Ammonia

Basic Flowsheet Elements

Chemistry of the Ammonia Process
Simplified Block Diagram of a Typical
1000 t/d Ammonia Plant
Simplified Block Diagram of a 2000
MTPD Methanol Flowsheet
Methanol
Purification
Reforming
Compression Distillation
Synthesis
Steam Raising
Feedstock
(CH )
4
Water
VHT-S103
20 m
VSG-EZ200
VSG-Z101
40 m

VSG-Z101
40 m
VSG-A101
200 m
Simplified Block Diagram of a
Hydrogen Flowsheet
Desulfurization
Primary Reforming
High Temperature
CO Shift
VHT-S101

VSG-
Cl101

VSG-
EZ200


VSG-
Z101




VSG-
F101

PSA

etc
Steam Natural Gas Feed
Hydrogen
Simplified Flowsheet for a Typical
Ammonia Plant

Natural
Gas
Steam
superheater
Air
Steam
30
bar
Steam
Steam
raising
350 C
200 C
Heat
Recovery
Steam
raising
Cooling
Cooling
Reboiler
CO
Cooling
Preheater
Heat
Recovery
Steam
Boiler
Process
Condensate
Quench
Quench
Liquid Ammonia
H
Hydrodesulphuriser Primary
Reformer
Secondary
Reformer
High
Temperature
Shift
Low
Temperature
Shift
Ammonia Synthesis Methanator
Carbon Dioxide
Purge Gas
Cooling
400 C
o
390 C
o
2
790 C
o
550 C
o
1000 C
o
o
420 C
o
150 C
o
400 C
o
470 C
o
o
220 C
o
290 C
o
330 C
o
2
CO Removal
2
220 bar
Refrigeration
Condensate
Cooling
Ammonia
Catchpot
Modern Conventional Flowsheets
Main process steps are the same for all plants
Main differences in equipment design

Uhde
Top fired reformer
Proprietary exit header design
Secondary reformer has a riser
HP loop with radial flow converter
Modern Conventional Flowsheets
HKBR
Primary reformer with manifold/riser

Haldor Topse
Side fired reformer
Radial flow converter
S-200
S-250
Other Flowsheet Options
Braun Purifier
ICI AMV
ICI LCA
Dual Pressure Uhde Process
HKBR KAAP (with/without purifier)
Linde LAC
H2 Recovery is used on most
modern plants
Braun Purifier Process
Primary reformer exit temperature is 700C
Excess air is added to the secondary reformer
Methane slip typically around 2-2.5 mol %
Excess nitrogen (and methane) cryogenically
removed downstream of methanator
Also removes water - ammonia synthesis catalyst
poison
Improved synthesis lives
Can reduce SC ratio to 2.7-3.0
Small primary
Braun Purifier Process
Cold Box
Purified Syn Gas
Waste Gas
Raw Syn Gas
Feed Effluent Exchangers
ICI AMV Process
As with Braun - utilizes excess air to secondary
Excess nitrogen is passed to the loop
Loop runs at low pressure (80-110 bara)
Use ICI LP Catalyst (74- Series)
Uses a saturator to saturate feed gas
This raises around 50% of the required steam
Can use SC ratio of 2.8
H
2
Recovery in loop at loop pressure

ICI LCA Process
Aim at small plant capacities (500 mtpd)
Uses the GHR-Secondary concept
Excess air is utilized to close heat balance
Utilizes an ITS rather than HTS and LTS
A saturator for steam raising
A PSA system to remove the CO
2
and excess N
2

A low pressure loop (80 bara)
A tube cooled converter or Casale converter
No longer actively marketing
Dual Pressure Uhde Process
PGR Unit
Make upgas
fromfrontend
H
2
O
Ammonia from once throughconversion
HP-
steam
C.W.
NH
3
NH
3
C.W.
C.W.
C.W.
HP-
steam
NH
3
NH
3
Off-Gas
Ammonia
from
HP loop
HP
casing
LP
casing
First
ammonia
converter
Second
ammonia
converter
Once
through
ammonia
converter
HP-
steam
Note: Molecular
Sievesnot shown
Dual Pressure Uhde Process
Benefits of such a scheme realised at 3,000
mtpd +
Although this is large capacity - all equipment is
proven
Note the low pressure converter between stages
of synthesis gas machine
Makes machine smaller
Makes loop pipework 24
Uses Comp. J catalyst
HKBR Purifier and KAAP
Primary
Reformer
Secondary
Reformer
Shift &
CO
2

Removal
Purifier
Compression KAAP
Methn
Dryers
Recycle Purge
To Fuel
Feed
Linde LAC
Key features are
No secondary reformer
Nitrogen is generated cryogenically and
added after a PSA unit
No HTS/LTS - only Isothermal (ITS) shift
No methanation
Linde LAC
Desulfurization
Primary Reformer
Isothermal Shift
PSA
Nitrogen Unit
Ammonia Synthesis
Other Flowsheet Options
Use Gas Turbine to drive process air
compressor
Can use effluent as combustion air
Has 16-17% O
2
and is at 500C
Braun plants
Install pre reformer
HT Retrofit
Many other reasons
Remove heat from duct
Uprate plant
Other Flowsheet Options
Synthesis Gas driers
Reduces H
2
O in syn gas
H
2
O is a poison
Activity increases
Ammonia Wash
As per Syn Gas driers
Booster converters
Drop load on loop and allow overall output
increase
Quenches in Shifts
Ammonia Flowsheet Data Analysis
Tool - VULCAN CERES
Looks at all catalytic unit operations
Highlights potential issues/in-correct data
items
Functionality to address flowsheet options
Kellogg risers
Differential flowsheet conditions (Braun)
Use as a basis for
Predictions of future performance
Predictions of new catalyst options
Uprates