AMMONIA RECOVERY BY PRESSURISED OPERATION OF AMMONIA-OIL SEPARATOR IN UREA PLANT H.C. Dave,A.B.Sarkar, N.I. Patel, BPS.

Mehta Abstract The manufacturing process of nitrogenous fertilizer are highly energy intensive. About 80 % of the manufacturing cost of urea accounts for the feed stocks costs. Substantial savings can be achieved by incorporating even a minor modification . In this article , efforts are made to highlight the benefits achieved with pressurised operation of Ammonia-oil separator of High Pressure (HP) ammonia pumps in Urea plant.. Complete recovery of ammonia from HP ammonia pump packing result in saving of 90 kg/hr of ammonia and 950 kg/hr of LP steam in urea plant which is equivalent to saving of Rs 45 lakhs per annum.

INTRODUCTION: IFFCO Kalol units operates one Ammonia/ Urea plants along with associated offsite & utility facilities i.e. Cooling towers, Steam generation plant, IG plant, Water treatment etc.. Both Ammonia & Urea plants have been revamped successfully in 1997 to enhance the capacity to 1100 tpd from 910 tpd & 1650 tpd from 1200 tpd respectively.

UREA SYNTHESIS & HIGH PRESSURE PUMPS : Liquid ammonia & CO2 are supplied from Ammonia plant as feed stocks to Urea plant. Feed stocks pumping & compression consumed substantial energy in Urea plant. Feed ammonia is pumped by variable speed motor driven reciprocating pumps to High Pressure system . Liquid ammonia is supplied at 17 ata pressure from Ammonia plant and its pressure is further elevated to about 160 ata in High pressure reciprocating pumps. Stuffing box is furnished with an oil sealing device to prevent escape of ammonia as well as to minimize the friction between the plunger and the stuffing box packing. Lubricating oil is well distributed by a oil pump driven by a linkage fastened to the upper cross-head. This lubricator has a separate supply for each lubrication point. Oil flow can be adjusted by adjustable knob in the pump. Lubricating oil leaks out from each stuffing box of the motor driven, five plungers, reciprocating , vertical HP ammonia feed pumps. The oil outlet from each plunger is taken to the ammonia-oil separator via a common header. The lubricating oil pump supply pressure remains about 2.0 to 4.5 kg/cm2g. Details of

plunger gland packing is shown in figure 1. Before installation of Ammonia-oil separator , ammonia-oil mixture was discharged to strong effluent pond due to environmental constraints. Later on Ammonia-oil separator was installed to recover the ammonia by scrubbing in the Atmospheric scrubber with lean ammonia-water solution.

AMMONIA RECOVERY METHODOLOGY :

The main source of ammonia loss in urea plant is through vent stack. To monitor ammonia vent to atmosphere, the vent stack gas analysis is carried out . Any disturbance in HP system directly effects the performance of LP system and consequently affects the performance of atmospheric scrubber. During plant disturbance, ammonia absorption load on scrubber remains very high and becomes very difficult to monitor the vent stack during sudden plant disturbance or sudden change in ammonia/CO2 ratio of HP system which is a critical parameter for HP system performance. In-house detailed study was conducted to minimise the ammonia loss from the system and to improve the productivity of the entire plant. Step by step procedure was formulated to analyse the source of ammonia loss & its probable methods of reduction from the source itself. Main sources of ammonia streams to atmospheric scrubber are as under : Ammonia vapor from Ammonia-oil separator LP system vent . Reflux tank vent vapor from Hydrolyser-Desorber. Flash tank condenser/lean carbamate vessel vapors. Relief valves exit from ammonia supply system.

Based on above, it can be concluded that ammonia loss from the system can be improved by improving the performance of Atmospheric scrubber and checking the passing of relief valves (RV). Therefore, main reasons of ammonia loss in vent stack are due to 1. Poor performance of atmospheric scrubber. 2. Ammonia system relief valve passing. In this regards, first action was initiated to check all the relief valves on ammonia system. Step by-step method was formulated to check each RV and ensured its proper functioning. Three way valves with two RVs were installed in place of one RV to attend the RV leaking during normal plant operation. Schedule was formulated to check the performance of RVs. Installation of five numbers three-way valves with two RVs on ammonia supply system was made for on-line change over & maintenance of RVs.

Next step was to improve the performance of Atmospheric scrubber. All ammonia vapor loads on atmospheric scrubber were critically analysed and the sources & reasons for any deviation from design value were also checked. Steps were initiated to check the performance of the major equipments/ vessels and the effects of its parameter variation
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directly or indirectly on atmospheric scrubber. Various measures were proposed to minimize the ammonia loss from the system and a time frame program was finalized to reduce the losses from the system. First step in this direction is diversion of ammonia vapor from Ammonia-oil separator to Low pressure carbamate condenser (LPCC).

