Engineering Design Guidelines Ammonia Plant Rev2.2web

Page : 1 of 181
KLM Technology
Group
Rev: 02
Practical Engineering
Guidelines for Processing Solutions, Standards and Software
Plant Solutions
Rev 01 – Sept 2019
www.klmtechgroup.com Rev 02 – April 2020
Co Authors
KLM Technology Group

Kolmetz Handbook Rev 01 - Mela Widiawati
Rev 02 – Apriliana Dwijayanti
P. O. Box 281
Bandar Johor Bahru,
Of Process Equipment Design
80000 Johor Bahru, Johor,
West Malaysia
Ammonia Plant Selection, Sizing Author / Editor
and Troubeshooting Karl Kolmetz
(ENGINEERING DESIGN GUIDELINE)
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 6
Scope ..................................................................................................................... 6
General Design Consideration............................................................................. 7
DEFINITION ............................................................................................................. 17
NOMENCLATURE ................................................................................................... 21
REFERENCES ......................................................................................................... 22
THEORY .................................................................................................................. 37
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES .................................................................................... 37
THE PRODUCTION OF AMMONIA ..................................................................... 39
i. Ammonia from Natural Gas ...................................................................... 39
ii. Ammonia Production from Hydrogen ..................................................... 40
iii. Modern Production Processes ................................................................ 42
iv. Plant design in the 21st century .............................................................. 45
v. Conventional Steam Reforming ............................................................... 48
vi. Partial Oxidation........................................................................................ 51

Page 2 of 181
KLM Technology Kolmetz Handbook
Group Of Process Equipment Design
Rev: 02
Practical Engineering Ammonia Plant Selection, Sizing and
Guidelines for Processing Plant
Solutions Troubleshooting
April 2020
www.klmtechgroup.com (ENGINEERING DESIGN GUIDELINES)
vii. Electrolytic Ammonia ............................................................................ 51
viii. Syngas Compression ............................................................................ 53
ix. Synthesis of Ammonia ............................................................................. 54
THE AMMONIA MANUFACTURING PROCESS ................................................. 57
HALDOR TOPSOE PROCESS ........................................................................... 61
i. Hydrofining or desulphurization .............................................................. 61
ii. Steam Reforming ...................................................................................... 62
iii. Shift CO conversion, ................................................................................. 67
iv. CO2 removal .............................................................................................. 70
v. Final purification ....................................................................................... 80
vi. Ammonia synthesis .................................................................................. 82
vii. Recovery ................................................................................................. 90
AMMONIA CASALE PROCESS .......................................................................... 95
UHDE AMMONIA PROCESS ............................................................................. 102
KELLOGG AMMONIA PLANT ........................................................................... 118
PRODUCT STORAGE ....................................................................................... 128
SYSTEM SELECTION AND TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY................................... 130
THE ECONOMICS OF AMMONIA PLANTS ...................................................... 138
COST ESTIMATION ........................................................................................... 142
UTILITIES ........................................................................................................... 150
EXAMPLES ........................................................................................................... 158

These design guideline are believed to be as accurate as possible, but are very general and not for specific design cases.
They were designed for engineers to do preliminary designs and process specification sheets. The final design must
always be guaranteed for the service selected by the manufacturing vendor, but these guidelines will greatly reduce the
amount of up front engineering hours that are required to develop the final design. The guidelines are a training tool for
young engineers or a resource for engineers with experience.
This document is entrusted to the recipient personally, but the copyright remains with us. It must not be copied,
reproduced or in any way communicated or made accessible to third parties without our written consent.
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Question and answers ...................................................................................... 158
Example Case 2 : Ammonia plant cost estimating ........................................ 159
LIST OF TABLE
Table 1. Physical Properties of Ammonia ............................................................ 10

