Acknowledgement

I express my deep sense of gratitude and indebtness to Prof. R.K Chhabra Chairperson, Dr. S.S
Bhatnagar University Institute of Chemocal Engineering and Technolgy,Panjab University
Chandigarh, who had provided me a golden opportunity to get my practical training in National
Fertilizers Limited, Panipat, Haryana.
I also wish to acknowledge my deep obligation to all officers of Human Resourse Department for the
kind behavior, constant inspiration and valuable knowledge imparted to me during the training period
from June 14,2013 to July 12, 2013.
I am very thankful to Mr. P.D Batra, Senior Manager in Ammonia Plant and operators at Ammonia
plant,for helping me understanding the complex process of production of ammonia during my training
period at NFL,Panipat.
Thanking you all.
Yours Faithfully
Gagan Dahiya
Bachelor Of Engineering (Chemical Sciences)
Roll number: CM11212
Dr. S.S Bhatnagar University institute of chemical engineering and technology
Panjab university chandigarh

PREFACE
The object of industrial training in Bachelors of Engineering course imparted to students is to provide
them an insight into the methods both culture and the ground realities of chemical industry .
I undertook my training at National Fertilizers Limited (NFL), Panipat from June 14,2013 to july
12,2013 for the period of one month. I was allotted Ammonia Plant and I have tried to grasp the basic
of various processes involved in the plant. This report is the reflection of what I have assimilated
during the training period at NFL, Panipat. I have also discussed about all the processes, their basic
principles, their working, and about the safety aspects in the plant.
I hope that my experience at NFL will not only help me in near future as a chemical engineer but also
in my current studies.
Gagan Dahiya
Bachelor Of Engineering (Chemical Sciences)
Dr. S.S Bhatnagar University Institute Of Chemical Engineering And Technology
Panjab university chandigarh
Roll number: CM11212

Company Profile
NFL is a Schedule -A & Mini Ratna Category- I Company and is a market leader in the fertilizer
Industry in India with about 16.5% share in Urea Production. It is a profitable public sector
undertaking operating under the administrative control of Department Of Fertilizers in the Ministry
of Chemicals & Fertilizers.
NFL was incorporated on 23rd August 1974 with two manufacturing Units at Bathinda and Panipat.
Subsequently, on the reorganization of Fertilizer Group of Companies in 1978, the Nangal Unit of
Fertilizer Corporation of India came under the NFL fold. The

Company expanded its installed

capacity in 1984 by installing and commissioning of its Vijaipur gas based Plant in Madhya Pradesh.
Subsequently, the Vijaipur plant doubled its capacity to 14.52 Lakh MT by commissioning Vijaipur
Expansion Unit i.e. Vijaipur-II in 1997. The plant annual capacities have now been re-rated w.e.f.
1.4.2000 from 7.26 lakh MT of Urea to 8.64 Lakh MT for Vijaipur-I and Vijaipur-II Plants each.
Installed Capacity: The Company has an installed capacity of 32.31 lakh MTs of Nitrogenous
Fertilizers and has recorded an annual sales turnover of Rs. 3865.68 crores during 2006-07. The
Companys strength lies in its sizeable presence, professional marketing and

strong distribution

network nationwide.
Kisan Urea :NFLs popular brands are sold over a large marketing territory spanning the length
and

breadth of the country. The Company also manufactures and markets Biofertilizers and a wide

range of industrial products like Methanol, Nitric Acid, Sulphur, Liquid Oxygen, Liquid Nitrogen etc.
The Company has developed Neem Coated Urea which improves the crop yield by 4-5%. The
Company is focusing its thrust to widen the marketing operations of Neem Coated Urea.
NFL is an ISO Certified Company: All NFL plants including Corporate Office/ Marketing operations
have been certified for ISO-9001:2000 for conforming to international quality standards and
International Environmental Standard i.e.ISO-14001.NFL is equally concerned about the safety of its
plants and people therefore implemented internationally accredited OHSAS-18001 safety standards.
Thus NFL has become the first Fertilizer Company in the country to have its total business covered
under ISO Certification.

Panipat Unit
Panipat District of Haryana is spread over an area of 1268 Sq Km. It is famous for handloom, woollen
carpets, blankets, khes and darris. The district comprises two Sub-Division, 3 Tehsils and 5 blocks
having a population of 12,02,811 (as per 2011 census) with 32% of urban population. Panipat
established its name on the industrial map of country with the setting up of National Fertilizers
Limited Plant, State owned Thermal Power Plant, Co-operative Sugar Mill, and Rs.4000 crores Oil
Refinery of Indian Oil Corporation. With over 12000 small-scale units and 49 medium & large scale
Industrial Units, the city occupies a distinctive position among the Industrial Towns of the Country.
Panipat unit of NFL was commissioned on 1st Sept 1979 based on gasification technology of Feed
Stock on LSHS /Fuel Oil with the annual installed capacity of 511500 MT of Urea. Subsequently as
per guidelines of GOI, in order to reduce subsidy burden & Carbon footprint, NFL revamped the
Panipat Unit on LSTK basis for changeover of Feedstock from LSHS/FO to Natural Gas and
commercial production on Gas was commenced during Jan 2013.
SALIENT FEATURES OF PANIPAT UNIT
Installed Capacity:

511500 MTPA

Capital Investment:

338.27 Crores

Initial Commencement of

September 1, 1979

Production:
Commencement of Production on

March 11th, 2013

Gas after Revamp:

Process
Ammonia:

HTAS Steam Methane Reforming (SMR) Technology

Urea:

Mitsu Toastsu total Recycle C Improved

Raw material:

Coal , LNG/ RLNG, Power, Water

Captive Power Plant :

2 x 15 MW

Kisan Urea
Kisan Urea is a highly concentrated, solid, nitrogenous fertilizer, containing 46.0% Nitrogen. It is
completely soluble in water hence Nitrogen is easily available to crops. IT is ideally suitable for all
types of crops and for foliar spray which instantly removes nitrogen deficiency and helps in
absorption of other nutrients like phosphate and Potash by roots of crop.

