4.

Product No. F-1 F-2

FERTILIZER MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES

Product/ technology Function Urea synthesis Reformer exhaust heat recovery Ammonia synthesis Ammonia synthesis Product Urea plant Ammonia plant primary reformer Ammonia synthetic reactor Ammonia synthetic reactor CO conversion reactor for ammonia plant CO converter for ammonia plant Ammonia manufacturing plant integrated with power generation plant Heat recovery system of ammonia plant H2 recovery system of Ammonia plant Water turbine of ammonia plant Ammonia plant

Urea production technology Exhaust heat recovery heat exchanger type primary reformer High conversion rate synthetic reactor Low differential pressure synthetic reactor Isothermal CO conversion reactor CO oxidizing reactor

F-3

F-4

F-5

CO conversion H2 production CO oxidizing to CO2 Coal gasification

F-6

F-7

Ammonia manufacturing plant integrated with high-pressure coal gasification power plant Synthesized gas compressor outlet heat recovery system Membrane separation hydrogen recovery system

F-8

F-9

F-10

High-pressure water power recovery turbine

F-11

Pre-reformer for ammonia-reforming process

Heat recovery from synthesized gas Recovery of H2 from synthesized gas Power recovery from highPressure water Pre-reforming of natural gas

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Fertilizer/ Chemical

Urea Production Technology

Urea synthesis Outline of Product/Technology Process Equipment of Urea

(1) Function Urea Production Technology (2) Structure/System A urea plant is composed of five sections such as urea synthesis, purification, recovery, concentration and product forming section. A major feature of this technology is in the urea synthesis section. The synthesis section contains a reactor, a stripper and a carbamate condenser. Liquid ammonia is fed to the reactor via the HP Carbamate Ejector which provides the driving force for circulation in the synthesis loop. The reactor is operated at an N/C ratio of 3.7, 182 C and 152 bar. Urea synthesis solution leaving the reactor is fed to the stripper where unconverted carbamate is thermally decomposed and excess ammonia and CO2 are efficiently separated by CO2 stripping. The stripped off gas from the stripper is fed to the Vertical Submerged Carbamate Condenser, operated at an N/C ratio of 3.0, 180C and 152 bar. Ammonia and CO2 gas condense to form ammonium carbamate and subsequently urea is formed by dehydration of the carbamate in the shell side. Reaction heat of carbamate formation is recovered to generate 5 bar steam in the tube side. A packed bed is provided at the top of the Condenser to absorb uncondensed ammonia and CO2 gas into a recycle carbamate solution from the MP absorption stage. Inert gas from the top of the packed bed is sent to the purification section (3) Features Ground Level Reactor: The sophisticated two-stage synthesis concept employing a Condenser and an HP ejector enables the HP equipment in the synthesis section to be laid-out very compactly in low elevation. Less Corrosion: TOYO and Sumitomo Metal Ind., Ltd. (SMI) have jointly developed new duplex stainless steel DP28W for urea plant. The biggest advantage of duplex stainless steel is the excellent corrosion resistance and passivation property in urea-carbamate solution, which enhances reliability of equipment and enables a reduction of the passivation air. Clean Effluents: The liquid effluents from the urea plant contaminated with NH3, CO2 and urea are processed in the process condensate stripper-urea hydrolyzer system. The process condensate leaving the system is purified to 1 ppm of urea and 1 ppm of NH3. The exhaust air from the prilling tower (or granulator) is scrubbed through a packed bed scrubber to reduce the urea dust content to 30 mg/Nm3-air. Easily revamp a conventional urea plant: Existing urea reactor can be re-utilized for conventional solution recycle process or ammonia stripping process. Energy Saving/ CO2 Emission Reduction (1)Technical Features The operation conditions of the synthesis section have been optimized under lower operation pressure than in the previous process. As a result, a remarkable reduction in energy consumption has been achieved. (2)Energy Saving/CO2 Emission Reduction This technology realizes 30% reduction of the energy consumption in a urea plant compared with the total recycle process and 10-20% compared with the conventional stripping technology. As one of example, the reduction of 550,000 kcal/ton of urea can be expected by modification of the total recycle urea plant by this technology. Information of Engineering Contractor (1)Name of Company and DepartmentToyo Engineering Corp. (2)Address 8-1,Akanehama,2-chome,Narasino-si,Chiba 275-0024 , Japan (3)Contact to HMorikawa Tel 81-47-454-1526 Fax 81-47-454-1536 E-mail morikawa@pl.toyo-eng.co.jp

