pressure, conversion yield, purity, recipe, energy quantity or control efficiency.

2. Product Category Identity

Field	Value
canonical_pcr_id	pcr.other-transportable-goods-except-metal-products-machinery-and-equipment.basic-chemicals.nitric-acid-sulphonitric-acids
classification_refs	CPC 3.0 34233; narrower
covered_products	Bulk aqueous HNO3 from ammonia oxidation; current reference grade 60%
excluded_products	Sulphonitric mixtures; concentrated/fuming or regenerated acid; diluted purchased acid without manufacturing
representative_product	Industrial-grade aqueous nitric acid at measured composition
production_route	Pt-Rh ammonia oxidation, NO oxidation, water absorption and bleaching; actual mono/dual pressure recorded
market_state	Net bulk liquid at plant gate, before downstream transport

3. Reference Flow

Field	Value
What	Provide industrial aqueous nitric acid as chemical feedstock
How much	1 kg accepted net supplied solution
How well	Declared 60% grade, measured HNO3 mass fraction, water/impurity account and customer acceptance
How long or cycle	One plant-gate delivery; inventory covers representative complete catalyst campaign and operating states
reference_flow_link	gate_acid

Field	Value
Reference amount	1
Reference product flow	Nitric acid bfd3cad4-2d40-4fe1-998c-5ecf1ddd2520
Reference flow property	Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66
Reference unit group	Units of mass 93a60a57-a4c8-11da-a746-0800200c9a66
Reference unit	kg
Required qualifiers	HNO3 CAS 7697-37-2; supplied solution mass; declared grade and measured HNO3 mass fraction; carrier water and impurities; oxidation/absorption pressure and temperature; mono/dual pressure; catalyst composition and age; actual NOx/N2O treatment and bypass; bulk delivery; site/time; utility definitions; stock change; receiver/allocation basis

Declare these qualifiers in the foreground package. The UUID concentration qualifier is a compatibility condition, not evidence that a delivered lot was assayed. Never attach this 60% identity to a 40%, 50%, 70% or anhydrous product. Carrier water is part of the reference solution mass and is separately accounted in composition, not a second reference output.

The native name states “purity 60%” without separately defining that percentage or the wet/dry basis of a background dataset reference. This method defines quantity as whole supplied solution; measure HNO3 and water fractions and obtain provider confirmation of the grade percentage and whole-solution background mass basis before linking. The Mass property alone does not establish the concentration-percentage basis.

4. Measurement and Unit Rules

rule_id	Applies to	Required property	Required unit	Rule
reference_mass	gate_acid	Mass	kg	Reference amount is whole accepted solution net mass; use cp_product. Determine active HNO3 and carrier-water masses from measured mass fractions, retaining impurities separately.
common_denominator	all inventory rows	Mass denominator	kg	Use the same accepted solution output and period for every exchange; inventories are per 1 kg reference flow. Sales, production and stock changes must reconcile before normalization.
gas_reference	oxygen_supplement; natural_gas_reductant	Volume	m3	Retain source and provider gas-volume conditions, composition, humidity and compressibility; no assumed normal state or secondary-mass density. Convert only through a documented compatible method.
steam_reference	steam_import; steam_export; condensate_return; condensate_received	Mass and measured enthalpy ledger	kg	Record gross steam/water transfers separately; derive net useful heat from actual enthalpy and return reference. Keep identity and pressure compatible; unknown background MJ definitions block linking, not measurement.
species_reference	no_air; no2_air; n2o_air	Mass	kg	Use species masses. NOx as NO2-equivalent cannot populate NO or NO2 without measured speciation; exclude N2O from NOx. Keep NOx QA aggregate outside the additive elementary ledger.
pressure_basis	nitric_manufacture	Pressure	Pa	Record oxidation and absorption pressure separately with unit, gauge/absolute convention, atmospheric pressure and measuring point, and temperature scale; do not interchange historical bar/psia conditions without verification or infer a default yield.

5. System Boundary

Boundary Abstraction

Field	Value
declared_starting_condition	Delivered anhydrous ammonia, external utilities and supplied catalyst at the acid train; measured ambient air uptake
starting_condition_role	foreground_collection_boundary
product_classification_scope	Aqueous ammonia-oxidation HNO3 subset of CPC34233
recursive_input_rule	Purchased nitric acid is a separate upstream dataset, not generated recursively or assumed burden-free; purchased-acid-only blending is outside this manufacturing route
upstream_dataset_requirement	Verified provider identity and reference quantity for ammonia, each utility, reagent and catalyst; external wastewater and spent-catalyst receivers linked once
disclosure	State oxidation/absorption regimes, all abatement/bypass configurations, utility delivery boundaries, water treatment and whether export is useful to an identified user

rule_id	Applies to	Rule	source_ids
boundary_train	foreground boundary	Include actual evaporation, filtration, compression, oxidation, heat recovery, condensation, absorption, bleaching, tailgas treatment, storage and bulk loading within one foreground unit; the stage ledger remains independently measured.	ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998
boundary_external	foreground boundary	Purchased utility generation and external waste treatment are linked provider units; do not also import their emissions as direct acid-plant exchanges. A separately expanded onsite boiler or wastewater plant needs its own complete measured inventory.	ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998
boundary_actual	foreground boundary	Report actual normal operation, startup, shutdown, bypass and catalyst ageing; assumed BAT installation or efficiency cannot substitute for observation. A missing applicable exchange is unresolved, not zero.	ec-lvic-aaf-2007