Table 2. Chemical Properties of Ammonia........................................................... 10
Table 3. Absorption Solution with Specification ................................................. 30
Table 4. Natural Gas Feed ..................................................................................... 33
Table 5. Air Feed..................................................................................................... 33
Table 6. Physical properties of anhydrous Ammonia ......................................... 37
Table 7. Density of Ammonia at 15 oC ................................................................. 38
Table 8. The typical composition of syngas process.......................................... 42
Table 9. Gas composition following carbon dioxide removal ............................ 50
Table 10. Composition of the gas stream after each process step* .................. 60
Table 11. Ammonia specifications ........................................................................ 60
Table 12. Features of ammonia storage tanks ................................................... 130
Table 13. The flow rates of nitrogen, hydrogen and water through an electric
ammonia plant ...................................................................................................... 131
Table 14. Characteristics of the three major electrical desalination processes
............................................................................................................................... 134
Table 15. Subsytem selection for an all electric ammonia plant ...................... 135
Table 16. Cost parameters used in this study ................................................... 139
Table 17. Bare module cost factors for ammonia synthesis ............................ 141
Table 18. Direct manufacturing costs for chemical plants ............................... 146
Table 19. Ammonia toxicity to human ................................................................ 154
Table 20. Ammonia production emissions for a 1200 metric ton/d steam
reforming plant ..................................................................................................... 155
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Table 21. Ammonia production emissions for a 1200 metric ton/d partial
oxidation plant ...................................................................................................... 156
LIST OF FIGURE
Figure 1. Ammonia Production by Steam Reformation Process ....................... 31

Figure 2. Flow Process Diargam ........................................................................... 32
Figure 3. Catalytic Reforming ............................................................................... 34
Figure 4. Shift and Methanation ............................................................................ 35
Figure 5. one of the first single train, large capacity ammonia plants. ............. 43
Figure 6. Modern ammonia plants ....................................................................... 46
Figure 7. Ammonia plants ................................................................................... 48
Figure 8. Electrolytic ammonia process flow diagram........................................ 52
Figure 9. Process flow of ammonia synthesis loop ............................................ 55
Figure 10. Industrial Manufacturing of Ammonia ................................................ 57
Figure 11. Desulphurization .................................................................................. 62
Figure 12. Primary Reformer ................................................................................. 65
Figure 13. Secondary Reformer ............................................................................ 67
Figure 14. HT CO converter ................................................................................... 68
Figure 15. LT CO converter ................................................................................... 70
Figure 16. CO2 Absorption..................................................................................... 73
Figure 17. HP Flash ................................................................................................ 75
Figure 18. LP Flash ................................................................................................ 77
Figure 19. CO2 Stripping ........................................................................................ 79
Figure 20. Methanator system ............................................................................... 81
Figure 21. Overall Loop Control ............................................................................ 85
Figure 22. Ammonia Converter ............................................................................. 87
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Figure 23. Ammonia Product ................................................................................ 88

Figure 24. Ammonia Refrigeration Circuit ........................................................... 90
Figure 25. Purge gas absorber system ................................................................ 92
Figure 26. Distillation ............................................................................................. 94
Figure 27. Axial-radial Bed, Gas Distribution ...................................................... 95
Figure 28. Secondary Reformer Burner a. Conventional Design and b.
Advanced Design ................................................................................................... 99
Figure 29. Axial-Radial Shift Converter .............................................................. 100
Figure 30. 3-beds 2-interchangers Converter .................................................... 102
Figure 31. Block diagram of an ammonia plant ................................................. 104
Figure 32. Steam reforming and CO shift........................................................... 106
Figure 33. Reformer radiant section and secondary reformer ......................... 107
Figure 34. secondary reformer ............................................................................ 109
Figure 35. MDEA CO2 removal system .............................................................. 112
Figure 36. Ammonia synthesis ........................................................................... 113
Figure 37. a. Three-bed ammonia converter, radial flow b. Ammonia converter
I, radial flow, catalyst beds 1 and 2 and c. Ammonia converter II ,radial flow,
catalyst bed 3 ....................................................................................................... 115
Figure 38. Steam system ..................................................................................... 116
Figure 39. HP Steam boiler .................................................................................. 118
Figure 40. Synthesis compressor ....................................................................... 119
Figure 41. Production Process of Ammonia Plant ............................................ 121
Figure 42. Primary Reformer ............................................................................... 123
Figure 43. Secondary Reformer .......................................................................... 124
Figure 44. Carbon Dioxide Removal ................................................................... 126
Figure 45. Synthesis converter, heat exchangers, compressor and flow pattern
............................................................................................................................... 128
Figure 46. Electricity Storage Options ............................................................... 136
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INTRODUCTION
Scope
Ammonia is produced basically from water, air, and energy. The energy source is
usually hydrocarbons, thus providing hydrogen as well, but may also be coal or
electricity. Steam reforming of light hydrocarbons is the most efficient route, with
about 77% of world ammonia capacity being based on natural gas.
The total energy consumption for the production of ammonia in a modern steam
reforming plant is 40-50% above the thermodynamic minimum. More than half of the
excess consumption is due to compression losses. The practical minimum
consumption is assumed to be 130% of the theoretical minimum.
This guideline covers items in making an ammonia plant. Starting from the raw
material, equipment, manufacturing process and the economics of ammonia plant.
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General Design Consideration
Ammonia is an intermediate product in the manufacture of nitrogenous fertilizers. It is