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Exhaust Heat Recovery Heat Exchanger Type Primary Reformer

Reformer exhaust gas heat recovery Reformer of urea plant

Fertilizer & chemicals

Outline of Product/Technology (1) Function It is a type of energy-saving technology using exhaust heat recovery in the reforming process of an ammonia plant, in which exhaust heat emitted at the exit of the secondary reformer is used as a heat source for the heat-absorbing reaction in the primary reformer. (2) Structure / System
Hydrocarbon/steam mixture feeding

Primary reforming gas exit

Secondary reforming gas exit Vessel Sheath Fin External pipe Catalyst Internal pipe Heat insulation material Improved

Secondary reforming gas inlet

Heat exchanger type reformer (3) Features (1) The catalyst pipe is the bayonet and scabbard type, in which the mixture of heated raw material and steam flows through the circular portion between the external pipe and the internal pipe, the space between which is filled with the catalyst. (2) The mixture flows downward through the catalyst layer and reaction takes place. The gas that comes out of the catalyst layer moves upward along the internal pipe and then flows through the pipe that is directly connected to the secondary reformer. (3) The internal pipe is covered with a heat-insulating material to arrest heat exchange with the inlet gas. (4) The external pipe is enclosed by the sheath pipe provided outside of it. High-temperature gas fed from the secondary reformer flows through the circular portion between the sheath pipe and external pipe. Energy Saving/ CO2 Emission Reduction The exhaust heat of the process at about 1000C obtained at the exit of the secondary reformer is used as the reaction heat (heat-absorbing reaction). The primary reformer is a heat exchanger-type reaction vessel. The heat-transmitting pipe is filled with an Ni catalyst, and the gas emitted from the exit of the secondary reformer flows in the shell as heating fluid. Using this method, fuel for heating the primary reformer of the conventional heating furnace type is not necessary. About 10% of the fuel needed for the primary reformer can be reduced. Information of Manufacturer (1) Name of Company and Department (2) Address (3) Contact to Tel Fax E-mail

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Synthetic Reactor with a High Conversion Rate

Ammonia synthesis Ammonia synthetic reactor

Fertilizer & chemicals

Outline of Product/Technology (1) Function It is an energy-saving-type reactor that has a heat exchanger in the reactor for the synthetic process in the ammonia plant, in which heat exchange takes place between some of the cold gas yet to undergo reaction and the gas under reaction (heat-generating reaction) to control the reaction temperature appropriately; in this way, the gas temperature at the exit of the reactor is elevated and its heat is thus recovered efficiently. (2) Structure / System
Inlet Catalyst layer Cooling gas inlet

Exit Catalyst layer

Intermediate cooling equipment

Improved

Synthetic reactor of the indirect cooling type with a high conversion rate (3) Features In the conventional ammonia synthetic reactor of the quench type, reaction heat was removed in such a way that hot gas under reaction was cooled directly by the gas yet to undergo reaction. The disadvantages of the quench-type synthetic reactor were that (1) the ammonia concentration elevated by synthesis was diluted and (2) the temperature at the exit of reactor was lowered. In order to improve these points, the indirect cooling-type synthetic reactor was developed. In the new development, its temperature is elevated to 450 - 500C from the conventional 300C. In this way, energy can be recovered by high-pressure steam and heated steam. Effect on Energy Saving The temperature at the exit of the indirect cooling reactor is 450 - 500C over 300C of the conventional type, and the reaction heat can be efficiently used to generate high-pressure steam and hot steam. Thermal energy of 0.14 x 10-6 (kcal/t - NH3) can be recovered in the form of steam.