6. Process Inventory Structure

Process Map

process_id	process_name	inclusion	inclusion_condition	role	quantitative_reference
nitric_manufacture	Ammonia-oxidation nitric-acid manufacture and bulk delivery	required	Declared bounded route; actual treatment options only	foreground_process	gate_acid

One aggregated foreground unit prevents the same nitric-acid UUID from creating multiple quantitative-reference outputs between absorption, storage and loading. Keep the following measured physical stage ledger before allocation:

Stage	Physical links and measurements
Feed preparation and oxidation	Ammonia feed to vapour; fresh primary air and oxygen; measured gas to cooler, catalyst changes and reaction water
Recovery and absorption	Hot gas and recovered steam; cooler gas/condensate to absorber; absorption water; acid to bleaching; secondary air and NO-containing gas recycle
Tailgas and utilities	Gas before/after actual treatment; reagent consumption; turbine work; exported steam and condensate at physical endpoints
Storage and loading	Acid transfer to tank and accepted delivery; tank opening/closing stock, rejection, drains and separately measured vent emissions

Every internal transfer has equal sender and receiver quantities for the same time, state and composition. Internal recycle does not cross the aggregated unit and is not added to external inventory. Before allocation, close total physical mass and elemental N, O, H and relevant C balances with measured composition and stock changes. Molecular N2 and H2O may be formed or consumed by reaction; their ledgers include explicit reaction terms, never fabricated external supplies. Preserve unreacted gas, N2 formed in side reactions/abatement and all measured carrier species. Additional actual chemicals, catalyst supports, air-filter waste, lubricants or direct effluent pollutants require their own specific rows and verified identities, never a collection-flow substitute.

For reaction diagnostics, the main steps are 4 NH3 + 5 O2 → 4 NO + 6 H2O; 2 NO + O2 → 2 NO2; and 3 NO2 + H2O → 2 HNO3 + NO. With reoxidation of NO, the net ideal acid reaction is NH3 + 2 O2 → HNO3 + H2O. Side routes include 4 NH3 + 3 O2 → 2 N2 + 6 H2O and 4 NH3 + 4 O2 → 2 N2O + 6 H2O; decomposition gives 2 N2O → 2 N2 + O2. These atom-balanced relations describe possible transformations, not measured yields or default exchange amounts. Actual reduction reactions, leaks and dissolved species require their own evidenced contributions. [ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998]

The whole wet-air intake and whole wet exhaust are physical stream totals. Their O2/N2/H2O and pollutant components are a nested composition ledger, not additional copies of those totals. Count ambient-air O2 only inside air_intake; only separately supplied oxygen enters oxygen_supplement. A whole wastewater transfer includes carrier water, dissolved acid, nitrates/nitrites and other constituents; do not add its constituent masses again as separate waste transfers. Direct discharge requires disjoint whole-effluent and pollutant measurements with separately verified medium/species identities. Convert nitrate-as-N, acid-equivalent or NOx-as-NO2 reporting to actual species only with evidenced speciation and molecular basis; NOx-as-NO2 is not a physical NO + NO2 mass total. Trace other actual carrier gases and dissolved species without forcing them into N2 or a residual invented water input.

For catalysts, packing, filter media and maintenance materials, retain actual gross receipts, installations, removals, unused supplier returns, opening/closing stores, in-service stock and losses in the physical ledger. Any actual return or additional material needs its own specific directional exchange and identity; net consumption does not erase a physical transfer. Lifetime attribution of upstream manufacture, maintenance service or recovery burdens is a separate burden ledger, with evidenced useful-life output and stock carry-over, never a replacement for gross physical kg. Monetary service charges are not catalyst or packing mass. Keep physical transfers and attributed upstream burdens separate when normalizing both to the accepted solution denominator. [ec-lvic-aaf-2007; ec-ilcd-allocation-2010]

Process: Nitric-acid manufacture (nitric_manufacture)

Inputs

Product flows

Ammonia, anhydrous (ammonia_feed)

This card represents one boundary exchange. Its applicability and measurement are defined below.

• Selected flow: Ammonia, anhydrous a0e3299b-9484-4ec3-89d3-cd1e2d6c2225
• Flow property / unit: Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66 / kg
• Amount rule: Meter net anhydrous ammonia entering oxidation; assay purity and retain liquid/vapour state and evaporation duty. Do not substitute aqueous ammonia.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_material
• Sources: ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998

Ammonia, anhydrous (ammonia_reductant)

This card represents one boundary exchange. Its applicability and measurement are defined below.

• Selected flow: Ammonia, anhydrous a0e3299b-9484-4ec3-89d3-cd1e2d6c2225
• Flow property / unit: Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66 / kg
• Amount rule: Only for actual anhydrous-ammonia tailgas reduction: meter reagent separately from ammonia_feed, with no duplicated header total. Aqueous reagent requires its own verified solution flow.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_material
• Sources: ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998

oxygen (oxygen_supplement)

This card represents one boundary exchange. Its applicability and measurement are defined below.