Neem Coated Urea

National Fertilizers Limited (NFL) is the first fertilizer manufacturer in the country, which has
developed Neem Coated Urea and the process for its manufacture on large scale. Neem Coated Urea
regulates the release of Nitrogen to the plants over longer period and has better self life in respect of
tendency to become cake during storage.

Bio-Fertilizers
NFL manufactures and markets three types of Bio-Fertilizers, Rhizobium, Phosphate Solubilising
Bacteria (PSB) and Azetobactor. Starting with a mere 23 MT production in 1995-96, the production
has risen to 231 MT (Approx) in 2010-11. The Company presently markets its bio-fertilizers in
Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Chattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal
Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana & Rajasthan.
Bio-fertilizers are used to supplement chemical fertilizers as also to maintain soil fertility; besides the
following:1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Bio-Fertilizers are supplement to Chemical Fertilizers.

Bio-Fertilizers are cheap and can reduce the cost of cultivation.
Fix Biological Nitrogen in the soil, which is readily available to the plant.
Increase crop yield by 4-5% on an average.
Improve soil properties and sustain soil fertility.
Provides plant nutrient at low cost and useful for the consecutive crops.
The applicability of Bio-Fertilizers marketed by NFL of different crops is as under:

Traded Products
City Compost
Compost is plant matter that has been decomposed and recycled as a fertilizer and soil amendment.
Compost is a key ingredient in organic farming. Modern, methodical composting is a multi-step,
closely monitored process with measured inputs of water, air and carbon- and nitrogen-rich materials.
The decomposition process is aided by shredding the plant matter, adding water and ensuring proper
aeration by regularly turning the mixture. Aerobic bacteria manage the chemical process by
converting the inputs into heat, carbon dioxide and ammonium. Ammonia in the bio-mass is further
refined by bacteria into plant-nourishing nitrites and nitrates.
Compost can be rich in nutrients. It is used in gardens, landscaping, horticulture and agriculture. The
compost itself is beneficial for the land in many ways, including as a soil conditioner, a fertilizer,
addition of vital humus or humic acids, and as a natural pesticide for soil. In ecosystems, compost is
useful for erosion control, land and stream reclamation, wetland construction and as landfill cover.The
compost we are selling is further enriched with biofertilizers.

Certified Seeds
Certified seeds of various crop varieties are being sourced from three leading / major State Seed
Agencies / Cooperatives viz. State Farms Corporation Ltd (SFCI), Uttaranchal Seeds & Tarai
Development Corp (UAS & TDC), M/s National Seeds Corporation (NSC) etc.We have entered into
an agreement with all above Government bodies state wise for procurement of certified seeds. Besides
this in all the major states where we are operating we have prequalified many seed processing
units/suppliers for purchase of seeds through tender process.
We have initiated seed multiplication programme in the state of Madhya Pradesh in the current Rabi
season in 200 acres and expect to expand this programme in other states like Punjab, Haryana and
Uttar Pradesh from the ensuing Kharif 2011.This will enable us to supply quality seeds to farmers to
sustain growth and development. Primary objective of the programme is to operate as an
economically viable and profitable venture and at the same time fulfill the societys social obligation.
The other secondary objectives are production of Foundation and Certified seed through registered
seed growers to ensure its availability as per plan; to provide quality seeds to farming community and
to sustain national food grain production by producing quality seeds.

Agrochemicals
To promote the concept of single window we have ventured into sales of agrochemicals/pesticides. As
a pilot project during kharif 2010 we took up trading of agrochemicals in the state of Punjab and
Haryana and based on our Kharif 2010 experience we have ventured into trading through state
/Government agencies like Hafed, markfed and Hindustan Insecticides Limited in our total marketing
territory.
Agrochemicals constitute a variety of products such as Herbicides - These chemicals control weeds
and may pre emergence or post emergence and crop specific. Fungicides - They normally are used in
controlling diseases like smuts rust etc. Insecticides - They control different types of insect pests like
shoot and root borers and are crop specific.
Other Chemical fertilizer marketed and proposed to be marketed by NFL are Potassium Chloride
(Muriate of Potash), Diammonium Phosphate(18-46-0),Nitro Phosphate (20-20-0), NPK 12-32-16

Plant & Capacities

Plant
Ammonia Plant
Urea Plant
Sulphur Recovery Plant
Steam Generation Plant
Captive Power Plant
Captive Power Plant Boiler
Coal Handling Plant
DM Water Plant
Raw Water Plant
Bagging Plant
Effluent Treatment Plant

Capacity
900 MT/ day
1550 MT/ day
26.5 MT/ day
3 x 150 MT/hr
2 x 15 MWH
210 MT / hr
150 & 250 MT/hr
375 M3/hr
2,400 M3 / hr
4,000 MT/day
200 M3/hr

Environmental Control & Ecological Balance at NFL, Panipat

Panipat Unit is acknowledged for its environmental friendliness. The unit is fully conscious of its
responsibility towards pollution control & environmental protection.
Utmost care is taken to ensure that no harmful gases are discharged to the atmosphere. The Unit is
regularly monitoring the level of emissions for various stacks before letting down to atmosphere. The
Unit has obtained ISO-14001 certification relating to Environment Management System which has
resulted in maintaining pollution free environment through continuous efforts and achieving 0
discharge of effluents.
Periodical analysis of Ambient Air and Liquid Effluent is carried out and the same has always been
well within the prescribed limit of State Pollution Control Board & MINAS.

Coal and Oil Quality

NFL constantly ensures receipt of coal and oil with low sulphur and ash contents so as to have
minimum discharge of effluents in air and water. Moreover, the sulphur present as impurity in

feedstock is recovered as valuable import substitute product in sulphur recovery plant and not allowed
to be vented as waste effluent gas.

