4.

FERTILIZER MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES

Product/ technology

Product
No.

Function

Product

F-1

Urea production technology

Urea synthesis

Urea plant

F-2

Exhaust heat recovery heat exchanger type

primary reformer

Ammonia plant primary

reformer

F-3

High conversion rate synthetic reactor

Reformer
exhaust heat
recovery
Ammonia

Ammonia synthetic

synthesis

reactor

Ammonia

Ammonia synthetic

synthesis

reactor

CO conversion
H2 production

CO conversion reactor

CO oxidizing to

CO converter for

CO2

ammonia plant
Ammonia
manufacturing plant
integrated with power
generation plant
Heat recovery system

F-4

F-5

F-6

Low differential pressure synthetic reactor

Isothermal CO conversion reactor
CO oxidizing reactor

F-7

Ammonia manufacturing plant integrated with

high-pressure coal gasification power plant

Coal gasification

F-8

Synthesized gas compressor outlet heat

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

recovery system
F-9

Membrane separation hydrogen recovery

system

F-10

F-11

High-pressure water power recovery turbine

Pre-reformer for ammonia-reforming process

natural gas

41 b

for ammonia plant

of ammonia plant
H2 recovery system of
Ammonia plant
Water turbine of
ammonia plant
Ammonia plant

F-1
Fertilizer/ Chemical

Urea Production Technology

Urea synthesis

Process

Equipment of Urea

Outline of Product/Technology
(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
Fax81-47-454-1536
E-mail
morikawa@pl.toyo-eng.co.jp

42 b

F-2

Exhaust Heat Recovery Heat Exchanger Type Primary Reformer

Fertilizer & chemicals

Reformer exhaust gas heat

recovery

Reformer of urea plant

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

Secondary reforming gas inlet

Heat insulation
material
Improved

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

43 b

F-3

Synthetic Reactor with a High Conversion Rate

Fertilizer & chemicals

Ammonia synthesis

Ammonia synthetic reactor

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

44 b

F-4
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

45 b

F-5

Isothermal CO Conversion Reactor

Fertilizer & chemicals

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

Improved

Water feeding from boiler

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

46 b

F-6

CO Oxidizing Reactor

Fertilizer & chemicals

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
Secondary
reformer

Steam

High-temperature Low-temperature
conversion
conversion

Material
Air
Primary reformer
Methanator

Purge gas
Ammonia
synthetic
process

CO oxidation reactor

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

47 b

F-7

Ammonia Manufacturing plant integrated with Coal Gasification plant

Fertilizer & chemicals

Use of coal gasification gas

Ammonia plant integrated with

coal gasification power plant

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

Coal

Reforming
process

CO
conversion

Ammonia
synthesis

Gasification

CO
conversion

Ammonia
synthesis

Improved

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

48 b

F-8

Heat Recovery System from Compressor outlet Synthesized Gas

Fertilizer & chemicals

Heat recovery

Ammonia plant

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

Mist
separator

Gas exit

Boiler feed water

Synthesized gas compressor

Improved

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

49 b

F-9

Membrane separation-type hydrogen recovery system

Fertilizer & chemicals

Recovery of H2

Ammonia plant

Outline of Product/Technology
(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

410 b

F-10

High-Pressure Water Power Recovery Turbine

Fertilizer & chemicals

Power recovery

Ammonia plant

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

Reaction
tower, etc.

Purified gas

Flash tank
Power recovery turbine

Absorbing
tower

To low-pressure

From low-pressure tank

Motor
Coupling

Flow control
tower

Pump

Clutch

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

411 b

F-11

Pre-reformer for Ammonia-Reforming Process

Fertilizer & chemicals

Pre-reforming of natural gas

Ammonia plant

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

Steam generation/overheating
Reforming gas

Prereformer

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

412 b