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KBR combines these technologies to provide five options for your process flow sheet:
Conventional Process This flow sheet combines conventional reforming with a conventional synthesis loop. KBR has licensed about 200 plants using this process. KAAP Process This flow sheet combines conventional reforming with a KAAP synthesis loop. KBR has licensed four KAAP plants. Purifier Process This flow sheet combines the KBR Purifier with a conventional synthesis loop. KBR has licensed 17 Purifier Plants. KRES + Purifier Process With the successful start up of an 1100 t/d KRES unit in China in 2003, KRES is now proven at large capacities. The plant in China is the second KRES unit. The first KRES unit has been on-stream in Canada at a capacity of 350 t/d since 1994. KBR offers KRES for new plants in combination with its Purifier technology, which eliminates the need for an air separation plant. The KRES + Purifier combination has a lower capital cost than the Purifier Process. KAAPplus Process This process combines KRES, Purifier, and KAAP in one flowsheet. It offers our clients the lowest capital cost and the lowest energy consumption. The KAAPplus flow sheet is illustrated on the next page.
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KAAPplus Process
KBR offers several process schemes for manufacturing ammonia. Our preferred offering is our KAAPplus Process, as it provides both the lowest capital cost and lowest operating cost. KAAPplus features three proprietary process technologies, all pioneered by KBR: KRES, Purifier and KAAP. These technologies and their benefits to the ammonia producer are summarized in the following paragraphs.
SULFUR REMOVAL
PROCESS HEATER
RAW SYNTHESIS GAS SYNLOOP PURGE SYNLOOP RECYCLE METHANATOR MAKEUP SYNTHESIS GAS DRYERS REJECT GAS TO FUEL SYNTHESIS GAS COMPRESSOR WARM AMMONIA PRODUCT REFRIGERATION COMPRESSOR
CARBON DIOXIDE
UNITIZED CHILLER CO2 STRIPPER PURGE AMMONIA SEPARATOR CO2 ABSORBER RECYCLE COLD AMMONIA PRODUCT
KAAP Synthesis
In 1992 the first commercially produced ammonia using KBR Advanced Ammonia Process (KAAP) technology was synthesized at the Methanex (formerly Pacific Ammonia) plant in Kitimat, British Columbia, Canada. This revolution in ammonia technology was the result of a retrofit of an existing plant with a new ammonia converter filled with KAAP catalyst. KAAP catalyst, which uses ruthenium on a stable graphite carbon support, has an activity that is up to twenty times higher than traditional iron-magnetite catalyst. As a result, synthesis loop pressure is lowered to about 90 bar. In 1998 two grassroots KAAP plants producing 1850 t/d ammonia began operating in Trinidad. A third KAAP plant in Trinidad started up in 2002 and a fourth began operating in 2004. Benefits of KAAP technology include: A single-case synthesis gas compressor, which reduces capital, operating and maintenance costs. Reduced synloop capital cost due to lower design pressure. Higher ammonia conversions with reduced catalyst volumes. As a result of the combination of these three process technologies, capital cost is reduced by five to ten percent and energy consumption is reduced by 0.1 to 0.2 Gcal/ton, when compared with designs offered by other licensors. KAAPplus, which combines commercially proven KRES, Purifier, and KAAP technologies, is the ammonia technology for tomorrow.
Purifier
KBRs cryogenic Purifier technology simultaneously removes impurities from the synthesis gas and adjusts the hydrogen to nitrogen ratio to 3:1. It also serves as a purge gas recovery unit as purge gas rejected from the synthesis loop is passed through the Purifier. The Purifier removes all the methane and most of the argon by washing them out with the excess nitrogen. Benefits of the Purifier technology include: Allowing the reforming section to be operated with excess air and higher methane slip resulting in lower reforming temperatures, which provide energy savings. Providing a very clean makeup gas to the synthesis loop allowing lower synthesis pressure, reduced catalyst volume and lower purge rate. Providing operating flexibility, because the reforming section does not need to be operated to produce an exact hydrogen-to-nitrogen ratio. Stabilizing the operation of the synthesis loop, because minor variations in methane, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide slips will not reach the synthesis loop.
Fired Reformer
KBR has been an active leader in reformer furnace design for many years. Our fired steam-methane reformers have been installed in more than 200 ammonia, methanol and hydrogen plants worldwide. Primary reforming presents complex mechanical design problems. The preheated feed is distributed to catalyst tubes suspended in the radiant section. The burners are located between the rows of tubes allowing the tubes to be heated from both sides. The firing is downwards from the top of the firebox providing a relatively even load along the tubes. The convection section provides heat recovery from the flue gas for optimum furnace efficiency. KBRs fired reformer may be coupled with a gas turbine that drives the air compressor. In this arrangement the gas turbine exhaust is used as preheated combustion air for the reformer radiant section.