• Selected flow: oxygen f804eb52-65c3-4db0-9d2d-e463b29e6e4b
• Flow property / unit: Volume 93a60a56-a3c8-22da-a746-0800200c9a66 / m3
• Amount rule: Only actual purchased gaseous oxygen enrichment; meter delivered volume, oxygen purity, temperature, absolute pressure, moisture and compressibility. Establish provider m3 compatibility; never count oxygen already contained in air_intake again.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_volume
• Sources: ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998

de-ionised water (absorption_water)

This card represents one boundary exchange. Its applicability and measurement are defined below.

• Selected flow: de-ionised water 4f197bf0-7b3b-11dd-ad8b-0800200c9a66
• Flow property / unit: Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66 / kg
• Amount rule: Meter external de-ionised absorption and boiler-feed makeup water as separately identified stage records aggregated once. Reaction water and internal condensate recycle are not additional external purchases. Other supplied water grades require their own identity.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_material
• Sources: ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998

Tap water (cooling_makeup)

This card represents one boundary exchange. Its applicability and measurement are defined below.

• Selected flow: Tap water d1e0e36c-07f0-4a75-bdcb-efb5d9e2ac36
• Flow property / unit: Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66 / kg
• Amount rule: Only actual treated tap-water makeup to cooling; measure makeup, blowdown, evaporation and storage changes separately. Circulating cooling-water throughput is not fresh-water purchase.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_material
• Sources: ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998

Alternating current (electricity)

This card represents one boundary exchange. Its applicability and measurement are defined below.

• Selected flow: Alternating current 3d76981f-964a-4865-b588-0e067a2a1163
• Flow property / unit: Net calorific value 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200c9a66 / MJ
• Amount rule: Only for actual CN supply compatible with the selected native geography: meter gross purchased grid-average AC at the 1–35 kV delivery boundary; convert kWh to MJ using 3.6 MJ/kWh. Record stage meters and recovered turbine work separately; do not also charge recovered work as purchased electricity. Other supply geographies, voltages or technologies require their own verified flow; the CN identity cannot stand in for an unknown or different location.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_energy
• Sources: ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998

Purchased steam at measured pressure (steam_import)

This card represents one boundary exchange. Its applicability and measurement are defined below.

• Selected flow: Purchased steam at measured pressure
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Only actual external steam; collect mass, pressure (gauge and absolute identified), temperature, dryness/superheat, return-condensate mass and enthalpy, and provider reference definition. No 11.0 or 0.45 MPaG assumption and no MJ identity inferred from a database energy property.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_steam
• Sources: ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998

natural gas in the gaseous state (natural_gas_reductant)

This card represents one boundary exchange. Its applicability and measurement are defined below.

• Selected flow: natural gas in the gaseous state 4f19ca0e-7b3b-11dd-ad8b-0800200c9a66
• Flow property / unit: Volume 93a60a56-a3c8-22da-a746-0800200c9a66 / m3
• Amount rule: Only actual pipeline natural gas used in tailgas abatement; meter m3 with temperature, absolute pressure, dry/wet basis, composition and compressibility. Verify provider volume and fossil-carbon basis; the secondary Mass factor is not a measured density. Hydrogen or another reductant is outside this inventory configuration.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_volume
• Sources: ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998

Sodium hydroxide (caustic_scrubber)

This card represents one boundary exchange. Its applicability and measurement are defined below.

• Selected flow: Sodium hydroxide e0abcced-0611-4c24-9290-5a2c5a0c4169
• Flow property / unit: Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66 / kg
• Amount rule: Only actual industrial-grade 95–98% NaOH purchased for wet scrubbing or neutralisation; weigh the whole supplied material, assay active fraction and separately meter dissolution water. This identity does not represent an arbitrary caustic solution or prescribe its use.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_material
• Sources: ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998

Platinum-rhodium oxidation gauze (oxidation_gauze)

This card represents one boundary exchange. Its applicability and measurement are defined below.

• Selected flow: Platinum-rhodium oxidation gauze
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Weigh one supplied Pt-Rh gauze formulation; collect supplier composition, precious-metal assay, installed/replaced mass, campaign dates, production over useful life and actual metal recovery. Palladium-containing or other catalyst formulations need separate verified cards.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_catalyst
• Sources: ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998

Cerium-oxide-supported cobalt N2O decomposition catalyst (n2o_catalyst)

This card represents one boundary exchange. Its applicability and measurement are defined below.

• Selected flow: Cerium-oxide-supported cobalt N2O decomposition catalyst
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Only actual cerium-oxide/cobalt formulation for secondary N2O decomposition: measure delivered composite mass, full composition, life and replaced mass. This historically described configuration is not a default catalyst, recipe or efficiency.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_catalyst
• Sources: ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998

Iron-zeolite tailgas abatement catalyst (tailgas_catalyst)

This card represents one boundary exchange. Its applicability and measurement are defined below.

• Selected flow: Iron-zeolite tailgas abatement catalyst
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Only an actual iron-zeolite bed: measure the supplied composite, supplier formulation, bed function and lifetime throughput. Different SCR/NSCR formulations require separate atomic inventory and identity checks; equipment labels cannot establish catalyst equivalence.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_catalyst
• Sources: ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998

Liquid condensate returned from exported-steam user (condensate_received)

This is one independently measured liquid-water return exchange.

