Although the nitric acid industry has an extensive history dating back centuries, nitric acid production continues to be a dynamic process with bespoke system solutions necessary per plant rather than a one size fits all. Kate Cardonne of Johnson Matthey discusses strategies to balance the cost and performance in nitric acid production.
Highly efficient ammonia synthesis and subsequent cracking to hydrogen are key processes in the transition to the green hydrogen economy. Catalysts play an important role in the ammonia cracking process. Clariant offers both nickel and precious metal catalysts for this application and research on robust catalysts that allow lower temperatures for increased energy efficiency is ongoing.
Sulphur dust is one of the greatest hazards when producing and handling solid sulphur, and methods for its suppression are vitally important to prevent fire and explosion.
In 2019 Topsoe launched its ClearView™ technology for WSA and SNOx sulphuric acid plants. ClearView™ is a revolutionary process health monitoring software solution to help sulphuric acid plant operators ensure plants run better, more stable and with less downtime. Now, three years later, ClearView™ has been successfully implemented at two WSA plants and several other chemical plants of Topsoe’s design, with many others in the pipeline. This article focuses on the results and learnings from the first implementation of ClearView™ at a new WSA plant at Anglo American Platinum’s Polokwane smelter in South Africa.
Aged sulphur products can be friable and fragile, which can lead to sulphur dust during handling. Because sulphur dust can lead to dust explosions and excessive wet sulphur contact corrosion, shipping and handling specifications for the safest products are used by producers, shippers and consumers to limit dangerous incidents. Metastable polymeric sulphur in the solid product limits friability and is rarely cited as a measured quantity within sulphur specifications, but often discussed when explaining best handling and forming practices. In this article, ASRL discusses why sulphur tends to be friable and explores several measurements cited in many specification documents, with the purpose of focusing on several modern solid forms. In addition, the measurement of total and extraneous water is explored.
Gasification, particularly of waste and biomass, is seeing interest as sustainable sources of syngas. But there are both technical and commercial challenges to wider adoption.
Combining a deep scientific knowledge, engineering and field experience with state-of-the art technology, Johnson Matthey is proud to introduce its next generation of digital simulation tools via its JM-LEVO™ digital portals to further support customers in achieving their operational and sustainability targets.
Advances in clean hydrogen and ammonia production is fuelling worldwide interest in a new market for hydrogen and ammonia to provide a reliable low-carbon energy future. Ammonia cracking, the dissociation of ammonia back into hydrogen, delivers a pathway to large-scale sustainable hydrogen production. In this article KBR, Johnson Matthey, thyssenkrupp Uhde, Duiker, Proton Ventures and Casale report on their technologies and approaches to ammonia cracking in a low carbon economy.
New methods for low-carbon ammonia production are emerging, while project activity is also rising rapidly.
The production of renewable fuels by retrofitting existing refineries and their infrastructure is witnessing exponential growth. The impact on the existing amine, sour water and sulphur recovery units is inevitable. Based on several case studies, Marco van Son, Shashank Gujale and Tammy Chan of Worley Comprimo discuss the various options available to holistically review the sulphur block to determine the impact and mitigation of processing bio-feed.