Air Quality
The boiler flue gas discharge stacks have sufficient height which allows complete dispersion and
dilution of pollutants at ground level. The sulphur dioxide emitted in flue gases coming out of the
stack is as low as 300 mg/ NM3 against prescribed limit of 834 for SGP and 2245 mg/ NM3 for CPP.
The NOX level metered at various ambient air quality monitoring stations is about 10 ug/M3 against
prescribed limit of 120 ug/M3. The ammonia content is less than 30 ug/M3 against 100 ug/M3
prescribed by State Authorities.
Additional electrostatic precipitators have been installed in each boiler to further reduce the
particulate matter. The fly ash emissions from the stacks are controlled to less than 65 mg/NM3 and
141 mg/NM3 from CPP and SGP boiler respectively against the prescribe limited of 350 mg/NM3.

Water Quality
The total liquid effluent generated is monitored by measuring its pH, free ammonia, BOD, COD, total
Kjeldahl nitrogen(TKN), heavy metals etc. which remain well within the prescribed limit of MINAS
and State Pollution Control Board. Moreover, the entire quantity of treated effluent along with storm
water is reused for de-ashing of boiler ash. Approximately 4% ash in the form of slurry is discharged
to lined ash ponds and allowed for natural drying. Sufficient capacity is available in these ash ponds.
In addition to above, NFL is committed to maintain an ecological balance in and around the factory
area for which a dense thick green belt has been provided and new trees are planted every year.
Further an environmental audit report is submitted annually to the State Pollution Board and no
deviations whatsoever have so far been observed.

Introduction

Ammonia is the gas formed from nitrogen and hydrogen by various processes. The primary use of
ammonia is the nitrogen source of nitrogen in fertilizers. Until the turn of this century, the nitrogen
supply in form soils was entirely dependent upon natural sources of nitrogen, mainly mineral deposits
and animal and vegetable wastes. Most of these were from industries other than agriculture.
Today ammonia is primarily produced by the direct synthesis of hydrogen and nitrogen. The
manufacturing technology stems from Haber-Bosch process of synthezing ammonia commercialized
first in 1913. The commercial development of ammonia synthesis is considered as one of the most
significant technological advances benefiting all mankind. For this achievement Haber and Bosch
were awarded Noble prize in the year 1918 and 1931 respectively. Their achievement makes increased
supplied of food available for a growing world population.
Ammonia is a colorless, alkaline gas, lighter than air and possesses a unique, penetrating odour.
The flammable limits of ammonia in air are 16-25 vol.%, in oxygen the range is 15-79 vol.%.
ammonia is comparatively stable at ordinary temp. But decomposes into hydrogen and nitrogen at
elevated temperatures.
Initially in India the ammonia was produced only based on coke oven gas and electric power.
However we have changed over to other feedstock, namely naphtha, lignite natural gas, coal.
It was established in august, 1974 to set up two Fuel Oil based Plants at Bhatinda and Panipat.
Both of them were commissioned in 1979.The capacity of this plant is 900 TPD of ammonia, 1000
TPD of urea at Nangal and 1550 TPD of urea at Bhatinda and Panipat. From march 2013 , Natural
Gas is used as feedstock for making Ammonia in Panipat and Bhatinda plant.
NFL produces two popular brands of chemical fertilizers, that is Kisan Khad (Calcium Ammonia
Nitrate-CAN) and Kisan Urea. Besides the fertilizers, it manufactures and markets the industrial
products like liquid oxygen, liquid nitrogen, nitric acid, methanol, argon and sulfur.

Short Description Of The Process Units

The Plant has a production capacity of 900 metric tons of liquid ammonia per day. The plant
is based upon the steam reforming of natural gas. The process steps necessary for the
production of ammonia are as follows :
1. the hydrocarbon feed is desulphurised to ppb level in the desulphurising section.
2. the desulphurised hydrocarbonfeed is reformed with steam and air into raw synthesis
gas (process gas). The gas contains hydrogen,nitrogen, carbon monooxide, carbon
dioxide and steam.
3. in the gas purification section, the CO is first converted into Carbon dioxide. Then
the carbon dioxide is removed from the process gas in the carbon dioxide removal
section. The CO and carbon dioxide residues in the gas outlet of the carbon dioxide
removal unit are converted into methane by the reaction with hydrogen
( methanation) before the synthesis gas is sent to the ammonia synthesis loop.
4. the purified synthesis gas is compressed and then routed to the ammonia synthesis
loop, where it is converted into ammonia. In order to limit the accumulation of argon
and methane in the loop, a purge stream is taken. The ammonia product is
depressurised during which the dissolved gases, let down gas and inert gas are
flashed off.
A sketch of trhe described process steps is shown in figure2: Main process steps.

Desulphurisation section

Purification Steps
The purification section may consist of the following
steps:
Hydrogenation
Absorption
Final Purification

Hydrogenation Step
The hydrocarbon feedstock may contain various compounds of sulphur and chlorine as well as
olefins, which have to be removed to minimise problems in the downstream units. Feed purification is
commonly initiated by a hydrogenation step, where organic compounds are converted with hydrogen
into inorganic hydrogen sulphide and hydrogen chloride over a hydrogenation catalyst. The
hydrogenation step is necessary, as organic compounds are not as easily absorbed on downstream
absorbents as inorganic compounds. A problem, which may arise when processing various types of
feedstocks, is a large variation in sulphur content in the feed. The hydrogenation catalyst, which
normally is a cobalt or nickel molybdenum type, possesses the highest activity in the sulphided state.
If the feed is essentially sulphur-free for longer periods, the sulphur on the catalyst will gradually be
stripped off and the catalyst activity will decrease. When switching to a feed with high sulphur
content, the catalyst activity may not be sufficient for converting all the organic sulphur.
This problem can be solved by continually adding a small quantity of sulphur to the sulphur-free feed,
ensuring that the catalyst is kept in its sulphided state, at all times.

