Making ammonia
Summary
TLDRThe script details the global production of ammonia, approximately 140 million tons annually, highlighting its diverse applications in explosives, medicines, and fertilizers. The manufacturing process involves reacting natural gas, primarily methane, with steam to produce hydrogen, followed by secondary reactions with air to form ammonia. The process includes desulfurization, carbon dioxide removal for alternative uses, and the use of catalysts under high pressure and temperature. Ammonia is either stored or directly utilized by nearby chemical plants, emphasizing the interconnectedness of industrial operations.
Takeaways
- 🌍 Global Ammonia Production: About 140 million tons of ammonia is produced worldwide each year.
- 💥 Uses of Ammonia: It is utilized in the manufacturing of explosives, die making, medicine preparation, and fertilizer production.
- 🔁 Production Process: Ammonia is made by reacting natural gas, primarily methane, with steam to form hydrogen, followed by further reactions with air.
- 🌐 Gas Stream Treatment: Carbon dioxide is removed from the gas stream by dissolving it in alkali, and the remaining hydrogen and nitrogen are combined to produce ammonia.
- ♻️ Recycling Uncombined Gases: Uncombined gases are recycled back to the converter for further processing.
- 📍 Plant Location: The plant is situated near other chemical plants for convenient use of the produced ammonia.
- 🌊 Natural Gas Source: Natural gas, which is about 90% methane, is sourced from the North Sea and fed to the plant through a pipeline.
- 💨 Raw Materials: The main raw materials for ammonia production are water, air, and natural gas, with air being filtered and compressed.
- 🚫 Desulfurization: Natural gas contains sulfur compounds that are removed to prevent catalyst poisoning in the desulfurizer.
- 🔥 Reformer Reaction: Methane and steam react in the presence of a nickel-based catalyst to produce carbon monoxide and hydrogen, with further reactions forming carbon dioxide and more hydrogen.
- 🔬 Secondary Reformer: Heated air is added to convert any remaining methane into carbon dioxide, which is then removed to prevent catalyst poisoning.
- 🌡️ Converter Conditions: The ammonia converter operates at high pressure and temperature to convert nitrogen and hydrogen into ammonia using an iron-based catalyst.
- 🔄 Gas Stream Recycling: The gas stream containing ammonia, hydrogen, and nitrogen is cooled and compressed, with ammonia condensing out as a liquid and the remaining gases recycled.
- 🚀 Transportation: Ammonia can be transported as a liquid under pressure in tankers or piped directly to nearby plants.
Q & A
How much ammonia is produced worldwide annually?
-Approximately 140 million tons of ammonia is produced per year worldwide.
What are some of the main uses of ammonia?
-Ammonia is used in the manufacturing of explosives, in the die-making industry, in preparing medicines, and in the production of fertilizers.
What is the primary raw material used to make ammonia?
-The primary raw material used to make ammonia is natural gas, which is mainly methane (CH4).
How is hydrogen produced in the ammonia production process?
-Hydrogen is produced by reacting natural gas with steam in the primary reformer.
What happens in the secondary reformer during ammonia production?
-In the secondary reformer, air is added to the gas stream, and any remaining methane is converted into carbon dioxide.
Why is carbon dioxide removed from the gas stream in ammonia production?
-Carbon dioxide is removed because it would poison the catalyst used for the conversion of nitrogen and hydrogen to ammonia.
What is the role of alkali in the ammonia production process?
-Alkali is used to dissolve and remove carbon dioxide from the gas stream in the converter.
What is the ratio of nitrogen to hydrogen in the gas stream fed to the ammonia converter?
-The ratio of nitrogen to hydrogen in the gas stream fed to the ammonia converter is 3:1.
What is the operating pressure and temperature of the ammonia converter?
-The ammonia converter operates at a pressure of 200 atmospheres and a temperature of about 400° C.
How is the produced ammonia separated from the gas stream?
-The hot gas stream containing ammonia, hydrogen, and nitrogen is cooled to about -1° C and compressed, causing ammonia to condense out as a liquid.
What happens to the uncombined gases after ammonia production?
-The uncombined gases are recycled back to the converter along with a fresh gas mixture.
How is the sulfur content in natural gas treated before it is used in ammonia production?
-The sulfur compounds in natural gas are removed in a desulfurizer before the gas is piped to the primary reformer.
What is the final form of ammonia for transportation or use?
-Ammonia can be transported in tankers as a liquid under pressure or piped directly to nearby plants for use.