Information of Manufacturer (1) Name of Company and Department (2) Address (3) Contact to Tel Fax E-mail

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Fertilizer & chemicals

Low Differential Pressure Synthetic Reactor

Ammonia synthesis Ammonia synthetic reactor

Outline of Product / Technology (1) Function It is an energy-saving-type reactor in which the direction of gas flow in the catalyst layer in the reactor in the synthetic process of the ammonia plant is controlled so that pressure loss may be reduced. (2) Structure / System Comparison of gas flow direction with power required Item Power required Amount of for circulation power reduction Axial flow 44 kW/t-NH3 Lateral flow 39 kW/t-NH3 5 kW/t-NH3 Radial flow 37 kW/t-NH3 7 kW/t-NH3 Axial - radial 32 kW/t-NH3 12 kW/t-NH3 flow
Primary bypass Secondary bypass

Gas exit

Gas inlet

Improved

Axial - radial flow reactor (3) Features In the conventional synthetic reactor, gas flowed in the axial direction in the catalyst layer, and its differential pressure was 7 - 14 kg/cm2. In order to reduce the differential pressure, a new type of reactor in which the directions of flow are lateral and radial as well as axial was developed to drastically reduce it, and the power requirement can thus be reduced. The size of the catalyst, which was limited to 6 - 12 mm because of differential pressure, can be made smaller to 1.5 - 3(6) mm to improve catalyst activity in the reactor. In this way, the conversion rate is improved, and ammonia concentration at the exit can be made higher. Thanks to conversion rate improvement, the amount of circulating gas can be reduced, and the power required to drive the circulating equipment can also be reduced. Gas at the exit of the synthetic reactor is cooled and then further cooled by cooling-medium ammonia in the two stages and condensed. In the present technology, the ammonia concentration is higher, and therefore, the condensation temperature is elevated, the ratio of ammonia product condensed by water cooling increases, the ratio of the same by ammonia cooling decreases, and the power required to drive the ammonia cooling equipment is reduced. Differential pressure reduction gives rise to power requirement reduction, and reaction conversion rate improvement results in a lower power requirement to generate steam for the turbine for the circulating equipment and cooling equipment. Energy Saving/ CO2 Emission Reduction The amount of steam can be reduced by 0.17 x 106 kcal/t - NH3. Information of Manufacturer (1) Name of Company and Department (2) Address (3) Contact to Tel Fax E-mail

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Fertilizer & chemicals

Isothermal CO Conversion Reactor

CO conversion CO reactor for ammonia plant

Outline of Product/Technology (1) Function It is a heat exchanger incorporating-type reactor that recovers reaction heat by conducting the CO conversion reaction in one stage in the ammonia plant. (2) Structure / System
Steam Circulating water

Gas inlet

Gas exit Water feeding from boiler

Improved

CO conversion reactor (3) Features The gas at the exit of the secondary reformer contains about 13% CO. In the present technology, an isothermal reactor of the low-temperature one-stage type is employed to improve the H2 conversion rate, that is, improvement of the raw material primary unit. Carbon monoxide, CO, undergoes a conversion reaction of CO + H2O CO2 + H2 to obtain H2. This reaction has an advantage at lower temperatures from the standpoint of chemical equilibrium; therefore, a low-temperature one-stage reaction is used. Its reactor (isothermal CO conversion reactor) has a complicated structure as it has a heat exchanger. A point to be noted is that only copper is needed as a catalyst and only a small amount of it is necessary. In the past, the following two stages were used: (1) high-temperature conversion in which the reaction took place at 370 - 430C in an adiabatic reactor filled with an Fe - Cr catalyst, and (2) low-temperature conversion in which the reaction took place at 200 - 230C in an adiabatic reactor filled with a Cu catalyst. However, in the present technology, an isothermal reactor is used in which the conversion reaction takes place at about 250C in one stage. The reactor recovers the heat generated by CO conversion reaction by means of an incorporated heat exchanger that generates medium-pressure steam. Energy Saving/ CO2 Emission Reduction Fuel consumption can be saved at 0.1 x 106 kcal/t - NH3. Information of Manufacturer (1) Name of Company and Department (2) Address (3) Contact to Tel Fax E-mail

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Fertilizer & chemicals

CO Oxidizing Reactor
CO oxidizing CO converter for ammonia

Outline of Product/Technology (1) Function In the present reactor used in the CO conversion process in an ammonia plant, reaction (CO + H2O CO2 + H2) takes place at two stages at high and low temperatures, and CO is then oxidized in air with a Pd catalyst to obtain CO2. (2) Structure / System
Steam Material Air Primary reformer Methanator Purge gas Ammonia synthetic process CO oxidation reactor Secondary reformer High-temperature Low-temperature conversion conversion