Absorption Step
Downstream the hydrogenator all sulphur and chlorine compounds are now present as inorganic
hydrogen sulphide and hydrogen chloride. The hydrogen sulphide is absorbed effectively and rapidly
on zinc oxide, which today is the most widely used chemical absorbent. If the feedstock contains
chlorine, an additional chemical absorbent is installed. Sulphur Absorption Zinc oxide reacts with
hydrogen sulphide according to the following equation:
ZnO + H2S ZnS + H2O
Based upon detailed analyses of catalysts downstream the sulphur absorption section, it is s
experience that a system of hydrogenation followed by zinc oxide absorbers can bring the sulphur
concentration down to a level around 0.005 vol ppm. In order to achieve this, has developed a series
of zinc oxide absorbents, which provide a very high absorption capacity for all applications.

Bulk Saturation
In top of Zone 1, the zinc oxide is bulk saturated and completely converted into zinc sulphide.

Solid State Diffusion

Below the saturated zinc oxide there is a layer which has not been completely saturated, and the rate
of absorption will in this layer be determined by the rate of diffusion in the solid state from the surface
into the interior of the material.

Gas Diffusion
Further down in the bed, the absorption rate is mainly determined by gas diffusion restriction in the
pores (Zone 2). The gas diffusion is a much faster process giving a sharper declining profile. This
part of the bed is normally referred to as the front.

Chemisorption
Zinc oxide further has the ability to chemisorb hydrogen sulphide on the active surface area. Small
quantities of hydrogen sulphide passing the front will consequently be removed by chemisorption
(Zone 3). In practice, this means that the hydrogen sulphide slip may be lower than the zinc
oxide/hydrogen sulphide equilibrium. However, the chemisorption capacity is very low compared to
the bulk absorption capacity of zinc oxide, so in most cases the slip of hydrogen sulphide below the
equilibrium may be sustained only during a fraction of the entire lifetime of the zinc oxide charge.

Final Purification
Some plants experience problems due to insufficient desulphurisation of the feedstock. Reasons for
this may be a large variation in sulphur content in the feed, low operating temperature, high carbon
dioxide or water content in the feed. In these cases the solution may be installing a special guard
catalyst in the bottom of the zinc oxide reactor for final clean-up of sulphur. For this purpose, has
developed a catalyst with a very efficient pick-up of all sulphur down to nil. The sulphur pick-up takes
place by chemisorption, but at certain conditions, bulk absorption will take place as well.

Catalyst Used :
In Hydrogenator : TK-250
In Sulfur Absorber : HTZ-51

Hydrodesulphurisation Catalyst (TK-250)

In cases where the feedstock contains organic sulphur and in particular stable sulphur compounds like
thiophenes or organic sulphides, it is necessary to include a hydrodesulphurisation (HDS) step in
which these compounds are converted to hydrogen sulphide (H2S). The typically low quantities of
hydrogen sulphide
can then be removed by the sulphur absorbent, which follows downstream of the HDS catalyst. The
catalyst mostly used for this purpose is TK-250, which is installed in a large number of hydrogen,
ammonia and methanol plants around the world. The catalyst consists of cobalt/molybdenum on a
high surface area alumina carrier.
Main Features

High Activity:
The alumina carrier for TK-250 has been designed to yield a high and stable surface area. The
result is a higher catalyst activity on a volume basis when compared to conventional extruded
solid particles or
shapes.
High Mechanical Strength :
The mechanical strength of extruded particles cannot be measured with accuracy. However,
many years of industrial experience shows that TK-250 never suffers mechanical damage
during loading, operation, or unloading of the catalyst.
Low Pressure Drop :
s leading position as supplier of ring shaped hydroprocessing catalyst to the refining industry
allows us to also offer the associated advantages to the field of fine purification of steam
reforming feedstocks. Above all, the ring shape of TK-250 ensures a large void volume of the
packed bed, which in turn provides a low pressure drop and a considerably ncreased tolerance
for build-up of contaminants.
Typical Operating Conditions :
The catalyst is typically operated in the temperature range from 300-400C (570-750F) and
at pressures ranging from 15-50 kg/cm2g (210-710 psig).

In sulfur Absorber (HTZ-51)

Outstanding sulphur capacity:

HTZ-51 is a further development of the well proven sulphur absorbent HTZ-5. HTZ-51 is
designed with a relatively low density, a high pore volume and a high surface area. These
characteristics make HTZ-51 suitable for absorption of low H2S concentrations or at low
operating temperatures. Like all sulphur absorbents, HTZ-51 has very high zinc oxide purity
with no content of inactive filling materials. The high purity gives HTZ-51 a sulphur capacity
of 430 kg S/m3, which is outstanding for a lower density absorbent.
Hydrogenation of organic sulphur :
HTZ-51 has a unique feature as it is promoted with additives that possess hydrogenation
activity. This feature allows HTZ-51 to convert organic sulphur into H2S, which is
subsequently absorbed by the zinc oxide.
Maximum protection :
In case of upsets, where the sulphur absorbent is exposed to a slip of organic sulphur, the
HTZ-51 will prove of great value. In such situations HTZ-51 will contribute to the
hydrogenation and removal of organic sulphur compounds. Unexpected poisoning of for
instance a reformer catalyst
will have a significant impact on plant production. The additional protection of HTZ-51 will
in many cases prevent severe deactivation of downstream sulphur sensitive catalyst,
introducing a new stage of operational safety.
Operational temperature range:
The normal operating range of HTZ-51 is from 200 to 400C. However, HTZ-51 is also able
to absorb sulphur below this temperature range.

