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Urea Production in Summary

The document outlines the ammonia synthesis process, detailing the feedstock requirements, including natural gas and the removal of sulfur compounds through hydrogenation and desulfurization. It describes the reforming of natural gas in a primary and secondary reformer, converting hydrocarbons into hydrogen and carbon oxides, followed by a shift converter that transforms carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide and hydrogen. Finally, it explains the CO2 removal process using a two-stage activated methyldiethanolamine system for efficient gas separation.

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41 views3 pages

Urea Production in Summary

The document outlines the ammonia synthesis process, detailing the feedstock requirements, including natural gas and the removal of sulfur compounds through hydrogenation and desulfurization. It describes the reforming of natural gas in a primary and secondary reformer, converting hydrocarbons into hydrogen and carbon oxides, followed by a shift converter that transforms carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide and hydrogen. Finally, it explains the CO2 removal process using a two-stage activated methyldiethanolamine system for efficient gas separation.

Uploaded by

Etenabe Precious
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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AMMONIA SYNTHESIS

The primary feedstock required for the synthesis of ammonia includes,


Natural gas, Steam and Air. However Natural gas often contains various
sulphur compounds, including:
Mercaptans (R-SH): These are foul-smelling and relatively easy to
remove.
Thiophenes: More complex cyclic compounds, posing a challenge for
removal.
Hydrogen sulphide (H₂S): Corrosive, toxic, and interferes with
downstream processes that is
Hydrogenation aims to convert sulphur compounds into a common
form Hydrogen sulphide (H₂S)- which can be easily removed by
Desulphurization technique, Hence, Hydrodesulfurization (HDS).

HYDROGENATION
The Organic sulphur compounds in the natural gas interact with the active
sites of the catalyst and hydrogen, leading to a hydrogenation reaction. In
essence, the sulphur atom in the compound is replaced with hydrogen,
forming H₂S and a hydrocarbon molecule. For example, a mercaptan is
converted as follows:
R-SH + H₂(g) → R-H + H₂S(g)
Using cobalt-molybdenum (CoMo) based catalyst.
Temperature of 350-400 °C
DESULPHURIZATION (H₂S REMOVAL)
The gas stream leaving the HDS reactor now contains the readily
removable H₂S (that is Desulphurized to about 0.1 vol ppm). This is
typically removed using Zinc Oxide Catalyst by a Reduction process,
the desulphurization section comprises of 2 columns arranged in series
this serves as guards in case of Sulphur breakthrough (Slipping), thereby
increasing the quality of Natural gas stream.
ZnO (s) + H₂S (g) → ZnS (s) + H₂O (g)
Temperature of approximately 355 °C

REFORMING OF NATURAL GAS


The first step of reforming takes place in the PRIMARY REFORMER, a
mixture of desulphurized hydrocarbon and steam is heated to about 500-
550°C before entering the Primary reformer. The gas stream passes
downwards from a common “hairpin” through a vertical tube (a total of
300 tubes installed in 2 chambers in a duplex row arrangement and 720
burners) containing Nickel-based catalyst. Heat is transferred by
radiation from the burners to the tube (NO DIRECT HEATING OF TUBE),
the hydrocarbon in the process feed is converted to Hydrogen and Carbon
oxides (Syn gas), and 11.6 mole% of methane(unreformed). The gas
leaves the tubes through bottom common "hairpins" and enters a hot
collector.
PRIMARY REFORMER
INLET
Feed: Desulphurized Hydrocarbon and Steam
Cat.: Nickel-based catalyst
Temp: 500-550 °C

OUTLET
Outlet Gas: H₂ and CO, with varying amounts of CO₂ and CH₄
Outlet Temp: 821 °C
The gas from the Primary reformer is passed on to the Secondary
reformer, where the conversion of unreformed Methane happens. The
Process gas streams is sent to the mixing chamber where it is mixed with
the process air which has been compressed to 38-40 kg/cm2g by the
Process air Multistage compressor, and preheated to 550°C in the flue gas
heat recovery section.

Reformation/Conversion is by combustion, however, partial conversion


occurs at the top of the combustion chamber and causes a release of heat
(Exothermic reaction), further reforming takes place as the gas passes
through a catalyst bed, Nickel-based catalyst reducing the molar
percentage of methane to about 0.4 mole%. The temperature of the
process gas leaving the Secondary reformer is about 1000°C to 1200°C.
PRIMARY REFORMER
INLET
Feed: Process gas (Primary Reformer Outlet Gas stream)
Cat.: Nickel-based catalyst
Temp: 500-550 °C

OUTLET
Outlet Gas: H₂ and CO, CO₂ and with trace amounts of CH₄
Outlet Temp: 1000-1200 °C.

SHIFT CONVERTER
The carbon monoxide in the process gas (Reformed gas) leaving the
reforming section is converted into carbon dioxide and hydrogen
according to the shift reaction:
CO + H2O ⇔ CO2 + H2 + heat
The Gas feed (Reformed gas) temperature is reduce (by heat exchange to
the recycle gas) to 350-400 °C, and fed to the High Temperature Shift
(HTS) converter, where CO is converted to CO2 (75.52% Conversion)
with an outlet temperature of about 460 °C MAX. The outlet gas stream
from the HTS converter is fed the Low Temperature Shift (LTS)
Converter at reduced temperature of about 200- 205 °C, where CO is
further converted to CO2 (91.5% Conversion) to about 500 ppm. Now
our gas stream comprises mainly of N2, H2, CO2 and traces of CO and
methane.
Catalyst: Cu-promoted iron/chromium based
NOTE: Lower temperature favours the conversion of CO to CO 2, however,
the reaction rate increases with higher temperature.

CO2 REMOVAL
The Process gas from the CO2 converter is sent to the Process gas
separator where condensate is knocked off by transferring recoverable
heat from the gas to BFW preheater, the Stripper reboiler, and DMW
preheater reducing the temperature of the gas stream to about 65 °C,
which is the fed to the CO2 gas absorber column.
The CO2 removal system is based on the two-stage activated
Methyldiethanolamine (aMDEA) process by BASF. The main process
system consists of two-stage CO2 absorption in a flash-regenerated
semilean solution and in a strip-regenerated lean solution.

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