CA1118185A - Combined process for the production of urea and ammonia - Google Patents

Combined process for the production of urea and ammonia

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Publication number
CA1118185A
CA1118185A CA000298107A CA298107A CA1118185A CA 1118185 A CA1118185 A CA 1118185A CA 000298107 A CA000298107 A CA 000298107A CA 298107 A CA298107 A CA 298107A CA 1118185 A CA1118185 A CA 1118185A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
ammonia
urea
absorber
solution
plate
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA000298107A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Giorgio Pagani
Vincenzo Lagana
Francesco Saviano
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
SnamProgetti SpA
Original Assignee
SnamProgetti SpA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by SnamProgetti SpA filed Critical SnamProgetti SpA
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Publication of CA1118185A publication Critical patent/CA1118185A/en
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Classifications

    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C07ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C07CACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
    • C07C273/00Preparation of urea or its derivatives, i.e. compounds containing any of the groups, the nitrogen atoms not being part of nitro or nitroso groups
    • C07C273/02Preparation of urea or its derivatives, i.e. compounds containing any of the groups, the nitrogen atoms not being part of nitro or nitroso groups of urea, its salts, complexes or addition compounds
    • C07C273/10Preparation of urea or its derivatives, i.e. compounds containing any of the groups, the nitrogen atoms not being part of nitro or nitroso groups of urea, its salts, complexes or addition compounds combined with the synthesis of ammonia
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C01INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C01CAMMONIA; CYANOGEN; COMPOUNDS THEREOF
    • C01C1/00Ammonia; Compounds thereof
    • C01C1/02Preparation, purification or separation of ammonia
    • C01C1/04Preparation of ammonia by synthesis in the gas phase
    • C01C1/0405Preparation of ammonia by synthesis in the gas phase from N2 and H2 in presence of a catalyst
    • C01C1/0488Processes integrated with preparations of other compounds, e.g. methanol, urea or with processes for power generation
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02PCLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
    • Y02P20/00Technologies relating to chemical industry
    • Y02P20/50Improvements relating to the production of bulk chemicals
    • Y02P20/52Improvements relating to the production of bulk chemicals using catalysts, e.g. selective catalysts

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
  • Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Organic Low-Molecular-Weight Compounds And Preparation Thereof (AREA)
  • Hydrogen, Water And Hydrids (AREA)

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

In an integrated or combined process for the production of ammonia and urea, the improvement consisting in that the absorption of CO2 from the raw gas going to the synthesis reactor for ammonia is carried out with an absorption apparatus which is divided into two sections, one being of the plate type and the other of the thin film type. The predominant fraction of CO2 is stripped in the thin-film section, the remainder in the adiabatic plate section.

Description

This invention relates to a combined process for the productlon of urea and ammonia.
More detailedly, the present in~ention relates to an inteyrated urea-ammonia production process which is im-provedunder the respect of the absorption of carbon dioxide in the zone of formation of the ammonium carbamate.
It is known from the Italian Patent Specification N 907 469 that the absorption of the CO2 con-tained in the raw gases for the synthesis of ammonia is carried ou-t with an ammoniacal aqueous solution in a film-exchanger, the aqueous ammoniacal solution being fed both at the bot-tom and a-t the top of such film-type heat exchanger.
Regrettably, during the absorption step, the evaporation of about the 20~ of ammonia takes place, so that such ammonia must partially be condensed and fed back to the CO2-absorption apparatus. The remaining fraction of ammonia which is still contained in the gases emerging from the CO2-absorption zone, which is the zone in which ammonium carbamate is formed, is sent, on completion of the partial condensation mentioned, just now, to the ammonia-absorber, wherein such ammonia is absorbed, along with the ammonia which comes from the ammonia-synthesis apparatus, with water.
Processsing cycle complications and considerable expenditures lnvolved when working by absorbing CO2 according to the conventional art resumed above have been done away with by the method according to the present invention.
The object of the present invention is to provide a process for the production of urea, combined with the production of ammonia, according to which the absorption of the CO2 contained in the raw gases intended for the synthesis of ammonia is carried out by introducing said ' ~

.

C02-containing gases at the bottom, or in the ~icinlty Of the bottom, of an absorber, the latter being split into two secti.ons, i.e. the lower section of the film-type, and ..
the upper section of the plate-type.

. . . .