• Selected flow: Liquid condensate returned from exported-steam user
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Only actual condensate received from an identified steam_export user; meter its mass, temperature and enthalpy separately from steam_import returns. Match both physical endpoints and do not call it purchased fresh water.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_steam
• Sources: ec-lvic-aaf-2007

Elementary flows

air (air_intake)

This card represents one boundary exchange. Its applicability and measurement are defined below.

• Selected flow: air fe0acd60-3ddc-11dd-aaa4-0050c2490048
• Flow property / unit: Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66 / kg
• Amount rule: Measure fresh ambient air admitted across the boundary, including primary oxidation and secondary/bleaching air once each; convert metered volume only with measured conditions/composition and humidity. Retain the air-derived nitrogen/oxygen/water subledger without duplicating an oxygen-resource exchange.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_air
• Sources: ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998

Outputs

Product flows

Nitric acid (gate_acid)

1 kg accepted net aqueous nitric-acid solution at the gate; the selected native flow is industrial-grade 60% nitric acid. Use cp_product to establish actual assay and compatible lot acceptance; 1 kg is whole solution, not 1 kg pure HNO3.

• Selected flow: Nitric acid bfd3cad4-2d40-4fe1-998c-5ecf1ddd2520
• Flow property / unit: Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66 / kg
• Amount rule: 1 kg
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_product
• Sources: ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998

Recovered steam from nitric-acid reaction heat (steam_export)

This card represents one boundary exchange. Its applicability and measurement are defined below.

• Selected flow: Recovered steam from nitric-acid reaction heat
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Only measured useful steam crossing to an identified user; keep gross steam mass, quality and pressure, condensate-return linkage and net delivered enthalpy. Internal turbine steam is not this export. No presumed sale, avoided boiler or negative electricity credit.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_steam
• Sources: ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998

Liquid steam condensate returned to external supplier (condensate_return)

This card represents one boundary exchange. Its applicability and measurement are defined below.

• Selected flow: Liquid steam condensate returned to external supplier
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Only actual imported-steam condensate returned to supplier; measure water mass, temperature and return enthalpy. Do not treat a return as fresh-water export or subtract its mass from the gross steam exchange. Condensate received back from steam_export is an independent opposite-direction exchange when present.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_steam
• Sources: ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998

Waste flows

Aqueous nitric-acid-bearing wastewater for external treatment (acidic_wastewater)

This card represents one boundary exchange. Its applicability and measurement are defined below.

• Selected flow: Aqueous nitric-acid-bearing wastewater for external treatment
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Only collected acid-bearing drains/blowdown transferred to treatment: weigh whole liquid, analyse HNO3, nitrate/nitrite, ammoniacal nitrogen, dissolved metals, pH and solids, and identify receiver. Wastewater is not a direct freshwater elementary emission; sulphuric waste acid and manganese-washing water are incompatible identities.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_waste
• Sources: ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998

Spent platinum-rhodium oxidation gauze for metal recovery (spent_gauze)

This card represents one boundary exchange. Its applicability and measurement are defined below.

• Selected flow: Spent platinum-rhodium oxidation gauze for metal recovery
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Weigh actual removed gauze; analyse Pt/Rh and contaminants, keep recovery receiver and service charges. No automatic recycled-content or avoided-metal credit; retained gauze in equipment is not an output.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_waste
• Sources: ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998

Spent cerium-oxide-supported cobalt catalyst (spent_n2o_catalyst)

This card represents one boundary exchange. Its applicability and measurement are defined below.

• Selected flow: Spent cerium-oxide-supported cobalt catalyst
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Only actually removed matching n2o_catalyst composite; measure mass, metal composition, contamination and recovery/disposal receiver independently of spent_gauze.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_waste
• Sources: ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998

Spent iron-zeolite tailgas catalyst (spent_tailgas_catalyst)

This card represents one boundary exchange. Its applicability and measurement are defined below.

• Selected flow: Spent iron-zeolite tailgas catalyst
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Only actual matching iron-zeolite composite sent to a documented receiver; measure composition and mass. A generic power-plant catalyst or spent nickel catalyst is not a confirmed equivalent.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_waste
• Sources: ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998

Elementary flows

nitrogen monoxide (no_air)

This card represents one boundary exchange. Its applicability and measurement are defined below.

• Selected flow: nitrogen monoxide 08a91e70-3ddc-11dd-96ee-0050c2490048
• Flow property / unit: Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66 / kg
• Amount rule: Integrate actual NO mass emitted to outdoor air after installed treatment, with disjoint stack/vent periods and species-specific analysis under cp_emission. No default positive amount or removal efficiency; below-detection results retain censoring and uncertainty.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_emission
• Sources: ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998

nitrogen dioxide (no2_air)

This card represents one boundary exchange. Its applicability and measurement are defined below.

• Selected flow: nitrogen dioxide 08a91e70-3ddc-11dd-96e5-0050c2490048
• Flow property / unit: Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66 / kg
• Amount rule: Integrate actual NO2 mass emitted to outdoor air after installed treatment, with disjoint stack/vent periods and species-specific analysis under cp_emission. No default positive amount or removal efficiency; below-detection results retain censoring and uncertainty.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_emission
• Sources: ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998

nitrous oxide (n2o_air)

This card represents one boundary exchange. Its applicability and measurement are defined below.