also used for direct application to the soil and in aqua condition with solutions of
other nitrogenous fertilizers like ammonium nitrate and/or urea. Besides these,
ammonia finds applications in the production of nitric acid, soda ash, cleaning
agents, leather tanning, petroleum refining, pulp & paper industry, textiles,
refrigeration, rubber & synthetic resin industries, explosives and food & beverages.
The history of ammonia cannot be detached from the large subject of nitrogen supply
to the fertilizer and chemical industry. In the early days of chemical industry
dependence was placed on natural and waste products of various kinds. Ammonia is
the most stable form of “fixed nitrogen” which is used as an essential part of almost
all types of fertilizers.
Before 1800, the principle sources of nitrogen were by product, organic material of
various types which include manure, seed, meals, fish scraps, leather scraps and
slaughter wastage. First of all‘Priestly’ produced ammonia in 1754 by heating “sub-
ammonia (ammonium chloride) with lime. The new compound was named for
Egyptian god arm mow, because ammonium chloride was first made fourth century
(B.C) from camel dung near the temple of arm mow.
In 1875, Hildebraud tried to synthesize ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen at

atmospheric pressure. Dobernier realized that a catalyst would be needed for
practical method. Between 1850 &1900, the general development of physical
chemistry, the new concept of mass action chemical equilibrium did much to pave
the way for ammonia synthesis.
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First full plant scale was placed on stream in Badishe Aniline – und soda Fabric A.G.
(BASF) by Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch at Oppau. Germany. The process became
commercial Haber-Bosch process. Although several processes have developed
since 1913. The main differences were the methods for the preparation of synthesis
gas, the purification of synthesis gas, the design of ammonia convertor and method
of receiving ammonia from converted flue gas.
Prior to 1945, coat and coke oven gas was the major raw material used for the
production of hydrogen required for ammonia synthesis. During the past 35 years,
there has been a trend towards the use of petroleum products. Most of the plants
built during the past 25 years, throughout the world designed for the use of a natural
gas, heavy oil as feed material. During last 15 years, Naphtha has become the most
popular feed material in the areas where natural gas is not present. At present
almost all of the ammonia plants in USA are based on natural gas.
Chemically combined nitrogen is essential for the growth of all living organisms.
Neither animals nor (with one or two exceptions) plants can assimilate free nitrogen
from the air; they depend upon nitrates, ammonium salts or other compounds found
in the soil. The natural supplies of fixed nitrogen were adequate for many centuries
to satisfy the normal processes of nature. However, by the beginning of the
nineteenth century, the increase in world population and the growth of big cities
created a demand from the more industrialized countries for other supplemental
sources of fixed nitrogen. This supplement was first found in imported guano and
sodium nitrate and later in ammoniacal solutions and ammonium sulphate by product
from the carbonization of coal in gas works and coke ovens.
By the start of this century, with the demand for fertilizer nitrogen again having
outstripped supply, necessity had once again become the mother of invention and
three different processes for the fixation of nitrogen were in commercial operation
and adequate supplies of fertilizer nitrogen were assured. One of those three was
the direct synthesis of ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen by the Haber-Bosch
process. This was developed in Germany between 1905 and 1913 and virtually all
fixed nitrogen is now produced by this process. The total world production in 1990
was over 100 million tons of fixed nitrogen and is increasing at the rate of over 4%
per annum. More than 90% of this is produced as ammonia and about 80% of the
total fixed nitrogen production is used in fertilizers.
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The ammonia plant is quite complicates petrochemical gas plant that foresee seven
different chemical working on range of operative condition that spans from cryogenic
-33oC / -27oF) up to elevated temperature (1000oC / 1832OF) as well as from low
pressure (1 bar / 15 psi) to high pressure (150 bar / 2175 psig). The know how to
manage all the wide range of operative condition and fluids to be handled is of the
most importance.
Raw Material Used
Ammonia is produced by the reaction between nitrogen (N2) and hydrogen (H2)
N2 + 3H2 → 2NH3
Source of Nitrogen is atmospheric air and following hydrocarbons are generally used
as the source of hydrogen.
 Natural gas
 Naphtha
 Heavy Oil
Other sources of hydrogen which were used earlier for manufacture of Ammonia are:
1) Semi-water gas made by gasification of coke/ coal with steam.
2) Hydrogen produced by electrolysis of water.
3) By product Hydrogen from chlorine production.
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Anhydrous Ammonia Properties
Table 1. Physical Properties of Ammonia
Property Value or Detail