Reforming Section
General information :
The steam reformer is a vital part of hydrogen plants and of the gas preparation section in plants
producing ammonia, methanol, and other types of syngas. Developments in metallurgy have allowed
steam reformers to operate at increasingly higher levels of temperature, pressure and heat flux. Use of
a variety of feedstocks as alternative to natural gas has made selection of proper catalyst more
important than in the past. New process technology in other parts of the plants has in many instances
made the steam reformer the bottleneck for further capacity increase. A prereformer is a fixed bed,
adiabatic reactor filled with highly active steam reforming catalyst. The prereformer feed is the
desulphurised hydrocarbon feed to the steam reformer mixed with all or part of the total process
steam. In the prereformer, higher hydrocarbons are completely converted into a mixture of methane,
carbon oxides and hydrogen. The endothermic reforming reactions are followed by equilibration of
the exothermic methanation and shift reactions. When the feedstock is natural gas, the overall process
is endothermic, resulting in a temperature drop. For heavier feedstocks such as naphtha, the overall
process is exothermic or thermoneutral (Figure 1). The higher the inlet temperature and steam to
carbon ratio, the more dominant the endothermic reactions will be. Reaction rates are also higher at
elevated temperatures, resulting in smaller catalyst volumes for a given conversion. Most important,
the potential for energy savings is greatest when a maximum of reforming is carried out in the prereformer. This is achieved at conventional steam to carbon ratios applying the highest possible inlet
temperature.
The Reforming Process
Steam reforming can be described by the irreversible reaction(s)

combined with the reversible reactions

The total of these reactions is strongly endothermic and in the presence of a nickel catalyst, the gas
mixture will be close to equilibrium at the exit of the furnace. The molar steam to carbon ratio,
temperature and the pressure largely determine the final composition of the gas leaving the reformer.
It is evident that higher temperatures result in less methane and more carbon monoxide in the
equilibrated gas. A large surplus of steam favours both low methane and low carbon monoxide,
whereas high pressure increases the methane content.
Carbon Free Operation and Protection against Carbon Formation
Carbon may be formed on the catalyst or on the tube wall according to following reactions:

The Boudouard (1) and methane cracking (2) reactions will not take place in reformers operating at
process conditions of conventional ammonia, methanol and hydrogen plants. These reactions could be
responsible for carbon formation only in cases of maloperation or in plants operating at extremely low
steam to carbon ratio. However, thermal cracking of higher hydrocarbons (3), which results in carbon
lay-down, is possible even at conditions where there is no affinity for carbon formation according to

Boudouard and methane cracking reactions. This problem may occur if steam reforming of higher
hydrocarbons is not completed at the relatively low temperature prevailing in the upper part of the
tubes. In such cases, thermal cracking is initiated at a threshold temperature typically reached 1-4
meters (3-12 feet) from the inlet and observed as hot spots (hot bands) on the tubes due to carbon laydown. A prerequisite for carbon-free operation is a catalyst with high activity at low temperatures near
the inlet of the tubes, and a catalyst with few acidic sites known to be initiators of cracking reactions.
Magnesium aluminate chosen as carrier for s main steam reforming catalyst is a less acidic oxide
than pure alumina which is a major constituent of other
commercially available steam reforming catalysts.

Catalyt used :
In Primary Reformer : RK-211, RK-201
In Secondary Reformer : RKS-2-7H
Alkali-promoted Reforming Catalysts
The RK-200 Series are nickel-containing catalysts based on a ceramic calcium magnesium aluminate
carrier promoted with potassium oxide. The ceramic carrier does not contain any free magnesium
oxide; therefore, there is no possibility of hydration of the catalyst during start-up or during operation.
The RK-200 Series offers two types of alkali-promoted reforming catalysts:
Low alkali version, RK-211 and RK-201
High alkali version, RK-212 and RK-202
The low alkali catalysts contain approximately half a percent potassium oxide and are suitable for
processing heavy natural gas and LPG, whereas the high alkali catalysts, with more than one percent
potassium oxide are capable of handling naphthas with final boiling point (FBP) up to 200C (392F)
and aromatic contents up to 20%.
Main Benefits by using RK-200 Series

High Strength and Resistance to Condensing Steam :

The RK-200 catalysts have retained the virtues of its predecessors, but have furthermore been
improved with regard to the physical strength of the catalyst. The catalysts have an
unmatched mechanical resistance
to condensing steam and liquid carry-over.

Protection against Carbon Formation

The alkali-promoted catalysts are specifically designed to minimise migration of the
potassium promoter from the ceramic carrier, thus ensuring protection against carbon aydown throughout the catalyst life.
Optimised Geometric Shape
The catalysts are produced in the well-known shape of seven-hole cylinders, which provide
the combination of very low pressure drop and a high external surface (activity).
Easy Start-up and High Activity
By using prereduced catalyst in the top 15% of the tube the reforming reaction is initiated
immediatel when exposed to process gas. The hydrogen generated in the top layer rapidly
activates the catalyst in the lower 85% of the tube. The easy activation greatly minimises the
start-up time.

RKS-2-7H
A malfunctioning burner in this facilitys secondary reformer resulted in extremely high localised
temperatures which caused the burner tip to melt and fall into the catalyst bed. Despite these high
temperatures, which almost certainly exceeded 1500C, the RKS-2-7H catalyst remained intact. The
plant performed a skim of the top layer to remove the burner debris, and the catalyst was put back into
service, where it continued to operate fully satisfactorily.
Low pressure drop
RKS-2-7H is a shape-optimised version of s original secondary reforming catalyst, RKS-2. It
is formed as a cylinder with seven axial holes and domed ends. This shape is unique amongst
secondary reforming catalysts and provides a substantially lower catalyst pressure drop than
ordinary ringshaped
catalysts.

Long catalyst life

The superior thermal stability of RKS-2-7H catalyst has been well proven in the industry, as
plants worldwide have operated the catalyst in excess of 10 years with fully satisfactory
performance. Frequently, catalyst unloading only takes place when an inspection of the
reactor internals is required and it is often possible to screen the catalyst and reload the
majority of the material into the reactor, where it operates sucessfully for many more years.