Product ammonia Carbon oxide removal

Improved

Ammonia-manufacturing flow and CO oxidation reactor (3) Features In the conventional plant, the oxidation reactor was not used. It created a great amount of purge gas and aggravation of the raw material (fuel) primary unit. A Pd catalyst selectively oxidizes CO of 0.3 - 0.5 vol. % residual following CO conversion reaction to obtain CO2 gas. This reduces the amount of CO and then the amount of CH4 produced in the methanation process downstream. In this way, the purity of synthesized gas can be made higher. This results in reduction of purge gas consumption and reduction of H2 loss. Energy Saving/ CO2 Emission Reduction Fuel consumption can be reduced by 0.07 x 106 kcal/t - NH3. Information of Manufacturer (1) Name of Company and Department (2) Address (3) Contact to Tel Fax E-mail

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Ammonia Manufacturing plant integrated with Coal Gasification plant

Use of coal gasification gas Ammonia plant integrated with coal gasification power plant

Fertilizer & chemicals

Outline of Product/Technology (1) Function It is an energy-saving-type manufacturing system in which a coal thermal power generator is integrated into an ammonia plant. (2) Structure / System
Unimproved Natural gas Reforming process CO conversion Ammonia synthesis

Coal Improved

Gasification

CO conversion

Ammonia synthesis

Power generation

Improved

Comparison of reforming process (3) Features In the coal gasification combined cycle (IGCC), coal is gasified to gain fuel for the gas turbine, and the steam turbine is driven by the exhaust gas for power generation. In plants employing the present technology, some of gas produced is used as the raw material for ammonia production instead of natural gas. Since the raw material is not natural gas but produced gas, a reforming process is not necessary, different from natural gas-based raw material. In the present technology, raw material is changed to produced gas by coal gasification. In this method, the reforming process can be omitted, and power can be generated by IGCC. Energy Saving/ CO2 Emission Reduction Fuel consumption reduction: 2100 10-3 kcal/t - NH3 Power consumption reduction: 285 kWh/t - NH3 Information of Manufacturer (1) Name of Company and Department (2) Address (3) Contact to Tel Fax E-mail

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Heat Recovery System from Compressor outlet Synthesized Gas

Heat recovery Ammonia plant

Fertilizer & chemicals

Outline of Product/Technology (1) Function It is an energy-saving system, in which energy is recovered by using the heat of the gas at the exit of the synthesized gas compressor for preheating methanator feed gas in the ammonia plant. (2) Structure / System
Methanator

CO conversion reaction

Change

To the methanator

Change

Gas exit

Mist separator

Boiler feed water Synthesized gas compressor

Heat recovery system from the gas at the exit of the synthesized gas compressor (3) Features In the past, the gas at the exit of the synthesized gas compressor was cooled by the cooling water-type heat exchanger. In the present technology, heat is recovered by methanator feed gas, in which the temperatures of the methanator at the inlet and exit elevate, the amount of boiler feed waters heat recovered at the exit of the methanator increases, and more steam is generated. Note that, in this technology, the temperature at the CO low-temperature conversion reactor inlet elevates and a problem occurs regarding temperature control; therefore, some of boiler feed water is directly injected into the process gas to cool it by the evaporation heat of the water. Energy Saving/ CO2 Emission Reduction Heat can be recovered in the form of steam by 0.046 x 106 kcal/t - NH3. Information of Manufacturer (1) Name of Company and Department (2) Address (3) Contact to Tel Fax E-mail

Improved

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Membrane separation-type hydrogen recovery system

Recovery of H2 Outline of Product/Technology Ammonia plant

Fertilizer & chemicals

(1) Function It is an energy-saving system using membrane separation technology for an ammonia plant, in which hydrogen in the purge gas that is separated in the synthetic process is recovered and returned to the synthetic process. (2) Structure / System
Material mixed gas Transmitted gas