Outlines
🌿 Ammonia Production Process Overview
This paragraph provides an overview of the global ammonia production, which stands at about 140 million tons annually. Ammonia is pivotal in the manufacturing of explosives, dies, medicines, and fertilizers. The production process begins with the reaction of natural gas, primarily methane, with steam in a primary reformer to generate hydrogen. Subsequently, air is introduced in the secondary reformer, where carbon dioxide is removed by alkali absorption in a converter. The remaining hydrogen and nitrogen are combined to produce ammonia. Uncombined gases are recycled, and the plant's location near other chemical plants facilitates the use of produced ammonia. The script also details the sourcing of raw materials like natural gas from the North Sea, water, and air, and the removal of sulfur compounds before the reforming process. The reforming reaction requires a nickel-based catalyst and produces carbon monoxide and hydrogen, with further reactions forming carbon dioxide and more hydrogen. The carbon dioxide is removed and utilized in other industries, while the hydrogen and nitrogen are fed into an ammonia converter at high pressure and temperature, using an ion-based catalyst to produce ammonia, which is then cooled and compressed into a liquid form for storage or transportation.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Ammonia
💡Natural Gas
💡Steam Reforming
💡Catalyst
💡Desulfurization
💡Secondary Reformer
💡Carbon Dioxide
💡Alkali
💡Ammonia Converter
💡Recycling Uncombined Gases
💡Control Room
Highlights
140 million tons of ammonia is produced worldwide annually.
Ammonia is used in manufacturing explosives, dies, medicines, and fertilizers.
Ammonia production starts with natural gas, primarily methane, reacting with steam to form hydrogen.
Air is added to the gas stream in the secondary reformer to convert remaining methane into carbon dioxide.
Carbon dioxide is removed by dissolving it in alkali and can be sold for other uses.
Hydrogen and nitrogen from the air are combined to produce ammonia.
Uncombined gases are recycled back to the converter.
The plant is located near other chemical plants for easy ammonia usage.
Natural gas, mainly methane, is sourced from the North Sea and piped to the plant.
Air, water, and natural gas are the raw materials for ammonia production.
Sulfur compounds in natural gas are removed in a desulfurizer before the primary reformer.
A nickel-based catalyst is used in the reformer, heated by natural gas burners.
The reformer reaction produces carbon monoxide and hydrogen.
Carbon dioxide is removed to prevent poisoning the catalyst used for ammonia conversion.
The ammonia converter operates at 200 atmospheres and 400°C to convert nitrogen and hydrogen to ammonia.
An ion-based catalyst is used in the conversion vessel for the reversible reaction.
About 15% of the hydrogen and nitrogen mixture is converted to ammonia.
Ammonia is cooled and compressed, condensing into a liquid for storage or transport.
The control room manages the ammonia production process.
Ammonia can be transported as a liquid under pressure or piped to nearby plants.
Transcripts
about 140 million tons of ammonia is
made per year worldwide it is used in
the manufacturer of explosives for die
making preparing medicines and in the
production of
fertilizer ammonia is made by first
reacting natural gas mainly methane CH4
with steam to form hydrogen in the
primary
reformer in the secondary reformer air
is added to the gas
stream the carbon dioxide is then
removed by dissolving it in
Alkali in the converter the remaining
hydrogen and nitrogen from the air are
combined to produce
ammonia the uncombined gases are
recycled to the
converter ammonia is either stored or
piped directly from the site
this plant is situated close to other
chemical plants where much of the
ammonia is
used this is the primary reformer and
this is the secondary
reformer carbon dioxide is absorbed from
the gas stream in these
towers nitrogen and hydrogen are
combined here in the
converter
natural gas which is about 90% methane
is piped from the North Sea and fed to
the plant through a
pipeline the other raw materials are
water and air air is drawn in from the
atmosphere it is filtered and compressed
here natural gas contains sulfur
compounds which are removed in this
desulfurizer
the sulfur-free gas is piped to the
primary reformer where it reacts with
the steam the reaction requires a
nickel-based catalyst and this is heated
by the natural gas burners in the
reformer the reaction in the reformer
produces
heat methane and steam react to produce
carbon monoxide and
hydrogen some carbon monoxide reacts
further with the steam to form carbon
dioxide and more
hydrogen the stream of hydrogen and
oxides of carbon passes to the secondary
reformer heated air is fed to the stream
of gas and this converts any remaining
methane into carbon
dioxide carbon dioxide would poison the
Catalyst used for conversion to ammonia
the carbon dioxide is removed and sold
for making fizzy drinks and as a coolant
in nuclear power
stations the gas stream with hydrogen
and nitrogen in the ratio 3:1 is fed to
the ammonia
converter the converter operates at a
pressure of 200 atmospheres and a
temperature of about 400° C to convert
nitrogen and hydrogen to
ammonia
the reaction is reversible and uses an
ion-based
Catalyst the conversion vessel contains
beds of this
Catalyst the mixture of hydrogen and
nitrogen in the ratio of 3:1 feeds in at
the
top about 15% of the mixture is
converted to
ammonia the hot gas stream containing
ammonia hydrogen and nitrogen is cooled
to about -1° C and compressed ammonia
condenses out as a
liquid the remaining nitrogen and
hydrogen are recycled back to the
converter with fresh gas mixture this is
the control room of the
plant ammonia can be transported in
tankers as a liquid under
pressure or piped to nearby
plants
for
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