Short loading
The high activity permits the short-loading of most reactors while maintaining fully satisfactory
performance for the lifetime of the charge. Short-loading of the reactor often improves the
performance of the secondary reformer by allowing a more uniform mixing of the reactants above the
catalyst bed. Shortloading also reduces the initial catalyst costs, and the savings can be substantial.

Catalyst purity
The RKS-2-7H catalyst is manufactured from very pure raw materials and is fired at a temperature
200 300C higher than normal operating temperatures, producing a very stable pore system. The
catalyst will not shrink during operation, not even in the top layer. Furthermore, the catalyst contains
less than 0.1 wt% silica, eliminating the potential of silica migration and downstream deposition.
Likewise, the concentrations of sulphur and chlorine are virtually nil, thus avoiding poisoning of
downstream catalysts.

Catalyst operation
o Activation of RKS-2-7H
RKS-2-7H may be started up using any normal reformer system start-up procedure,
such as preheating in circulating nitrogen or heating of the primary reformer in
stagnant atmosphere followed by exposure to condensing steam. Reduction of the
catalyst will occur following the introduction of feed gas or hydrogen to the primary
reformer; no special actions are required. Air is generally introduced to the secondary
reformer once the primary reformer outlet temperature has reached 700C (1300F).
o Normal operation of RKS-2-7H catalyst

In most ammonia plants, the secondary reformer operation is adjusted to achieve the
required stoichiometric ratio of nitrogen and hydrogen necessary for ammonia
production. Typical operating temperature is about 1250C (2300F) at the inlet of a
secondary reformer, and up to 1400C (2550F) at autothermal reformer inlets.
Shut-down of RKS-2-7H catalyst
The shut-down of the secondary reformer is normally dependent on the process
constraints of the primary reformer shut-down. The catalyst may be maintained in the
reduced state during the down period, or may be oxidised by steam or steam-air
injection during the shut-down procedure. If access to the reactor is
required during the down-period, oxidation of the catalyst is recommended.

Catalyst Poisoning
Whereas performance of steam reforming catalyst could be impaired by carry-over of any compound,
which may deposit as a solid on the catalyst, sulphur is clearly the most severe poison to consider.
Although the high nickel surface area offered by s reforming catalysts can accommodate a relatively
large quantity of sulphur, the sulphur levels should be minimised to ensure benefits of high activity
throughout the catalyst lifetime.
Catalyst Reduction
The catalyst is activated by reduction of nickel oxide to metallic nickel. Traditionally, steam
reforming catalyst is reduced by the steam/feed gas mixture at a relatively high steam to carbon ratio.
Reduction is initiated by hydrogen formed by thermal cracking of hydrocarbons. Since elementary
nickel becomes available, the steam reforming process is triggered and the additional hydrogen
formed accelerates catalyst reduction. Catalyst reduction above the ignition zone will proceed by back
diffusion of hydrogen at a gradually decreasing rate towards the cool top of the tubes. To speed up the
reduction process, a portion of the catalyst is provided in a prereduced form, which is charged in the
top 10-15% of the tubes. This ensures that steam reforming and production of hydrogen take place as
soon as hydrocarbon is introduced and the reduction of catalyst loaded below the prereduced inlet
layer is completed in minimum time. The prereduced catalyst has been reduced in our manufacturing
facilities in dry hydrogen at optimal conditions, which results in higher activity than what
is obtained by in-situ reduction. Oxidation of the top catalyst by steaming during shutdowns is slow
due to the prevailing modest temperatures. Therefore restart of a catalyst after a shutdown takes place
almost like the initial start-up with prereduced catalyst in top of the tube.

Shift section
General Information :
In the shift conversion section sulphur free gas reacts with steam to form H2 and CO2 the reaction
occurs at proper pre and temp (350-500 degrees C) condition with a suitable catalyst (iron-chromium).
CO + H2O H2 + CO2
The reaction is reversible and endothermic so H2 formation is favoured by low temp but the reaction
rate constant is favoured by high temp so the temp is adjusted to maximum conversion. Excess steam
is used to achieve higher conversion and to prevent carbon deposition. But too much excess steam
reduces the contact time between gases and catalyst which reduces the conversion rate.

High temprature shift catalysis :

SK-201-2 is most recent HTS catalyst and since its introduction on the market, it has acquired a
leading position due to salient features such as
-- high activity
-- long lifetime
-- excellent crush strength also at low steam to carbon ratios
-- no by-product formation at low steam to carbon ratios
-- high operational flexibility
-- no environmental problems due to hexavalent chromium
-- no desulphurisation period required during initial start-up
These features enable SK-201-2 meeting the stringent demands from the industry and have made it a
top selling catalyst on the market.
The SK-201-2 catalyst
SK-201-2 is a copper promoted iron/chromium based HTS catalyst. SK-201-2 is used for conversion
of carbon monoxide in various applications, but is most widely installed inhydrogen and ammonia
plants.
High activity
Industrial experience has shown that SK-201-2 has proven to have a very high and stable shift
activity. This gives SK-201- 2 a long lifetime and ensures a consistently low CO leakage. The
high activity of SK-201-2 can also be utilised to shortload the HTS reactor. Many HTS
reactors were designed for classic HTS catalyst, but as the activity of SK-201-2, during the
entire lifetime, is more than 50% higher than that of classic iron/ chromium based HTS
catalysts, it is possible to short-load these reactors and still obtain normal performance. HTS
reactors have been short-loaded with SK-201-2 to typically 70-80% of the design catalyst
volume, even in units operating much above design capacity.
Strength
SK-201-2 has high crush strength both in the oxidised and in the reduced state. The strength
of the SK-201-2 remains almost constant during operation, also when the catalyst has
operated at low steam to carbon ratios for long periods. This ensures a stable pressure drop
across the catalyst during the entire catalyst lifetime.
By-product formation
The promotion with copper practically eliminates Fischer-Tropsch by-product formation at
low steam to carbon ratios. Industrial operating experience has demonstrated that, in an
ammonia plant operating at a steam to carbon ratio as low as 2.8, the byproduct formation
over SK-201-2 is insignificant.
Hexavalent chromium
SK-201-2 contains practically no hexavalent chromium giving the operator a number of
advantages:
-- fast and smooth start-up (no temperature increase from
reduction of hexavalent chromium)
-- no condensate containing hexavalent chromium formed