Molecular Mass 17.03 g/mol
Colour Colourless
Odour Sharp, irritating
Physical State Gas (at room temperature)
Melting Point -77.7oC
Boiling Point -33.35oC
Flash Point 11oC
Decomposition Point 500oC
Density (gas) 0.7710 g/L
Density (liquid) 0.6818 g/L
Vapour Density 0.5697
Critical Temperature 132.4oC
Critical Pressure 111.3 atm
Heat of Fusion 58.1 kJ/mol
Heat of Vaporization 23.3 kJ/mol
Heat of Combustion -316 kJ/mol
Chemical Properties
Table 2. Chemical Properties of Ammonia
Property Value or Details

Chemical Formula NH3
Type of Base Weak
Affinity (water) High
Corrosiveness Corrosive to Some Metals
Oxidation Power Strong Reducing Agent
Reactivity Quite Reactive
Volatility Increase with increase in pH
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Expansion in the Industry
Major expansion of the ammonia industry began in 1963. The demand for nitrogen
based fertilizer throughout the world and the prospects for increased consumption in
future years stimulate fertilizer producers to build many new ammonia plants. During
the last few years, a trend has developed towards building large scale train plants
with capacities of 600 to 1500 tons per day. During the last quarter century many
improvements have been made in plant equipment, catalysts and instrumentation.
These developments have contributed to substantiate reduction in the capital cost
and operation costs of ammonia plants.
In 1960, the world production of ammonia was about 13 million ton. The use of
ammonia can be apprehended by the fact that in 1967, 12 million of ammonia was
manufactured in United States of America raised to 18 million tons the very next
year.
Since 1954 the following sweeping changing in the technology of ammonia

manufacture has taken place.
1. Feed ranging from natural gas to naphtha have been processed by steam
hydrocarbon reforming at pressure up to 500lb/in2 gauge.
2. Electric power consumption has been reduced to practically zero due
primarily to the use of a highly efficient energy cycle which incorporates high
pressure steam generation in conjunction with the maximum use of turbine
drives to pumps and centrifugal compressors.
3. Enormous improvements in the gas purification processes .several low utility
process are available for CO2 removal including promoted MEA, promoted
hot potassium carbonate process, sulfinol, the two stage Tri ethanol amine
/Mon ethanolamine system and others. Moreover, removal of residual CO
has been enormously simplified by the use of the methanation system.
Space requirements for the purification system have been minimized.
4. Improved heat recovery, particularly in the reformer effluent system and the
various catalyst reaction services.
5. Efficient use for steam
6. Use of higher activity catalyst for all the process services. The introduction of
low temperature shift conversion catalyst has simplified the design of the raw
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gas generation system and permitted substantial reduction in the quantity of

feed processed in the reformer because of the associated reduction in purge
in the synthesis loop.
7. Plant capacities have been increased from 600 to 1700 tons/day as 100%
single train operations throughout the unit including the ammonia convertor.
In addition, there have been significant improvements in the fabrication of
ammonia convertors. Full closure convertors can be offered in a wide range
of capacities and operating pressures. Moreover, the internal layout of
ammonia convertors have been modified in the direction of low pressure
drop which still retaining efficient distribution of gas through the catalyst
beds. The number of catalyst beds for the quench –type convertor has been
optimized. Also, more use has been made of reduced size synthesis catalyst
which has reduced both the volume of catalyst and the convertor size by 10-
25% depending on the size of catalyst used and the available pressure drop
of the loop.
8. Improvement in compressor design for all process service. Centrifugal
compressors can be provided for the synthesis gas service for pressure up to
4700lb/in(g) for size in excess of 1700 tons /day operating over a wide
range of speeds and horsepower.
9. Development of improved method for feed desulfurization including hydro
desulphurization of naphtha feeds. Improvements in both cobalt molybdenum
catalyst and zinc oxide sulfur absorbent catalyst have enabled all feeds to be
desulfurized to levels of less than 0.25 ppm sulfur, thus ensuring protection
of reforming catalyst against sulfur poisons with a resultant long catalyst life.
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MINOR AND EMERGING USES
i. Fertilizer
Approximately 83% (as of 2004) of ammonia is used as fertilizers either as its salts
or as solutions. Consuming more than 1% of all man-made power, the production of
ammonia is a significant component of the world energy budget.
ii. Precursor to nitrogenous compounds

