2.5.4.

1 Ammonia Recovery

A 34 wt% urea in a urea solution leaving the reactor will be fed to a stripper for purification by removing
and recycling the excess carbamate, ammonia and CO2. The stripper that operates 17 bar g, the same
pressure as the reactor, is a falling film type heat exchanger where it concentrates the urea solution to 43
wt%. Medium pressure steam will be supplied to the shell of stripper to remove the impurities which also
allows for the endothermic decomposition of ammonium carbamate. The stripping agents for the
downcoming liquid is the released ammonia and CO2 which prevent gas from flowing to the medium
pressure decomposer that pools in the bottom of the stripper.

The NH3 and CO2 rich gases leaving the top separator are partially absorbed in aqueous carbonate solution
coming from low pressure recovery section when they are sent to medium pressure condenser. The CO 2
is almost totally absorbed in the MP condenser then the effluents flow to medium pressure absorber. In
the rectification section of the MP absorber, the gaseous phase enters. The rectification section has
bubble cap trays that are fed by pure reflux ammonia which eliminates residual CO2 and H2O from gases
leaving M.P absorber. Using the ammonia condenser, the NH3 with inert gases leaving the MP absorber
are condensed.

2.5.4.2 Carbamate Recovery

The carbamate solution from the separation column is to be fed into the high pressure carbamate
condenser together with the gases released from the stripper. The kettle reboiler with the hot water
residing in the shell and with the carbamate solution flowing through the tubes is the carbamate
condenser. To form the ammonium carbamate, the ammonia and carbon dioxide are condensed inside
the carbamate condenser through an exothermic reaction, the heat of this reaction is used in the
formation of low pressure steam (4.5 bar, 147°C) for other parts of the plant.

To separate the remaining gases from liquid in the produced carbamate solution from carbamate
condenser, it is transported to the carbamate separator. Then through the ejector, the liquids are recycled
back to the reactor while the gases are fed into the medium pressure decomposer to act as stripping agent
and for the heat requirement for the decomposition of ammonium carbamate is to be reduced.

The carbamate solution coming from the carbamate condenser is transported to the carbamate separator
where the remaining gases are separated from liquid. The only function of this vessel is to separate the
gases and liquids coming from the carbamate condenser. The liquids are then recycled back to the reactor
through the ejector. The gases on the other hand are fed into the medium pressure decomposer, to act
as stripping agents and to reduce the heat requirement for the decomposition of ammonium carbamate.