Erling Bjarne Johnson (7 June 1893 – 5 November 1967) invented the
nitrophosphate process
The nitrophosphate process (also known as the Odda process) is a method for the industrial production of nitrogen fertilizers invented by Erling Johnson in the municipality of Odda, Norway around 1927.
The process involves acidifying phosphate ro ...
in the years 1927-28. The process is recognised internationally as important in the production of
fertiliser, but he is little-known in his native Norway.
Johnson worked as a chemical engineer, graduating from Kristiania Tekniske Skole ("Kristiania School of Technics") in 1913. He continued his amanuensis at the chemical institute of the
Norwegian University of Life Sciences
The Norwegian University of Life Sciences ( no, Norges miljø- og biovitenskapelige universitet, NMBU) is a public university located in Ås, Norway. It is located at Ås in Viken, near Oslo, and at Adamstuen in Oslo and has around 5,200 stude ...
from 1913 to 1916, where he was assistant to Professor Sebelien. His work concentrated on questions around fertilisers.
He worked as a research chemist for the
North Western Cyanamide Company in
Odda
Odda () is a former municipality in the old Hordaland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1913 until its dissolution in 2020 when it was merged into Ullensvang Municipality in Vestland county. It was located in southeastern Hordaland c ...
from 1915 to 1921, where he also worked on fertilisers. He sat on the State Raw Materials Committee in 1921. He was chemical and technical lead for A/S Monopol paint factory in
Florvåg on
Askøy in
Bergen
Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipality in Vestland county on the west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway. The municipality covers and is on the peninsula of ...
, at the same time as working with Jakobsens Fabrikker A/S in
Oslo
Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...
from 1921 to 1924. He was head chemist at
Odda Smelteverk A/S from 1925. Johnson was one of the foremost chemists at Odda Smelteverk. He worked there until 1963, when he retired.
In 1964, Johnson was awarded the
Guldberg og Waage-medaljen by the
Norwegian Chemical Society.
References
* Bassøe, Bjarne: Ingeniørmatrikkelen: norske sivilingeniører 1901-55 : med tillegg, Oslo 1961.
* Johnson, Erling: Dicyandiamidets innflydelse på Planteveksten (1918). Avhandling prisbelønnet i 1920 av 1905 fondet for Landbruksforskning i Norge.
* Johnson, Erling: Omkring den nyere utvikling av kunstgjødselindustrien. Nye fremgangsmaater til fremstilling av koncentrerte kunstgjødselblandinger. Foredrag ved det 2. landsmøte for ingeniører M.N.I.F. NIF Bergens avdeling 50 års jubileum, Bergen 22-24. August 1930.
* Sogner, Knut: The Case of Hafslund and the Odda Process. In Travis, Anthony S. (ed.): Determinants in the Evolution of the European Chemical Industry, 1900—1939 New Technologies, Political Frameworks, Markets and Companies, Dordrecht 1998.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Erling
Norwegian chemists
1893 births
1967 deaths