• Selected flow: nitrous oxide 08a91e70-3ddc-11dd-94c3-0050c2490048
• Flow property / unit: Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66 / kg
• Amount rule: Integrate actual N2O mass emitted to outdoor air after installed treatment, with disjoint stack/vent periods and species-specific analysis under cp_emission. No default positive amount or removal efficiency; below-detection results retain censoring and uncertainty.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_emission
• Sources: ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998

ammonia (nh3air_air)

This card represents one boundary exchange. Its applicability and measurement are defined below.

• Selected flow: ammonia 08a91e70-3ddc-11dd-a2a9-0050c2490048
• Flow property / unit: Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66 / kg
• Amount rule: Integrate actual NH3 mass emitted to outdoor air after installed treatment, with disjoint stack/vent periods and species-specific analysis under cp_emission. No default positive amount or removal efficiency; below-detection results retain censoring and uncertainty.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_emission
• Sources: ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998

nitric acid (acidair_air)

This card represents one boundary exchange. Its applicability and measurement are defined below.

• Selected flow: nitric acid 1df287ba-2f10-461e-95ce-7714a3e76ac6
• Flow property / unit: Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66 / kg
• Amount rule: Integrate actual HNO3 mass emitted to outdoor air after installed treatment, with disjoint stack/vent periods and species-specific analysis under cp_emission. No default positive amount or removal efficiency; below-detection results retain censoring and uncertainty.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_emission
• Sources: ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998

carbon dioxide (fossil) (co2_air)

This card represents one boundary exchange. Its applicability and measurement are defined below.

• Selected flow: carbon dioxide (fossil) 08a91e70-3ddc-11dd-923d-0050c2490048
• Flow property / unit: Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66 / kg
• Amount rule: Integrate actual fossil CO2 mass emitted to outdoor air after installed treatment, with disjoint stack/vent periods and species-specific analysis under cp_emission. No default positive amount or removal efficiency; below-detection results retain censoring and uncertainty. Include only actual fossil-carbon reagent combustion, slip or leaks; upstream fuel emissions stay with the provider dataset.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_emission
• Sources: ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998

carbon monoxide (fossil) (co_air)

This card represents one boundary exchange. Its applicability and measurement are defined below.

• Selected flow: carbon monoxide (fossil) 08a91e70-3ddc-11dd-924e-0050c2490048
• Flow property / unit: Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66 / kg
• Amount rule: Integrate actual fossil CO mass emitted to outdoor air after installed treatment, with disjoint stack/vent periods and species-specific analysis under cp_emission. No default positive amount or removal efficiency; below-detection results retain censoring and uncertainty. Include only actual fossil-carbon reagent combustion, slip or leaks; upstream fuel emissions stay with the provider dataset.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_emission
• Sources: ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998

methane (fossil) (ch4_air)

This card represents one boundary exchange. Its applicability and measurement are defined below.

• Selected flow: methane (fossil) 08a91e70-3ddc-11dd-9610-0050c2490048
• Flow property / unit: Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66 / kg
• Amount rule: Integrate actual fossil CH4 mass emitted to outdoor air after installed treatment, with disjoint stack/vent periods and species-specific analysis under cp_emission. No default positive amount or removal efficiency; below-detection results retain censoring and uncertainty. Include only actual fossil-carbon reagent combustion, slip or leaks; upstream fuel emissions stay with the provider dataset.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_emission
• Sources: ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998

water vapour (waterair_air)

This card represents one boundary exchange. Its applicability and measurement are defined below.

• Selected flow: water vapour fe0acd60-3ddc-11dd-ac04-0050c2490048
• Flow property / unit: Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66 / kg
• Amount rule: Integrate actual water vapour mass emitted to outdoor air after installed treatment, with disjoint stack/vent periods and species-specific analysis under cp_emission. No default positive amount or removal efficiency; below-detection results retain censoring and uncertainty. Reconcile pass-through air and reaction/abatement contributions in the physical gas/water balance; do not infer environmental mass from a GHG-only inventory.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_emission
• Sources: ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998

dinitrogen (nitrogen_air)

This card represents one boundary exchange. Its applicability and measurement are defined below.

• Selected flow: dinitrogen fe0acd60-3ddc-11dd-aad2-0050c2490048
• Flow property / unit: Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66 / kg
• Amount rule: Integrate actual N2 mass emitted to outdoor air after installed treatment, with disjoint stack/vent periods and species-specific analysis under cp_emission. No default positive amount or removal efficiency; below-detection results retain censoring and uncertainty. Reconcile pass-through air and reaction/abatement contributions in the physical gas/water balance; do not infer environmental mass from a GHG-only inventory.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_emission
• Sources: ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998

oxygen (oxygenout_air)

This card represents one boundary exchange. Its applicability and measurement are defined below.

• Selected flow: oxygen 08a91e70-3ddc-11dd-9745-0050c2490048
• Flow property / unit: Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66 / kg
• Amount rule: Integrate actual residual O2 mass emitted to outdoor air after installed treatment, with disjoint stack/vent periods and species-specific analysis under cp_emission. No default positive amount or removal efficiency; below-detection results retain censoring and uncertainty. Reconcile pass-through air and reaction/abatement contributions in the physical gas/water balance; do not infer environmental mass from a GHG-only inventory.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_emission
• Sources: ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998

The selected air-emission records use outdoor air, unspecified subcompartment. Once the actual stack/ground-level subcompartment is established, verify and use the compatible specific native flow, splitting disjoint releases as needed; do not silently retain an incompatible subcompartment. The air-intake flow is a resource from air, not an emission.