~8'185 The other operations of the combined process are the known ones, and essentially consisting in producing ammonia in an ammonia synthesis apparatus, absorbing the ammonia, as it exits from the synthesis reactor, wi~h water so as to obtain a concen-trated aqueous solution of ammonia, using the concentrated solu-tion for absorbing the CO2 contained in the raw gases for the syn-thesis of ammonia, absorbing the CO2 according to the teachings of the present invention and forming ammonium carbamate, partial-ly converting the ammonium carbamateinto urea in a urea-synthesis reactor, thermally decomposing the unconverted carbamate into urea and stripping the decomposition products with a gas selected from the group consisting of ammonia, C02 and inerts, ammonia being preferred, discharging from the stripping zone a solution of urea which still contains carbamate, recycling the carbamate decomposi-tion products to the urea-synthesis reactor, distilling under a pressure of from 3 to 30 atmospheres, in one or more stages, the solution of urea to obtain liquid ammonia and one or more ammonia-cal solutions of ammonium carbonate on one side, and an aqueous solution of urea free of ammonium-carbamate on the other side.
As aforesaid carbon dioxide is absorbed in two discrete sections of the same apparatus. More particularly, the CO2-con-taining gas is introduced at the bottom, or near the bottom, of an absorber which is split into two sections, the lower section being a film-absorber and`the upper section being a plate-absorber, the absorbing solution in the upper section being the concent~ated aqueous solution of ammonia aforesaid, the absorbing solution in the lower section being one or more of the aqueous ammoniacal solutions of ammonium carbonate as obtained by distillation of the solution of urea under a pressure of from 3 to 30 atm, with ad-3~ dition of liquid ammonia.
Thus, the main fraction of the CO2 is absorbed in a section which is equipped with tubes, wherein the absorbing solu-tion, which is an ammoniacal solution of ammonium carbonate as obtained by distillation of the solution of urea under a low pres-sure after that the major fraction of the a~nonium carbamate has been withdrawnunder a pressure substantially equal to the synthe-sizing pressure, smoothly runs along the tube walls in the form of a thin film, the absorption heat being removed by the agency of a coolant fluid which flows outside the tube walls. The remai-ning portion of C02 is removed in the plate section, which is essentially adiabatic, the absorbing fluid being a concentrated ammoni`acal aqueous solutlon.
: 10 The pressure under which the urea solution ls distilled, in order to obtain the ammoniacal solution of ammonium carbonate ranges from 3 to 30 atm.
In the plate absorbing section, liquid ammonia is also used with advan-tage, concurxently with the concentrated ammoniacal aqueous solution. The preferred weight ratio of liquid ammonia to concentrated ammoniacal aqueous solution ranges from 1 to 5~
The absorbing liquor is fed to the film-type absorption section by means of a distributor which is located in a zone which is intermediate between the two sections.
Likewise, the absorbing liquor (concentrated ammoniacal aqueous solution possibly supplemented by liquid ammonia) is fed to an area placed at the top, or near the top, of the plate absorption section. The solution emerging from the plate section is directly sent to the urea-synthesis reactor: as an alternative, it can flow throught the film-absorption section by means of an appro-priate distributor and can be distributed in film-form onto the surfaces of the tubes of the film-absorption section together with the ammoniacal solution of ammonium carbonate which is directly fed to the film-absorption section.
It should be observed that in the film-absorption zone, the CO2 is absorbed to such an extent as to have residual gas values of 2% - 3% on a volume basis.
During this stage, a certain evaporation of ammonia takes place, so that the gas deprived of the carbon dioxide has a content of ammonia equal to about 10% - 12%
by volume. This gas subsequently enters the second top section, the plate section, wherein, by the scrubbing mentioned above, it becomes possible completely to absorb both the carbon dioxide and the ammonia which are present.

It should be observed that by operating according to the method of thls invention, it becomes possible not only to reduce the exchange surfaces which are necessary, but also the work under conditions of great safety on accoun-t of the considerable excess of ammonia and the relative thermal volume thereof.
It is possible, according to the present invention, as it is obvious, to absorb the CO2 in two serially arranged absorption sections, that is, sections which are not super-posed to one another: in the first section the absorption takes place withthe film method, whereas the second section has a set of plates for absorbing the residual CO2 which had not been absorbed in the film-absorption section.
In this case, the raw gas for the synthesis of ammonia, which contains CO2 is fed at the bottom, or near the bottom, of the film-absorption section in which the absorbing liquor (ammoniacal solution of ammonium carbonate) is fed at the top, or near the top, of said section, whereas the gas discharged from the top of the film-absorption section is fed at the bottom, or near the bottom, of the plate-absorption section: the absorbing liquor consisting of the concentrated ammoniacal aqueous solution, possibly supplemented by liquid ammonia, is conversely fed at the top of the plate section. The gas, deprived of its CO2 is discharged from the top of the plate-absorption section, whereas the solution as obtained at the bottom of the plate section can, if desired and with advantage, be exploited as an additional absorbing liquor in the film-absorption section.
An example will now be given, which is intended for better illustrating the invention without limiting it in any wise:

PR~CTIC~L EXAMPLE
-To produce 1,000 metric tons an hour of urea, there is fed at the bottom of the absorber 1, shown in the accompanying diagram and which works under a pressure of 195 kg/sq.cm, a raw gas 2 having the following percentage composition, by volume:

Ar 215 nor.cu.meters an hour 0.24% by volume H255,425 do 61.52% do N218,161 do 19.99% do CH4 251 do 0.28% do CO 390 do 0.43% do C215,804 do 17.54% do The working temperature is 175C.
At 3 the following ammoniacal solution, having a temperature of 50C, is introduced:

NH3 25,370 kg an hour 80% by weight H2O 6,343 do 20% do total 31,713 do At the top portion of the film absorber 1, the recycle carbonate, proceeding from 4, is fed at a temperature of 103C.

NH3 5,558 kg an hour 26.75% by weight C2 7,076 do34.24% do H2O 8,059 do39,01% do total 20,663 do100.00% do The concentrated solution of carbamate exits the bottom and shall be sent to the urea reactor 5, at the temperature of 140C.

NH3 24,834 kg an hour 35.43% by weight C2 31,343 do 44.71% do H2O 13,920 do 19,86% do total 70,097 do 100.00% do From the film section the gas, partially s-tripped of its CO2emerges and is sent at a temperature of 125C to the plate section 6:

Ar215 nor.cu.meters an 0.25% by volume hour H255,425 do63.44% do N218,161 do20.78% do CH4251 do 0.29% do CO390 do 0.45% do C23,451 do 3.95% do NH39,467 do10.84% do total 87,360 do100.00% do The absorption hea-t is withdrawn from the jacket side of the absorber, to produce low-pressure steam.
At the top of the plate section, there are fed:
Ammoniacal solution (temperature 50C), from 3 NH3 12,684 kg an hour 80% by weigh-t H2O 3,172 do 20% do Recycled anhydrous ammonia, at a temperature of 38C, from 7 : 35,874 kg an hour From the bottom of the plate section, the following solution emerges via 8 at the temperature of 117C:

NH3 45,939 kg an hour 82.20% by weight C2 6,778 do 12.13% do H2O 3,172 do 5.67% do total 55,889 do100.00% do 8~

Such solution is sent to the urea-synthesis reactor.
From the top of the plate section the CO2-stripped gas emerges via 9 at a temperature of 43C:

Ar 215 nor.cu.m an hour 0.25% l~y volume H2 55,425 do68.44% do N2 18,161 do20.79% do CH4 251 do 0.29% do CO 390 do0.45% do NH3 12,918 do 14.78% do total87,360 do100.00% do This gas is sent to methanization.

.. , .. . . . . _ _ , .