Non-transmitted gas CH4N2

Hollow yarn membrane

Other gas

Improved

Separation membrane module structure outline (3) Features It has the following basic features: (1) It has a high hydrogen recovery rate in high-pressure processes and is appropriate for product hydrogen concentration 90 - 99% processes. (2) The processing amount can be changed according to the operating status. (3) There are no moving components, and pressure is used as the driving force for separation; therefore, energy consumption is minimal and maintenance is easy. (4) Heavy constituents in the feed gas condense and so the hydrogen transmission speed lowers. In order to prevent this phenomenon, appropriate preprocessing is necessary. (5) Low investment is needed for equipment. The separation membrane used for hydrogen gas recovery for the system can endurable heat, pressure, and chemicals. It is made of a porous high-polymer membrane material featuring a high separation coefficient and high transmission speed. The shapes of the membrane are hollow yarn with a diameter 0.1 - 0.5 mm and a flat one in spiral form. These elements form a module and are put into high-pressure vessels. Energy Saving/ CO2 Emission Reduction Fuel consumption in the reforming process is reduced by improving the raw material primary unit. Energy consumption can be reduced by 0.14 x 10-6 kcal/t - NH3. Productivity can be improved by 4 - 6%. Information of Manufacturer (1) Name of Company and Department (2) Address (3) Contact to Tel Fax E-mail

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High-Pressure Water Power Recovery Turbine

Power recovery Ammonia plant

Fertilizer & chemicals

Outline of Product/Technology (1) Function It is a high-pressure turbine that recovers power from high-pressure water in CO2 gas-absorbing liquid in the CO2-removing process in an ammonia plant. (2) Structure / System
Feed gas Acidic gas Flash tank Power recovery turbine Absorbing tower From low-pressure tank Motor Coupling Pump Clutch Purified gas Reaction tower, etc. Flow control tower To low-pressure Water wheel

Improved

Primary reformer exhaust heat recovery system in an ammonia plant

Power recovery system of the high-pressure turbine

(3) Features In the CO2-removing process, a large amount of absorbing liquid is fed to the top of absorbing tower at a pressure of about 30 kg/cm2 in order to remove about 15% of the CO2 contained in the coarse synthesized gas produced in the reforming process and CO conversion process. In the past, absorbing liquid that had absorbed CO2 passed through a pressure reduction valve (30 kg/cm2 to 1 kg/cm2) and then fed to the regenerating tower. In the present technology, a power recovery turbine is used instead of a pressure reduction valve to utilize it for driving the water feed pump of the absorbing liquid. In the past, an external energy source such as electric power or steam was used to drive the pump, but with the present technology, such an external energy source is not necessary because energy obtained by pressure reduction in the process is utilized. Energy Saving/ CO2 Emission Reduction Steam consumption can be saved at 0.04 x 10-6 kcal/t - NH3. Note: Driving by the conventional steam turbine is assumed. Information of Manufacturer (1) Name of Company and Department (2) Address (3) Contact to Tel Fax E-mail

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Pre-reformer for Ammonia-Reforming Process

Pre-reforming of natural gas Ammonia plant

Fertilizer & chemicals

Outline of Product/Technology (1) Function It is an energy-saving process in the ammonia-manufacturing process, in which a prereformer is set in the reforming process. (2) Structure / System
Primary reformer Smoke path gas Fuel Gas/steam

Preheater of combustion air Prereformer

Steam generation/overheating Reforming gas

Improved

Reforming process in which a prereformer is set (3) Features In the past, natural gas was reformed by a primary reformer. In the present process, high-temperature exhaust heat at 600C or higher of primary reformer smoke path gas is used to heat the mixture of raw material natural gas and reaction steam, the heated mixture is fed to the primary reformer, and the raw material natural gas is decomposed by steam in the Ni catalyst to hydrogen (H2), carbon monoxide (CO), and carbon dioxide (CO2). A part of the primary reforming reaction takes place in the prereformer (heat-insulating reformer), which is filled with the Ni catalyst. Reaction heat (heat absorption) is supplemented by the heat given from the mixture, and so the temperature of the gas at the exit lowers to 60 - 80C. Reaction vessel exit gas is heated again by the smoke path gas and then fed to the primary reformer. By setting the prereformer, the combustion capacity of the primary reformer can be reduced by 10%. Energy Saving/ CO2 Emission Reduction The energy primary unit can be reduced by 0.15 x 106 kcal/t-NH3. Information of Manufacturer (1) Name of Company and Department (2) Address (3) Contact to Tel Fax E-mail

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