7. Allocation and Co-product Handling

rule_id	Applies to	Rule	source_ids
allocation_physical	foreground boundary	Keep the full physical process graph and conservation ledger separate from the allocated environmental-burden ledger. Allocation never multiplies the actual acid or steam outputs or internal transfer quantities by a burden share.	ec-ilcd-allocation-2010
allocation_hierarchy	foreground boundary	First assign separately metered operations to their functions and document subdivision; for remaining shared burdens justify a determining physical causal relationship per exchange. If that relationship cannot be established, use documented gate economic values with quantity and price for each actual useful co-product over one consistent period. Retain sensitivity, price source, transfer-price treatment and zero/negative-price justification.	ec-ilcd-allocation-2010
allocation_exports	foreground boundary	Exported steam needs a real user, compatible quality and measured net useful delivery; atmospheric venting is an emission, not a co-product. Report gross imports and exports, never presume a substitution credit. A system-expansion study requires separately evidenced displaced function and dataset and must not be combined with allocation for the same credit. Waste handling remains a treatment obligation unless a separately justified co-function exists.	ec-ilcd-allocation-2010

8. Foreground Data Collection, Calculation, and Quality Rules

Data Collection Protocols

protocol_id	process_id	flow_role	record_type	raw_fields	collection_method	unit	frequency	temporal_coverage	site_scope	aggregation_rule	quality_evidence
cp_product	nitric_manufacture	accepted acid	batch assay/weighing	lot; grade; net solution mass; HNO3 fraction w; carrier-water fraction; impurity fractions; stock; accepted/rejected quantities	Calibrated net weighing or mass flowmeter; representative traceable validated HNO3/water/impurity assay and customer acceptance; reconcile production, loading and inventory	kg; m3; MJ; measured fraction as applicable	Each batch/transfer; continuously for operating meters	Representative complete catalyst campaign including all operating states	One declared train/site and matched upstream/receiver boundary	per 1 kg reference flow	Calibration; originals; assay QA; coverage and uncertainty; reconciled stocks
cp_material	nitric_manufacture	external material	meter/purchase/assay	row_id; stage; material identity; whole supplied mass; concentration; composition; meter; receipts; stock	Calibrated weighing/metering and receipts; reconcile opening stock plus purchases minus closing stock and returns; keep each material separate	kg; m3; MJ; measured fraction as applicable	Each batch/transfer; continuously for operating meters	Representative complete catalyst campaign including all operating states	One declared train/site and matched upstream/receiver boundary	per 1 kg reference flow	Calibration; originals; assay QA; coverage and uncertainty; reconciled stocks
cp_volume	nitric_manufacture	gas supply	volume meter and gas assay	row_id; volume; T; absolute P; wet/dry basis; composition; compressibility; provider m3 definition	Record corrected-volume meter calibration and supplier definition; retain an evidenced conversion with original and converted quantities	kg; m3; MJ; measured fraction as applicable	Each batch/transfer; continuously for operating meters	Representative complete catalyst campaign including all operating states	One declared train/site and matched upstream/receiver boundary	per 1 kg reference flow	Calibration; originals; assay QA; coverage and uncertainty; reconciled stocks
cp_air	nitric_manufacture	ambient air	intake meter/gas balance	primary/secondary air volumes; T; P; humidity; composition; gas analysis; internal recycle	Calibrated intake metering or validated gas balance; distinguish fresh air from recycled gas and include measured humidity	kg; m3; MJ; measured fraction as applicable	Each batch/transfer; continuously for operating meters	Representative complete catalyst campaign including all operating states	One declared train/site and matched upstream/receiver boundary	per 1 kg reference flow	Calibration; originals; assay QA; coverage and uncertainty; reconciled stocks
cp_energy	nitric_manufacture	purchased electricity	submeter and invoice	kWh; voltage; stage; grid/provider; losses boundary; turbine work; dates	Calibrated purchased-electricity meter and disjoint submeters; reconcile invoice and internal work without netting export credits	kg; m3; MJ; measured fraction as applicable	Each batch/transfer; continuously for operating meters	Representative complete catalyst campaign including all operating states	One declared train/site and matched upstream/receiver boundary	per 1 kg reference flow	Calibration; originals; assay QA; coverage and uncertainty; reconciled stocks
cp_steam	nitric_manufacture	steam/water transfers	flow and thermodynamic measurements	row_id; sender/receiver; steam mass; T; gauge/absolute P; quality; enthalpy; return mass/enthalpy; provider heat basis	Calibrated flowmeter and state measurements; validated IAPWS-IF97 water/steam thermodynamic method within its applicable domain, with absolute pressure, reference state, h in kJ/kg, unreturned-water endpoints and disjoint losses; match physical endpoints, heat delivered and actual return	kg; m3; MJ; measured fraction as applicable	Each batch/transfer; continuously for operating meters	Representative complete catalyst campaign including all operating states	One declared train/site and matched upstream/receiver boundary	per 1 kg reference flow	Calibration; originals; assay QA; coverage and uncertainty; reconciled stocks
cp_catalyst	nitric_manufacture	one catalyst formulation	replacement and life record	row_id; supplier grade; composition; metal assay; installed/replaced mass; dates; useful-life acid output; recovery	Weigh each actual supplied formulation and gross return/removal separately; reconcile stored and in-service mass, installation/replacement and metal losses; retain gross physical transfers for the collection period and attribute upstream lifetime burdens separately across evidenced useful-life output	kg; m3; MJ; measured fraction as applicable	Each batch/transfer; continuously for operating meters	Representative complete catalyst campaign including all operating states	One declared train/site and matched upstream/receiver boundary	per 1 kg reference flow	Calibration; originals; assay QA; coverage and uncertainty; reconciled stocks
cp_waste	nitric_manufacture	one waste stream	transfer note and assay	row_id; wet mass; dry solids; chemical/metal composition; stock; receiver; destination; treatment	Calibrated weighing/metering with representative chemical assay and signed transfer; record whole waste separately from its constituent masses	kg; m3; MJ; measured fraction as applicable	Each batch/transfer; continuously for operating meters	Representative complete catalyst campaign including all operating states	One declared train/site and matched upstream/receiver boundary	per 1 kg reference flow	Calibration; originals; assay QA; coverage and uncertainty; reconciled stocks
cp_emission	nitric_manufacture	one air species	speciated monitoring and gas-flow record	row_id; CAS/species; source/stack; concentration; actual/standard gas volume; T/P; moisture; duration; detection limit; calibration; bypass; carbon origin	Validated species-specific monitoring with matched gas-flow basis and time integration; include startup/shutdown; separate after-treatment releases from before-treatment diagnostics	kg; m3; MJ; measured fraction as applicable	Each batch/transfer; continuously for operating meters	Representative complete catalyst campaign including all operating states	One declared train/site and matched upstream/receiver boundary	per 1 kg reference flow	Calibration; originals; assay QA; coverage and uncertainty; reconciled stocks
cp_balance	nitric_manufacture	physical stage transfers	stage and tank balance	time; sender/receiver; whole wet stream mass; component composition; elemental N/O/H/C; N2/H2O reaction terms; stored/in-service stock; air; utilities; disjoint endpoints	Match both ends of each internal link; close total mass and elemental N/O/H and relevant C with stock changes; reconcile N2/H2O species using reaction terms; keep whole streams and nested composition totals distinct from additive exchanges and burden allocation	kg; m3; MJ; measured fraction as applicable	Each batch/transfer; continuously for operating meters	Representative complete catalyst campaign including all operating states	One declared train/site and matched upstream/receiver boundary	per 1 kg reference flow	Calibration; originals; assay QA; coverage and uncertainty; reconciled stocks
cp_allocation	nitric_manufacture	useful coproduct function	submeter, sale and causal study	function; direct burden; shared burden; quantities; useful heat; gate prices; period; physical-causality model; uncertainty	Retain physical ledger plus subdivided burden assignments; demonstrate causal relation or gate values and sensitivity before computing shares	kg; m3; MJ; measured fraction as applicable	Each batch/transfer; continuously for operating meters	Representative complete catalyst campaign including all operating states	One declared train/site and matched upstream/receiver boundary	per 1 kg reference flow	Calibration; originals; assay QA; coverage and uncertainty; reconciled stocks