Claims (7)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. In a process for the concurrent production of am-monia and urea comprising the steps of producing ammonia in an am-monia-synthesis apparatus, absorbing ammonia at the exit of the ammonia-synthesis reactor with water, thus obtaining a concentrated aqueous solution of ammonia, utilizing the concentrated solution of ammonia for the absorption of the CO2 contained in the raw gases for the synthesis of ammonia, obtaining ammonium carbamate, converting the ammonium carbamate partially into urea in a urea-synthesis reac-tor, thermally decomposing the carbamate which has not been conver-ted into urea and stripping the decomposition products with a gas selected from the group consisting of ammonia, CO2 and inerts, discharging from the stripping zone a solution of urea which still contains carbamate, recycling the products of decomposition of the carbamate to the urea-synthesis reactor, distilling under a pressu-re of from 3 to 30 atm, in at least one stage, the solution of urea to obtain liquid ammonia and one or more ammoniacal solutions of ammonium carbonate, and an aqueous solution of urea deprived of am-monium carbamate, the improvement which comprises introducing the CO2-containing gas at the bottom, or near the bottom, of an absor-ber which is split into two sections, the lower section being a film-absorber and the upper section being a plate-absorber, the absorbing solution in the upper section being the concentrated aqueous solution of ammonia aforesaid, the absorbing solution in the lower section being one or more of the aqueous ammoniacal solutions of ammonium carbonate as obtained by distillation of the solution of urea under a pressure of from 3 to 30 atm. with addition of li-quid ammonia.
2. The process of claim 1 wherein said stripping gas for said decomposition products is ammonia.
3. The process of claim 1 wherein said distillation of the solution of urea under a pressure of from 3 to 30 atm. is effected without addition of liquid ammonia.
4 The process of claim 1 wherein the film absorber and the plate-absorber are arranged serially, the raw gas which contains CO2 being fed at the bottom, or near the bottom, of the film absorber, then discharged from the top of such film absorber and fed into the bottom, or near the bottom, of the plate-absorber, the absorbing liquor for the film absorber fed at the top or near the top thereof being composed of said one or more ammoniacal so-lutions of ammonium carbonate, the absorbing liquor for the plate absorber fed at the top or near the top thereof being composed of the concentrated aqueous solution of ammonia.
5. The process of claim 4 wherein said one or more am-moniacal solutions of ammonium carbonate are supplemented by li-quid ammonia.
6. The process of claim 4 wherein said plate-absorber is supplemented by the solution as obtained from the bottom of the plate-absorber.
7. The process of claim 1 wherein the weight ratio of the liquid ammonia to said one or more solutions of ammonium carbonate ranges from 1 to 5.
CA000298107A 1977-03-03 1978-03-02 Combined process for the production of urea and ammonia Expired CA1118185A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT20850/77A IT1115610B (en) 1977-03-03 1977-03-03 INTEGRATED UREA-AMMONIA PROCEDURE
IT20850A/77 1977-03-03

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1118185A true CA1118185A (en) 1982-02-16

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ID=11172995

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA000298107A Expired CA1118185A (en) 1977-03-03 1978-03-02 Combined process for the production of urea and ammonia

Country Status (21)

Country Link
JP (1) JPS53108926A (en)
AR (1) AR221480A1 (en)
AU (1) AU515786B2 (en)
BE (1) BE864554A (en)
BR (1) BR7801343A (en)
CA (1) CA1118185A (en)
CH (1) CH639353A5 (en)
CS (1) CS219889B2 (en)
DD (1) DD134087A5 (en)
DE (1) DE2808831C3 (en)
DK (1) DK92978A (en)
ES (1) ES468020A1 (en)
FR (1) FR2382403B1 (en)
GB (1) GB1586624A (en)
IE (1) IE46473B1 (en)
IT (1) IT1115610B (en)
LU (1) LU79147A1 (en)
NL (1) NL7802158A (en)
PL (1) PL110971B1 (en)
SE (1) SE7802450L (en)
TR (1) TR19994A (en)

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN104619640B (en) * 2012-07-13 2017-05-31 赛尔斯通股份有限公司 Method and system for forming ammonia and solid carbon product
PL413125A1 (en) 2015-07-14 2017-01-16 Vts Spółka Z Ograniczoną Odpowiedzialnością Hinge
US10315986B1 (en) * 2018-04-06 2019-06-11 Solenis Technologies, L.P. Systems and methods for forming a solution of ammonium carbamate

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
IT1034674B (en) * 1975-03-28 1979-10-10 Snam Progetti FLEXIBLE INTERGRATED PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF EDUREA AMMONIA

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NL7802158A (en) 1978-09-05
JPS53108926A (en) 1978-09-22
DD134087A5 (en) 1979-02-07
AU515786B2 (en) 1981-04-30
AU3338878A (en) 1979-08-23
IT1115610B (en) 1986-02-03
IE46473B1 (en) 1983-06-29
AR221480A1 (en) 1981-02-13
FR2382403B1 (en) 1981-10-23
JPS6324986B2 (en) 1988-05-23
PL205024A1 (en) 1979-03-26
ES468020A1 (en) 1978-12-01
FR2382403A1 (en) 1978-09-29
DK92978A (en) 1978-09-04
DE2808831A1 (en) 1978-09-07
DE2808831B2 (en) 1980-08-14
DE2808831C3 (en) 1981-04-16
CS219889B2 (en) 1983-03-25
BR7801343A (en) 1978-12-12
PL110971B1 (en) 1980-08-30
BE864554A (en) 1978-09-04
IE780448L (en) 1978-09-03
GB1586624A (en) 1981-03-25
CH639353A5 (en) 1983-11-15
TR19994A (en) 1980-07-01
LU79147A1 (en) 1978-06-27
SE7802450L (en) 1978-09-04

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