Process for the ammonia and methanol co-production

Details Process for the ammonia and methanol co-production Process for the ammonia and methanol co-production

1997-12-29

2000-08-22

Langel, Wayne

Chemistry of inorganic compounds

Nitrogen or compound thereof

Ammonia or ammonium hydroxide

422148, 422189, C01C 100, C01C 104

Patent

active

061067938

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF APPLICATION

The present invention relates to a process for the ammonia and methanol co-production in a plant comprising a first primary reforming section and a secondary reforming section arranged in series, an ammonia synthesis section and a methanol synthesis section, said process comprising the steps of: successively in the secondary reforming section to obtain a first gaseous phase comprising CO, CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2.
In the description given below and in the following claims, the term: "in-situ" modernization, is understood to mean the on-site modification of a pre-existing reactor in order to improve its performance and obtain e.g. greater production capacity and/or greater conversion yield and/or reduction in energy consumption.
In the description given below and in the following claims, the term: `synthesis section`, is understood to mean generally all of that part of the plant concerned with ammonia or methanol production and operationally located downstream of the reforming sections.
In the description given below and the following claims, the term: `methane`, is understood to mean generally a raw material source of hydrogen and carbon, such as e.g. methane itself or a mixture of liquid and/or gaseous hydrocarbons such as natural gas and naphtha.
The present invention also relates to a plant for ammonia and methanol co-production for carrying out the above mentioned process, as well as to a modernization method for an ammonia synthesis plant and to a modernization method for an ammonia and methanol co-production plant.
As known, there is an ever growing requirement in the field of ammonia and methanol co-production to provide synthesis processes easy to implement, which allow achievement of ever higher production capacities at low operating and investment costs and at low energy consumption.


PRIOR ART

For the purpose of meeting the above mentioned requirement, there have recently been proposed in the field synthesis processes for ammonia and methanol co-production, wherein a flow of gas rich in CO, CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 coming from the secondary reforming section of an ammonia synthesis plant, is diverted to a synthesis section for methanol production. The unreacted gas is subsequently reintroduced into the synthesis section of the ammonia plant.
Although advantageous in some ways, the above described processes exhibit a series of drawbacks, the first of which is that the production capacity of ammonia and that of methanol are strictly correlated and depend mainly on the methane and steam load which can be fed to the reforming sections.
In other words, as the total production capacity of the co-production plant operating in accordance with these processes is substantially determined by the loading capacity of the reforming sections, in a full-capacity operating situation an increase in the production of methanol causes inevitably an approximately equivalent reduction in the ammonia production, and vice versa.
This means that if it is desired to obtain high production capacity of both ammonia and methanol it is necessary, according to the prior art processes, to size the reforming sections correspondingly so that they are capable of supporting a load of reagents permitting achievement of the desired production capacity. In addition, the ammonia and methanol synthesis sections must also be oversized to meet any load increases caused by changes in methanol and ammonia production.
Consequently, if high production capacity of both ammonia and methanol is required, the co-production plant which must be provided for implementation of the above mentioned processes exhibits considerable structural complexity, high investment and operating costs, and high energy consumption.
Because of these disadvantages, the prior art ammonia and methanol co-production processes have heretofore found slight application despite the growing demand in the industry.


SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The problem underlying the present invention is to provide a process for ammonia and methanol co-production which would b

REFERENCES:
patent: 3598527 (1971-08-01), Quartulli et al.
patent: 4315900 (1982-02-01), Nozawa et al.
patent: 4367206 (1983-01-01), Pinto
patent: 4411877 (1983-10-01), Notman
patent: 4681745 (1987-07-01), Pinto
patent: 5167933 (1992-12-01), Norsk
patent: 5180570 (1993-01-01), Lee et al.

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