Calculation Rules

rule_id	Applies to	Formula or rule	Inputs	Output	source_ids
campaign_basis	all inventory rows	Divide each measured physical campaign boundary exchange by the same measured accepted net solution output in kg; preserve original quantities, stock adjustments and units. gate_acid is 1 kg.	cp_product; all row protocols	Each exchange per 1 kg reference flow
solution_components	gate_acid	For each lot: active HNO3 mass = whole solution mass × measured HNO3 mass fraction; carrier water = whole solution mass × measured water fraction; record impurities separately. Sum lot component masses before taking a weighted fraction; do not add components as extra product outputs.	cp_product	Component ledger for the same accepted solution
mass_concentration	all elementary air output rows	When concentration is mg/m3 on the same gas basis as volume: species kg = sum(concentration × gas volume) / 1000000. For ppmv use a documented molecular/volume conversion at measured T/P/moisture; no unverified normal-volume constant. Normalize only after integration.	cp_emission; cp_product	Species kg per 1 kg reference flow
steam_enthalpy	steam_import; steam_export; condensate_return; condensate_received	For each matched supply/user pair, delivered useful heat in MJ = [steam kg × supply h − returned-condensate kg × return h − unreturned-water kg × evidenced endpoint h] / 1000 − losses in MJ outside the metered endpoints. h is kJ/kg from measured absolute pressure, temperature and steam quality using a validated IAPWS-IF97 implementation within its water-state domain. Retain all other physical outlets and stock changes, with their energy terms; do not assume equal return mass. Declare each endpoint/reference state and exclude losses already reflected in endpoint measurements. Keep gross physical kg rows, useful heat and compatible provider energy reference separate; unknown state or provider basis blocks that heat/link calculation.	cp_steam; cp_product	Measured net heat ledger; compatible provider linkage	iapws-if97-2012
economic_share	shared environmental burdens	Only residual burdens without demonstrated physical causality: value_i = delivered quantity_i × gate price_i; share_i = value_i / sum(value_j); apply share_i to those burdens only, never physical output. Require positive total value and documented treatment of zero/negative values.	cp_allocation	Allocated burden ledger and sensitivity	ec-ilcd-allocation-2010