during start-up
Low sulphur content
Due to careful selection of raw materials and meticulous production, the content of impurities
like sulphur and chlorine in the final product is very low. Due to the very low sulphur content,
no desulphurisation period is required during initial catalyst startup.
Catalyst activation
Due to the negligible content of sulphur and hexavalent chromium in the catalyst, no special
activation procedure is required. Activation of the catalyst is simply carried out in conjunction
with start-up of the reforming section and will only take few hours.

Low temprature shift catalysis :

The low temperature shift (LTS) catalyst is one of the most important catalysts in ammonia and
hydrogen plants: Even small changes in its performance may have a significant impact on operational
costs.
High activity LTS catalysts
LK-821-2 and LK-823, are high-copper catalysts based on oxides of copper, zinc and aluminum. The
copper oxide is very finely dispersed resulting - after reduction- in a large, stable copper surface area
and an inherently high activity. This has been demonstrated by industrial data through the years. LK821-2 is the most widely used LTS catalyst in the world.
Mechanical stability
LK-821-2 and LK-823 are manufactured to ensure the highest possible crush strength,
resulting in a low and stable pressure drop throughout the catalyst lifetime.
Protection against sulphur poisoning
The presence of free zinc oxide in LK-821-2 and LK-823 combined with an unsurpassed
chemisorption capacity provides the catalysts with an outstanding tolerance towards sulphur
poisoning. LK catalysts virtually act as their own sulphur guard by capturing any incoming
sulphur in the upper part of the
catalyst bed.
High operational flexibility
LK series offers a high flexibility with respect to operating conditions. Normal operating
temperatures are 185-275C (365-530F). The catalysts can operate at even lower inlet
temperatures, but are often limited by the dew point of the process gas. The LTS catalyst bed
inlet temperature must be 15-20C (25-35F) above the dew point. Typically, the steam to
carbon ratio in the steam reformer ranges from 2.5 to 6 and pressures above 45 kg/cm2 g (640
psig) can be applied. LK-823 Low-methanol catalyst.

LK-823 Low-methanol catalyst

developed the LK-823 catalyst in response to the increasing concern for methanol by-product
formation over LTS catalysts. By promoting with a small amount of caesium an improved
selectivity was obtained. The industrial experience with LK-823 has shown that up to a 10fold cut in methanol by-product formation is achievable without any decrease of the shift
activity, the poisoning resistance and the strength compared to LK-821-2.
LSK-2 the chlorine guard catalyst
s LSK-2 is a guard catalyst designed to protect the LTS catalyst against chlorine.
Copper/zinc/aluminium LTS catalysts are seriously poisoned even by trace amounts of
chlorine, which surface area due to sintering. LSK-2 has a capacity for chlorine, which
significantly exceeds that of other LTS guard catalysts and, equally important, it captures the
chlorine effectively. LSK-2 has the additional advantages of being resistant to water and
condensing steam as well as being an effective guard against silica poisoning. In combination
with LK-821-2 or LK-823, the LSK-2 is the optimal solution for ammonia and hydrogen
plants, where chlorine may be present.

CO2 removal
The removal of CO2 is a non-catalytic process and has as such not been a focus area for Topse with
respect to process development. In order to ensure that the optimum CO2 process is chosen for each
individual project, Topse maintains close contact with all relevant suppliers of CO2 removal
technology, and in-depth studies are performed regularly to optimise the integration of each
technology into the Topse ammonia process schemes. Topses knowledge of the integration options
ensures that the correct technology is selected for each individual project, taking both the technical
and economical aspects into consideration. Topse has arrangements so that we can include the CO2
removal technology with our technology supply.

Methanation Section
Methanation involves final removal of CO, CO2 and trace quantities of O2 from process gas in
hydrogen and ammonia plants. For many years nickel catalysts have been giving adequate
performance provided that the operating temperature has been sufficiently high. However, the typical
operating temperature for methanation catalyst has gradually decreased due to more efficient shift
catalysts and improved CO2 removal systems. At lower operating temperatures, many plants have
experienced unacceptable CO and CO2 leakage from the methanator when using traditional catalysts.
s highly active, prereduced methanation catalyst PK-7R is a nickel type catalyst based on an alumina
carrier. It was developed to operate at inlet temperatures down to 190C/375F, a performance which
has been proven in the industry since its introduction in 1994. In plants, where the methanator is
operating in low temperature range, PK-7R has provided full conversion of carbon oxides as opposed
to traditional methanation catalysts used in the same service.
Advantages of PK-7R
Low Operating Temperature Capability
In most plants, process gas entering the methanator is heated from a relatively low
temperature to the required inlet temperature by heat exchange with the methanator effluent
gas. With more efficient CO shift and CO2-removal technology available today, the
temperature increase in such methanators will inevitably decrease and lead to a lower
methanator inlet temperature. In these cases, use of conventional methanation catalysts may
no longer ensure a full CO and CO2 conversion. The capability of PK-7R to operate at low
temperatures will ensure that CO and CO2 are fully converted at an operating temperature of
190C/375F. Furthermore, the lower level of the operating temperature will often lead to
savings in energy
consumption.
Prereduced for Higher Activity
The superior activity and capability of PK-7R to operate at low temperatures are a result of s
optimised catalyst production and prereduction technology. PK-7R is reduced in our catalyst
manufacturing plant under carefully controlled conditions, which cannot be reproduced in
industrial plants and result in a substantially higher nickel surface area, which is preserved
during the entire operating lifetime.
Low Pressure Drop
With the ring-shaped PK-7R catalyst, a 50% reduction in pressure drop is achieved relative to
the conventional spherical or cylindrical shaped methanation catalysts. This shape also yields
a higher catalyst activity resulting from a higher external surface/volume ratio.
Excellent Resistance towards Poisoning
The controlled prereduction of PK-7R, combined with the high nickel surface area, ensures an
excellent resistance towards catalyst poisoning.
High Thermal Resistance

