Magazine: Nitrogen+Syngas

Methanol continues to be a front runner among alternative fuels for the shipping industry. However, concerns remain over the availability and cost of green and blue methanol.

This article explores the opportunities presented by Stamicarbon’s tertiary abatement technology for both existing and grassroots nitric acid plants to enhance sustainability and efficiency and discover the advantages of incorporating these technologies into a green fertilizer complex.

NextChem Tech, has signed a contract with Paul Wurth SA, a subsidiary of SMS group, and Norsk e-Fuel AS for a licensing and engineering design package relating to its NX CPO (catalytic partial oxidation) technology, which will be used in an industrial scale plant producing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from green hydrogen and biogenic CO2 in Mosjøen, Norway. NextChem’s NX CPO technology produces synthesis gas via a very fast controlled partial oxidation reaction. When applied to synthetic fuel production, it can improve carbon efficiency recovery yield. The first plant developed by Norsk e-Fuel will have a production capacity of 40,000 t/a of green fuel and will enter operation after 2026. Based on the initial design, two additional facilities with a capacity of around 80 000 t/a each are planned to be built by 2030. The fuels will current aviation emissions.

The US is experiencing a new boom in nitrogen projects, with a number of carbon capture ammonia plants under development.

Catalyst development for nitric acid plants is strongly dependent on operating pressures and nitrogen loading levels. Johnson Matthey reviews some of the key catalyst design principles, emphasising the critical role of operating pressure in catalyst selection and highlighting the innovative contributions of Johnson Matthey in advancing catalyst technology for ultra-high-pressure ammonia oxidation in nitric acid plants.

New blue production schemes are available to meet the need to significantly reduce the overall carbon intensity of high-volume hydrogen and ammonia production for a large-scale emerging market. KBR, Air Liquide, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Casale and Johnson Matthey report on their latest technologies.

A complete listing of all articles and news items that appeared in Nitrogen+Syngas magazine during 2023.

Ammonia prices are expected to remain soft moving through January with little in the way of price support from both a supply and demand perspective. Weakened global sentiment was characterised by news of January’s Tampa settlement $100/t down on December at $525/t CFR, with further declines anticipated in Q1 once the Gulf Coast Ammonia (GCA) project comes online. Traders returned to their desks in the New Year and ammonia prices extended losses amid a stable supply outlook and a distinct lack of downstream industrial and fertilizer demand.

Data has always been crucial for successful operations in the chemical industry, but the growing volume of data is only as good as our ability to analyse it. Now, the market is about to experience a step change in data assessment, and Clariant is fully on track, thanks to cutting-edge technologies for real-time data monitoring, visualisation, and information exchange.

TOYO explores green methanol synthesis technology and the challenges in utilising renewable energy sources and introduces its g-Methanol® technology.