Ammonia is directly or indirectly the precursor to most nitrogen-containing
compounds. Virtually all synthetic nitrogen compounds are derived from ammonia.
An important derivative is nitric acid. This key material is generated via the Ostwald
process by oxidation of ammonia with air over a platinum catalyst at 700–850 °C, ~9
atm. Nitric oxide is an intermediate in this conversion:
NH3 + 2 O2 → HNO3 + H2O
Nitric acid is used for the production of fertilizers, explosives, and many organic
nitrogen compounds.
iii. Cleaner
Household ammonia is a solution of NH3 in water (i.e., ammonium hydroxide) used
as a general purpose cleaner for many surfaces. Because ammonia results in a
relatively streak-free shine, one of its most common uses is to clean glass, porcelain
and stainless steel. It is also frequently used for cleaning ovens and soaking items to
loosen baked-on grime. Household ammonia ranges in concentration from 5 to 10
weight percent ammonia.
iv. Refrigeration
Because of its favorable vaporization properties, ammonia is an
attractive refrigerant. It was commonly used prior to the popularization of
chlorofluorocarbons (Freon’s). Anhydrous ammonia is widely used in industrial
refrigeration applications and hockey rinks because of its high energy and low cost.
The Kalina cycle, which is of growing importance to geothermal power plants,
depends on the wide boiling range of the ammonia-water mixture. Ammonia is used
less frequently in commercial applications, such as in grocery store freezer cases
and refrigerated displays due to its toxicity.
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v. For remediation of gaseous emissions

Ammonia is used to scrub SO2 from the burning of fossil fuels, and the resulting
product is converted to ammonium sulfate for use as fertilizer. Ammonia neutralizes
the nitrogen oxides (NOx) pollutants emitted by diesel engines. This technology,
called SCR (selective catalytic reduction), relies on a vanadium-based catalyst.
vi. As a fuel
Ammonia was used during World War II to power buses in Belgium, and in engine
and solar energy applications prior to 1900. Liquid ammonia was used as the fuel of
the rocket airplane, the X-15. Although not as powerful as other fuels, it left no soot
in the reusable rocket engine and its density approximately matches the density of
the oxidizer, liquid oxygen, which simplified the aircraft's design.
Ammonia has been proposed as a practical alternative to fossil fuel for internal
combustion engines. The calorific value of ammonia is 22.5 MJ/kg (9690 BTU/lb)
which is about half that of diesel. In a normal engine, in which the water vapor is not
condensed, the calorific value of ammonia will be about 21% less than this figure. It
can be used in existing engines with only minor modifications
to carburetors/injectors.
To meet these demands, significant capital would be required to increase present

production levels. Although the second most produced chemical, the scale of
ammonia production is a small fraction of world petroleum usage. It could be
manufactured from renewable energy sources, as well as coal or nuclear power. It is
however significantly less efficient than batteries. The 60 MW Rjukan dam
in Telemark, Norway produced ammonia via electrolysis of water for many years
from 1913 producing fertilizer for much of Europe. If produced from coal, the
CO2 can be readily sequestrated (the combustion products are nitrogen and water).
In 1981 a Canadian company converted a 1981 Chevrolet Impala to operate using
ammonia as fuel.
Ammonia engines or ammonia motors, using ammonia as a working fluid, have been
proposed and occasionally used. The principle is similar to that used in a fireless
locomotive, but with ammonia as the working fluid, instead of steam or compressed
air. Ammonia engines were used experimentally in the 19th century by Goldsworthy
Gurney in the UK and in streetcars in New Orleans in the USA.
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vii.Antimicrobial agent for food products

As early as in 1895 it was known that ammonia was "strongly antiseptic. It requires
1.4 grams per liter to preserve beef tea. Anhydrous ammonia has been shown
effective as an antimicrobial agent for animal feed and is currently used
commercially to reduce or eliminate microbial contamination of beef. The New York
Times reported in October, 2009 on an American company, Beef Products Inc.,
which turns fatty beef trimmings, averaging between 50 and 70 percent fat, into
seven million pounds per week of lean finely textured beef by removing the fat using
heat and centrifugation, then disinfecting the lean product with ammonia.
The process was rated by the US Department of Agriculture as effective and safe on
the basis of a study (financed by Beef Products) which found that the treatment
reduces E. coli to undetectable levels. Further investigation by The New York
Times published in December, 2009 revealed safety concerns about the process as
well as consumer complaints about the taste and smell of beef treated at optimal
levels of ammonia.
viii. As a stimulant in sports