PK-7R has a very high thermal stability and can tolerate temperatures as high as
700C/1300F. Consequently, the catalyst can withstand temperature excursions caused by
upsets in CO2 removal systems or other operating problems. The extraordinary thermal
stability of PK-7R also minimises catalyst deterioration by ageing, thereby ensuring a long
lifetime.

Catalyst Operation:
Ease of Handling, Loading and Activation PK-7R is stable in air at ambient temperatures and, with a
few extra precautions, may be handled and loaded in the same manner as conventional methanation
catalysts. Because PK-7R is delivered prereduced, no special procedure is required to activate the
catalyst. The catalyst is simply exposed to process gas at normal operating conditions and
methanation begins immediately. Normal Operation and Catalyst Lifetime The high activity of PK-7R
allows operation at inlet temperatures as low as 190C/375F with fully satisfactory conversion of all
carbon oxides and oxygen. Typically, the maximum recommended temperature for continuous
operation is 450C/840F. The temperature increase across the methanation catalyst depends on
composition of feed gas.The approximate temperature rise is
75C/135F per mole% CO
60C/108F per mole% CO2
165C/297F per mole% O2 converted
Deactivation of methanation catalyst generally results from thermal ageing, poisoning by impurities in
the process gas or excessive carry-over of solvent from the CO2 removal system. PK-7R possesses
exceptional resistance towards thermal ageing and poisoning and a charge of PK-7R is expected to
provide excellent performance for more than 10 years.

Ammonia Synthesis Section

Ammonia synthesis technology is based on radial flow converters where the synthesis of ammonia
from hydrogen and nitrogen takes place. pioneered radial flow converters with the installation of the
first radial flow converters in the 1960s. Since then continuous development has resulted in a
comprehensive portfolio of radial flow converter designs to meet the multifaceted requirements in the
industry. Today offers three radial flow converters adapted to client needs and plant requirements for
the most efficient plant operation. Selection of the optimal converter depends on the clients
objectives such as investments cost, energy consumption, steam production or possible reuse of an
existing pressure shell.
Benefits
Converter types offer a number of benefits:
-- 100% radial flow through the catalyst beds to obtain low pressure and high conversion with a small
size catalyst particle
-- indirect cooling of the gas in the heat exchangers between the catalyst beds instead of quenching to
avoid dilution of the converted gas
-- total converter feed flow passes through all beds fully utilising the total installed catalyst volume
-- stable operation with great flexibility in operating range
-- simple temperature control
The Ammonia S-300 converter
S-300 converter is the newest development in s ammonia converter portfolio and the recommended
converter selection for all new plants. The three catalyst beds offer a higher conversion of ammonia or
alternatively a reduced catalyst volume compared to the S-200 converter, thus ensuring increased
production or lower investment cost. The S-300 basket design has been well received by the industry,
and since the first reference for the S-300 basket was sold in 1999, more than 30 plant owners have
selected the S-300 basket technology.
The KM1 catalyst:
KM1 is an iron-based ammonia synthesis catalyst containing a number of carefully selected
promoters, essential for obtaining the optimum catalyst properties. KM1 is available in a wide range
of sizes, making it suitable for operation in all converter designs. Topse supplies two types of
ammonia synthesis catalyst: the unreduced KM1 and the prereduced KM1R.

High and unmatched stable activity

Since the development of the first Topse ammonia synthesis catalyst more than 60 years ago,
Topses scientists have continuously worked on optimising the type and amount of
promoters in the KM1 catalyst. Breakthroughs in analytical methods for studies of surface
properties have throughout the years been pioneered by Topse, allowing detailed studies of
phenomena such as solid diffusion,
sintering and segregation of different crystalline phases. This has provided Topse with a
unique insight into how catalyst properties are affected in long-term operation, leading to the

development of a catalyst with high and unmatched stable activity - one of the key features of
KM1. Industrial experience has proven that the high and stable activity of KM1 results in
extended cycle lengths and record high production rates. Additionally, significant energy
savings are achieved, as the high activity allows for operation at reduced
temperature and loop pressure.
Excellent poison resistance
The synthesis gas purity in modern ammonia plants is normally high. However, there is still a
risk of plant upsets where the ammonia synthesis catalyst is exposed to poisons such as
chlorine, sulphur or oxygen compounds. The inherent high activity of KM1 enables it to
withstand exposure to high levels of poisons, in most cases allowing for continued
production. Industrial experience has shown that the KM1 catalyst regains full activity even
after severe oxygen poisoning.

Ammonia Storage (Horton Spheres)

Two spheres of 1500MT capacity are provided for ammonia storage but normally not more than
750MT of ammonia is stored at any time in each of Horton spheres.
Spheres are sited at a place away from main plant building and can be reached by vehicles
from two direction.

Spheres have been designed as per standard codes to ensure safety even under extreme
conditions.
Two number of adequately designed relief valves with individual isolations have been
provided on each Horton sphere.
A 6 vent line remote operated valve has been provided to release any over pressure.
Two refrigeration compressors have been provided.
Spheres are earthed insulted and fenced.
Latest safety provisions have been made in new Horton spheres by providing single nozzle at
bottom.
Continuous ammonia monitoring sensors have been provided at strategic location around
both Horton spheres with indication cum alarm in urea control room.
Excess flow valves have been provided at five locations.