Data Quality Requirements

requirement_id	Applies to	Requirement	Evidence
dq_identity	all inventory rows	Resolve actual CAS, mixture composition, route, state, medium and reference property; empty UUID is explicit debt, not proof of absence	Supplier original and exact identity read
dq_coverage	all inventory rows	Document applicable/absent/unmeasured separately; add actual omitted atomic exchanges before using a complete dataset claim	cp_balance; equipment and procurement ledger
dq_period	all inventory rows	Align mass/energy/emission numerator and solution denominator across production, catalyst replacement, downtime and stocks	Traceable originals; campaign coverage
dq_limits	all source-derived statements	Preserve original pressure/concentration/unit/basis and historic/case limits; no universal recipe, yield or emission factor imported	Source locators and foreground protocols

9. Validation Rules

rule_id	Applies to	Rule	source_ids
validate_reference	foreground boundary	Require one gate_acid quantitative reference, whole-solution kg and compatible measured 60% grade; verify native property/unit chain. No same-UUID intermediate output duplicates.	ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998
validate_balance	foreground boundary	Check internal-link equality, total physical mass and elemental N/O/H and relevant C conservation before allocation, including air pass-through, waste and stored/in-service stock. N2/H2O species balances include formation/consumption reaction terms; whole wet streams and nested constituent totals must not be added twice. Investigate residuals within measured uncertainty; no fixed closure tolerance invented.	ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998
validate_species	foreground boundary	NO, NO2 and N2O are independent masses; do not add NOx aggregate to NO/NO2 or use assumed NO2-equivalent speciation. Unknown basis remains pending. HNO3 mist is specific HNO3 mass, not automatically PM; nested particulate intervals cannot be cumulatively added.	ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998
validate_utilities	foreground boundary	Verify gas m3 conditions and provider reference, actual steam pressure/enthalpy/return and grid voltage; UUID identity alone cannot establish an upstream dataset amount basis.	ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998
validate_configuration	foreground boundary	Reject a complete-inventory claim when an actual reagent, catalyst, filter waste, direct liquid emission or packaged component lacks its individual account. Record real abatement, bypass and all waste receivers; successful identity retrieval is not a complete plant dataset.	ec-lvic-aaf-2007; epa-ap42-nitric-1998
validate_allocation	foreground boundary	Keep co-product physical quantities unchanged; verify allocated burdens reconcile to the full burden total and exclude duplicate export/substitution credit. Resolve scientific applicability independently before approval.	ec-ilcd-allocation-2010

10. Published Dataset Profile

Field	Value
dataset_role	foreground_process_dataset
downstream_use	secondary_dataset; background_dataset
allowed_use	Actual declared aqueous nitric-acid route and compatible supply grade, utility and treatment configuration
excluded_use	CPC-wide methodology claim, mixtures, other production routes, site-factor transfer or assumed BAT performance
required_metadata	All reference qualifiers; full physical and allocated ledgers; source locators; provider references; conditional row coverage
required_quality_disclosure	Measurement uncertainty, detection limits, campaign coverage, empty identities, provider-basis gaps and independent review status
update_trigger	Route, concentration/grade, catalyst, abatement, pressure, utility or receiver changes and new contrary evidence

11. Data Sources

Source id	Type	Reference	Used for
ec-lvic-aaf-2007	official_guidance	European Commission, LVIC-AAF BREF, August 2007, chapter 3, §§3.2–3.5; printed pp.96–99, 124, 127, 132, 140–141. https://bureau-industrial-transformation.jrc.ec.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2022-03/LVIC-AAF.pdf	Route, heat recovery, distinct optional catalysts and treatment; original limits preserved, no plant quantities adopted
epa-ap42-nitric-1998	official_guidance	US EPA, AP-42 §8.8 Nitric Acid, February 1998, §§8.8.2–8.8.3, Figures 8.8-1/2 and table footnotes. https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2020-09/documents/8.8_nitric_acid.pdf	Weak versus high-strength route, stage map and specific air species; historical factors and 100%-acid basis are not defaults
yara-nitric-acid	official_guidance	Yara International, Nitric Acid, manufacturer page, section How we produce Nitric Acid. https://www.yara.com/industrial-nitrogen/base-chemicals/nitric-acid/	Independent producer confirmation of ammonia oxidation/water absorption versus further concentration; no grade certificate or recipe inferred
ec-ilcd-allocation-2010	official_guidance	European Commission JRC, ILCD Handbook: General guide for LCA—Detailed guidance, first edition March 2010, §7.9.3, PDF pp.277–288 (printed pp.257–268), including §7.9.3 allocation applicability and market-price fallback. https://eplca.jrc.ec.europa.eu/uploads/ILCD-Handbook-General-guide-for-LCA-DETAILED-GUIDANCE-12March2010-ISBN-fin-v1.0-EN.pdf	Generic causality/economic-allocation hierarchy only; no nitric-acid or steam allocation factor supplied
iapws-if97-2012	official_guidance	IAPWS R7-97(2012), Revised Release on the IAPWS Industrial Formulation 1997 for the Thermodynamic Properties of Water and Steam; §§1–3, 5–8 and 12, including applicable regions, reference convention and uncertainty. https://iapws.org/technical-guidance/release/IF97-Rev.download	Validated pure-water/steam enthalpy method at measured state; no default pressure, steam quantity or plant heat balance