Ammonia has found significant use in various sports – particularly the strength sports
of power lifting and Olympic weightlifting as a respiratory stimulant (psychoactive
drugs).
ix. Textile
Liquid ammonia is used for treatment of cotton materials, give properties
like Mercerization (It is a treatment for cotton fabric and thread that gives fabric or
yarns a lustrous appearance and strengthens them using alkalies). In particular, it is
used for pre-washing of wool.
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x. Lifting gas
At standard temperature and pressure ammonia is lighter than air, and has
approximately 60% of the lifting power of hydrogen or helium. Ammonia has
sometimes been used to fill weather balloons as a lifting gas. Because of its
relatively high boiling point (compared to helium and hydrogen), ammonia could
potentially be refrigerated and liquefied aboard an airship to reduce lift and add
ballast (and returned to a gas to add lift and reduce ballast).
xi. Woodworking
Ammonia was historically used to darken quarter sawn white oak in Arts & Crafts
and Mission style furniture. Ammonia fumes react with the natural tannins in the
wood and cause it to change colours.
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DEFINITION
Absorber - A tower or column in which contact is caused between rising gases and
falling liquid so that part of the gas may be taken up by the liquid. For example, a
Gas Plant has a tower that absorbs butane and propane from the gases charged to
it.
Absorption – is a physical or chemical phenomenon or a process in which atoms,
molecules or ions enter some bulk phase – liquid or solid material.
Accumulator - A vessel for the temporary storage of a liquid or gas, usually used for
collecting sufficient material for a continuous charge or reflux.
Boiling Point – is the temperature at which the vapour pressure of a liquid equals
the pressure surrounding the liquid and the liquid changes into a vapour.
Catalytic Reforming – is a chemical process used to convert petroleum refinery
naphtha distilled from crude oil (typically having low octane ratings) into high octane
liquid products called reformates, which are premium blending stocks for high octane
gasoline.
Catalyst - A material which will increase or decrease the speed of a chemical
reaction without changing its own chemical identity.
Combustion - Chemical combination of the combustible that part which will burn) in
a fuel with oxygen in the air supplied for the process. Temperatures may range form
1850 to over 3000ºF.
Compressor – is a mechanical device that increase the pressure of a gas by
reducing its volume.
Commissioning - Preparatory work, servicing etc. usually on newly-installed
equipment, and all testing prior to full production testing
Condensing – is the change of the physical state of matter from gas phase into
liquid phase, and is the reverse of evaporation.
Condensate - Volatile liquid consisting of the heavier hydrocarbon fractions that
condense out of the gas as it leaves the well, a mixture of pentanes and higher
hydrocarbons. See also gas condensate.
Corrosion - The wasting away of metals as a result of chemical action. In a boiler,

usually cause by the presence of O2, CO2, or an acid
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Cryogenics - In oil industry terms this refers to very low temperature handling
processing or storage of hydrocarbon substances. See also Cavern storage.
Damper - A device for regulating the flow of flue gases in a chimney, thus controlling
the amount of excess air to the furnace.
Downcomer - The conduit or overflow pipe in a distillation tower through which the
liquid from one tray enters and is distributed to the tray below
Density – is the relationship between the mass of the substance and how much
space it takes up (volume).
Desulfurization – is a chemical process for the removal of sulphur from a material.
Distillation - The process of heating and “flashing” or boiling off successive fractions
(component hydrocarbon substances) from a crude oil feedstock, or a product of
earlier distillation.
Downstream - “Downstream” is a relative term (the opposite of “Upstream”) in oil

industry operations. For instance, a refinery is “downstream” of a crude oil production
unit, and a petrochemical unit, and a petrochemical plant usually downstream of a
refinery. The term has also come to mean all operations occurring after the delivery
or lifting of saleable quality crude or gas from the production unit or associated
delivery terminal
Excess Air Air supplied for combustion in excess of that theoretically required for
complete oxidation.
Flue Gas The gaseous products of combustion in the flue to the stack. Gases from
the combustion of fuel. Their heating potential having been substantially spent, they
are discarded to the flue or stack. They consist primarily of CO2-COO2-N2 and
water vapor.
Heat Exchanger - A process vessel which typically uses the passage of one fluid
through a set of internal tubes to heat up or cool down another fluid in which they are
immersed. There are many different designs and uses
Hydrocarbons - Organic compounds of hydrogen and carbon, whose densities,