KRES Reforming
KBR Reforming Exchanger System (KRES) is a reliable proprietary technology consisting of a fired preheater, an autothermal reformer (ATR) and a reforming exchanger. KRES uses the ATR effluent to supply heat for the reforming reaction. Design features include: Open-ended tubes that hang from a single tube sheet at the cold end to minimize expansion problems. No direct firing, therefore no hot spots will occur on the tubes. Removable top head for easy access for catalyst loading. Removable tube bundle for easy maintenance. Advantages of KRES compared to a traditional fired reformer are: Decreased capital cost. Decreased operator attention required due to fewer burners in the fired heater. Lower process temperatures in fired heater vs. fired reformer.
Decreased size and cost of plant steam system due to reduced steam generation. Decreased operation and maintenance costs. Smaller plot space required. Lower emissions.
Tubesheet
Distributor
magnetite catalyst. This allows operation at 90 bar synthesis loop pressure. At this low pressure, only a single-casing synthesis gas compressor is needed. This results in major savings in capital cost and maintenance.
Purifier
KBRs Cryogenic Purifier technology is a simple system consisting of three pieces of equipment: the feed/effluent exchanger, the column with its built-in condenser, and the expander. These items and the connecting piping are enclosed in a cold box, which is filled with perlite insulation. The exchanger is a plate fin type made of aluminum. The column operates in the range of minus 170C to minus 200C and the integral condenser is a shell and tube design. The expander is a compact, low-speed unit that typically is coupled to a generator to recover power. A 2000 ton/day ammonia plant requires an expander with a capacity of about 200 kW.
Unitized Chiller
The Unitized Chiller is a specially designed, multi-stream heat exchanger that cools the effluent from the ammonia synthesis converter with recycled gas and boiling ammonia refrigerant at several temperature levels. In doing so, the Unitized Chiller combines several heat exchangers, compressor knockout drums and interconnecting piping into one piece of equipment. This design saves pressure drop in the synthesis loop and reduces capital cost.
Environmental Protection
KBR offers cost-effective solutions to today's environmental challenges, particularly in the ammonia industry. Our ammonia plants meet all applicable regulations regarding emissions, effluent quality, and noise generation. The main emissions from a plant using KBR technology are reformer flue gas and excess carbon dioxide, if applicable. Main effluent is boiler feed water blow-down. The regulations on reformer flue gas are mainly met by use of low-NOx burners. If the plant uses the KRES reforming system, then a much smaller amount of flue gas will be generated, and NOx emissions are further reduced. Carbon dioxide is often used in an adjacent urea plant. However, if there is no urea plant, the carbon dioxide can be discharged to the atmosphere. Boiler blow-down is often disposed of in the plant cooling water system. Noise control includes use of acoustic insulation, enclosures, and plot plan considerations.
Process Condensate
KBR's ammonia plants use a high-pressure process condensate stripper resulting in a major reduction in the quantity of effluents which prevents wastewater and atmospheric pollution. The stripper overhead vapor is used as process steam in the reforming section, and the stripped condensate is re-used as boiler feed water.
KICS
KBRs Integrated Condensate Stripper (KICS) technology is offered to ammonia producers if the ammonia plant is adjacent to a urea plant. KICS combines the ammonia plant condensate stripper with the urea plant condensate hydrolyzer/stripper and eliminates several pieces of equipment, avoids plant effluents, and saves capital and maintenance cost.
Scope of Services
KBR is a leading international, technology-based engineering, construction and maintenance contractor. Our approach to project execution is based on a company-wide commitment to quality management. We maintain close communications with our Clients to assure that we meet project objectives including scope of work, quality, schedule and budget. KBR has a corporate commitment to achieve an accident-free workplace. KBR offers a complete portfolio of engineering services to the nitrogen fertilizer industry:
Pre-Project Services
Technology development and licensing Technical / economic studies Project development Front end loading Front end engineering design (FEED)
Project Services
Project management and construction management Engineering, procurement and construction Advanced process control Training simulators Operator training Commissioning and start-up Operations and maintenance
After-Project Services
Continuing technical advice Contract operation and maintenance Revamp studies for debottlenecking and energy savings Revamp projects
Ammonia Headquarters
601 Jefferson Houston, Texas 77002 Tel: 713.753.2000 Fax: 713.753.2541 www.halliburton.com/ammonia
Worldwide Headquarters
4100 Clinton Drive Houston, Texas 77020 P.O. Box 3 Houston, TX 77001-0003 Phone: 713.753.3011
www.halliburton.com
K0670_1 08/04 Printed in the U.S.A. 2004 Kellogg Brown & Root, Inc. a Halliburton company Printed by KBR Communications