Tag: Process Design

In August 2020 the tragic explosion of ammonium nitrate fertilizer in the port of Beirut caused many fatalities and injuries. This was a wake-up call for the entire industry to review the design of plants and storage facilities, as well as the procedures for plant operation and the handling of products. The key factor for safe new installations is the process design: the right choice of unit operations, operating temperatures and pressures, the control of process variables and the design of key items of equipment. A modern ammonium nitrate (AN) plant design not only mitigates the environmental impact, but also reduces investment costs and contributes to the key factors mentioned. M. Pieper and P. Kamermann of thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions discuss how, by using the right design, safety in ammonium nitrate plants can be easily achieved, while maintaining outstanding product quality.

We report on the latest potash mining and processing technology from Andritz, Ebner, Köppern, K+S and Veolia. Recent case studies for potash projects globally are also provided.

The economic conversion of phosphogypsum waste into a valuable product has been pursued for decades. Results of intensive research by thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions (tkIS) in this area are presented by Peter Stockhoff, Dirk Koester, Stefan Helmle and Carsten Fabian. The approach developed by tkIS shows great potential as a controlled treatment process for phosphogypsum.

thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions discusses a revamping concept to reduce CO2 emissions by replacing some of the hydrogen in the front end of the ammonia plant with green hydrogen, KBR and Casale report on revamp options to increase the capacity of vintage ammonia plants in the former Soviet Union, Johnson Matthey presents a novel integrated ammonia flowsheet for the production of ammonia, methanol, urea and UFC and Arvos | Schmidtsche Schack discusses the benefits of a new process gas boiler.

Sulphur reports on this year’s Sour Oil and Gas Advanced Technology (SOGAT) conference, which was run as a virtual event at the end of September 2020.

New technology makes it possible for methanol producers to diversify their product portfolio and participate in the high growth mono ethylene glycol market. A. Shah of Johnson Matthey reports on the development of the new technology and its commercialisation.

N. Temnaya and S. Suvorkin of NIIK report on the modernisation of monopressure (UKL-7) and dual pressure (AK-72) nitric acid plants in Russia and the CIS.

An advanced mecaptan removal process has been developed and implemented by RATE. The RATE-Oximer process is an oxidative air-based regeneration process, designed to remove mercaptans from liquid and vapour phases. M. Rameshini of RATE describes the key features of the process and its applications.

K. Hanlon Kinsberg and J. Lewis of Comprimo review the main approaches for mercaptan removal in gas processing plants, based on past project experience and generally accepted industry practice.

Process gas boilers with an internal bypass system are an important type of shell-and-tube heat exchanger installed in steam methane reforming units. For decades, two traditional designs have dominated the market: the “hot” and “cold” bypass process gas boiler. Today, a third option based on a new design concept is available: the “bayonet” bypass process gas boiler, with process and mechanical features that can provide superior performance, lower opex and improved reliability. G. Manenti of Alfa Laval Olmi SpA discusses the design and operating principles of the different designs.