boiling points and freezing points increase as their molecular weights increase.
Although composed of only two elements, hydrocarbons exist in a variety of
compounds because of the strong affinity of carbon atoms for other atoms and for
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itself. The smallest molecules of hydrocarbons are gaseous; the largest are solids.
Petroleum is a mixture of many different hydrocarbons.
Inert Gas – Un reactive; will not support combustion. In refinery use is generally
nitrogen or CO2 (carbon dioxide) (flue gas).
Methanation – is the reaction by which carbon oxides and hydrogen are converted
to methane and water.
Naphtha - A collective name given to a range if distillate fractions covering heavy
gasolines and some of the lighter kerosene distillates.
Natural Gas/NGL’s - Natural Gas is primarily Methane and also some Ethane with
small quantities of entrained heavier fractions, such as Propane, Butane, etc. These,
and others, are readily condensed from the Natural Gas flow and are known as
Natural Gas Liquids, or NGL’s, as distinct from Liquid Natural Gas (L.N.G.) which is
Methane/Ethane refrigerated to the liquid state. NGL may be produced from
condensate reservoirs.
Purification – is the removal of impure elements from something.
Purge - To maintain gas flow in an over-rich or lean concentration in order to avoid
the build-up of oxygen and an explosive mixture
Preheat - Heat added to a fluid prior to an operation performed on that fluid.
Pressure Drop - The decrease in pressure, due to friction, which occurs when a
liquid or gas passes through a pipe, vessel, or other piece of equipment.
Pump - A machine for moving a liquid by taking energy from some other source and
transferring it to the liquid.
Reactor - The vessel in which all or at least the major part of a reaction or
conversion takes place. On most units this will be the vessel in which the catalyst is
located.
Reboiler - A part of a fractionation tower designed to supply all or a portion of the

heat to the tower. Liquid is withdrawn from the bottom of the tower and heated in the
reboiler. The vapors formed are returned to the tower. The remaining liquid may or
may not be returned to
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Specific Gravity – is the ratio of the density of a substance to the mass of a

reference substance for the same given volume.
Velocity – is the rate of change of the displacement, the difference between the final
and initial position of an object. Velocity is an important concept in kinematics, the
branch of classical mechanics which describes the motion of bodies.
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NOMENCLATURE
∆‫ܪ‬° Entalphy
PSA Pressure Swing Adsorption
PEM Proton Exchange Membrane
ASU Air Separation Unit
FBM The Bare Module cost Factor
CBM which includes bot direct and indirect costs for the equipment
Fp.vessel used to determine the costs of ammonia synthesis reactor and the
flash drum
FM Also used to cost equipment
COM The Cost of Manufacturing
DMC The Sum of The Direct Costs
FMC The Fixed Costs
GE The General Expensive
NOL Number of Operation per Shift
P The Number of Processing Steps that Include Solids Handling
Nnp The number of nonparticulate processing steps, including
compressors, towers, heat exchangers, reactors and heaters
Y The operating labor in units of hours/ton per processing step
X The plant capacity per day
B A constant related to the process type
Page 22 of 181
Rev: 02
April 2020
REFERENCES
1. Appl M. Ammonia. Ullmann’s Agrochemicals. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH Velrag

GmbH & Co; 2007.p.143-297
2. Kelly TD, Matos GR. Historical Statistics for Mineral and Material
Commodities in the United States. In: U.S. Geological Survey, editor.
Washington, D.C.: U.S.Geological Survey;2010
3. Brown RN. Compressors: Selection and Sizing. 3rd ed. Boston: Gulf
Professional Publishing; 2005.
4. Downie NA. Industrial Gases. 1st ed. Boston: Kluwer Academic Publishers
1996.
5. Meier S. Steel Water Storage Tanks: Design, Construction, Maintenance and
Repair. New York, NY: McGraw Hill Professional; 2010.
6. Randall RJ, Tsui TKN. Ammonia toxicity in fish. Marine Pollution Bulletin.
2002; Vol. 45:17-23
7. Miller DC. “Ambient aquatic life water criteria for ammonia (saltwater),”U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, Narragansett, RI. Report: EPA 440/5-88-
004,1989.
8. Major Hazards Assessment Panel. Ammonia toxicity monograph: second
report of the Toxicity Working Party. Rugby, UK: Institution of Chemical
Engineers; 1988.
9. Maxwell GR. Synthetic Nitrogen Products A Practical Guide to the Products
and Process. Boston: Kluwer Academic Publisher; 2005.
10. J. C. Copplestone (Petrochem) and Dr. C. M. Kirk (Taranaki Polytechnic) with
revisions by S. L. Death, N. G. Betteridge and S. M. Fellows (all of
Petrochem) and editing by Heather Wansbrough.
11. Ammonia . ThyssenKrupp Uhde
12. Lugano. Advanced Ammonia Casale Technologies For Ammonia Plants.
2002
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13. K Kolmetz et al, Kolmetz Handbook of Process Equipment Design, Fluid Flow
Piping Hydraulics Fluid Flow Line Sizing and Material Selection Engineering
Design Guidline, 2018
14. K Kolmetz et al, Kolmetz Handbook of Process Equipment Design, Reactor

Systems Selection, Sizing and Troubleshooting, Engineering Design Guidline,
2014
15. K Kolmetz et al, Kolmetz Handbook of Process Equipment Design, General

Plant Costing, Engineering Design Guidline, 2014

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KLM Technology Group

and Troubeshooting Karl Kolmetz

(ENGINEERING DESIGN GUIDELINE)

General Design Consideration............................................................................. 7

THE PRODUCTION OF AMMONIA ..................................................................... 39

i. Ammonia from Natural Gas ...................................................................... 39

ii. Ammonia Production from Hydrogen ..................................................... 40

iii. Modern Production Processes ................................................................ 42

iv. Plant design in the 21st century .............................................................. 45

v. Conventional Steam Reforming ............................................................... 48

vi. Partial Oxidation........................................................................................ 51

vii. Electrolytic Ammonia ............................................................................ 51

viii. Syngas Compression ............................................................................ 53

ix. Synthesis of Ammonia ............................................................................. 54

THE AMMONIA MANUFACTURING PROCESS ................................................. 57

HALDOR TOPSOE PROCESS ........................................................................... 61

i. Hydrofining or desulphurization .............................................................. 61

ii. Steam Reforming ...................................................................................... 62

iii. Shift CO conversion, ................................................................................. 67

iv. CO2 removal .............................................................................................. 70

v. Final purification ....................................................................................... 80

vi. Ammonia synthesis .................................................................................. 82

vii. Recovery ................................................................................................. 90

AMMONIA CASALE PROCESS .......................................................................... 95

UHDE AMMONIA PROCESS ............................................................................. 102

KELLOGG AMMONIA PLANT ........................................................................... 118

PRODUCT STORAGE ....................................................................................... 128

SYSTEM SELECTION AND TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY................................... 130

THE ECONOMICS OF AMMONIA PLANTS ...................................................... 138

COST ESTIMATION ........................................................................................... 142

UTILITIES ........................................................................................................... 150

EXAMPLES ........................................................................................................... 158

Question and answers ...................................................................................... 158

Example Case 2 : Ammonia plant cost estimating ........................................ 159

Table 1. Physical Properties of Ammonia ............................................................ 10

Figure 1. Ammonia Production by Steam Reformation Process ....................... 31

Figure 23. Ammonia Product ................................................................................ 88

General Design Consideration

Ammonia is an intermediate product in the manufacture of nitrogenous fertilizers. It is

In 1875, Hildebraud tried to synthesize ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen at

Raw Material Used

Anhydrous Ammonia Properties

Table 1. Physical Properties of Ammonia

Property Value or Detail

Table 2. Chemical Properties of Ammonia

Property Value or Details

Expansion in the Industry

Since 1954 the following sweeping changing in the technology of ammonia

gas generation system and permitted substantial reduction in the quantity of

MINOR AND EMERGING USES

ii. Precursor to nitrogenous compounds

NH3 + 2 O2 → HNO3 + H2O

v. For remediation of gaseous emissions

To meet these demands, significant capital would be required to increase present

vii.Antimicrobial agent for food products

viii. As a stimulant in sports

Corrosion - The wasting away of metals as a result of chemical action. In a boiler,

Downstream - “Downstream” is a relative term (the opposite of “Upstream”) in oil

Hydrocarbons - Organic compounds of hydrogen and carbon, whose densities,

Preheat - Heat added to a fluid prior to an operation performed on that fluid.

Reboiler - A part of a fractionation tower designed to supply all or a portion of the

Specific Gravity – is the ratio of the density of a substance to the mass of a

1. Appl M. Ammonia. Ullmann’s Agrochemicals. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH Velrag