AMMONIA-OIL SEPARATOR : Ammonia-oil separator is a cylindrical vessel and is heated with 3.5 bar saturated steam via coils to vaporise the ammonia separated out in the separator as shown in the Figure 2. Vapor ammonia is sent to atmospheric scrubber and separated oil from vessel is collected into drums. The ammonia- oil separator is made up of two compartments. Each compartment has a provision for LP steam coil which releases ammonia vapors from oil by heating. The vessel is LP steam jacketed. Separator is provided with temperature indicator in each compartment. Ammonia-oil separator is protected with one relief valve & pressure indicator at top. Vapor from separator were sent to atmospheric scrubber for scrubbing before discharge to atmosphere via vent stack. Lean ammonia-water is used as scrubbing media for same. Liquid from bottom of atmospheric scrubber is collected into strong ammonia-water buffer tank and is the main source of feed to Hydrolyser-Desorber system. HydrolyserDesorber system was commissioned in Dec. 1992 to reduce the ammonia & urea in final effluent. About 300 kg/h ammonia vapor from ammonia oil separator flows to atmospheric scrubber. This vapor stream increases load on scrubber and ammonia concentration of exit liquid remains high. Hydrolyser-Desorber unit is designed for 6.2 % (w/w) ammonia concentration in feed stream. High ammonia concentration in feed stream of HydrolyserDesorber system also directly effects the performance of Hydrolyser-Desorber system and atmospheric scrubber. Therefore performance of atmospheric scrubber & Hydrolyser-Desorber are inter-dependent and both are directly responsible for performance of HP system & LP system of Urea plant. It was proposed to divert the vapor ammonia from Ammonia-oil separator to Low pressure carbamate condenser (LPCC) to improve the performance of Low pressure system. A 50 mm line is connected from Ammonia-oil separator to LPCC and the vapor ammonia is directly introduced into the LP system . Following jobs are carried out for the scheme : Vessel suitability was checked for higher pressure operation. The lubricating oil pump discharge RV set pressure was increased from 5 kg/cm2g to 8.0 kg/cm2g . Ammonia-oil separator relief valve (RV) set pressure was increased from 2.0 kg/cm2g to 6.0 kg/cm2g. 50 NB tapping was taken from oil separator vapor outlet line and connected to vapor inlet line of LPCC with isolation on both the sides, a check valve and a drain valve.

Provision of flow meter of Ammonia -oil separator vapor line to LPCC. Provision of earthing of Ammonia-oil vessel to avoid risk of explosion.

Above jobs were carried out in-house without effecting the plant production. During commissioning of proposed scheme, behavior of HP carbamate pumps & LPCC were closely observed. The carbamate analysis and vent stack analysis were also monitored to check the performance of modification. Diversion of ammonia vapor to LPCC is reflected on the carbamate analysis at HP carbamate pumps suction line. The analysis of carbamate before & after the modification is given in Table -1. Table 1 : Effect on Carbamate analysis with Modification Parameters Design Value 38.60 30.70 30.70 Before Modification 36.10 29.00 34.90 After Modification 38.38 30.53 31.09

CO2 NH3 H20

With above modification, system was taken in line during normal plant operation and is working perfectly at present. Following observation are made after implementation of proposed scheme : Pressure at Ammonia-oil separator has increased to 3.8 kg/cm2g from 0.2 kg/cm2g. With higher operating pressure at Ammonia-oil separator, ice on vapor line & separator vessel is not forming & this has resulted in better separation. Forced feed lubricator discharge pressure has increased from 3.8 kg/cm2g to 4.5 kg.cm2g. This has resulted in effective lubrication at plunger piston & reduction of ammonia-oil leakage. Pressure variation in LP system has reduced drastically. Ammonia loss from atmospheric scrubber is reduced. Ammonia-water concentration to desorber feed is reduced resulting in reduction in LP steam consumption. With higher pressure operation of Ammonia-Oil separator , explosive index of the vessel has reduced.

CONCLUSION : This is one of the in-house measures taken to reduce the losses from Urea plant. Proposed scheme was implemented with resources available in the plant and only fabrication & labour charges of Rs. 5000 was incurred on the scheme. The proposed modification was completed and commissioned during normal plant operation. The benefits of the modification are as under : About 90 kg /hr of Ammonia saving from vent gases About 950 kg/hr of LP steam saving in Hydrolyser-Desorber About 300 kg/h ammonia recovered & recycled to LP system. Reduction in ammonia concentration to 5.0 % from 6.0 % in Ammonia water tank.. Better N/C ratio control in HP system. With reduction in ammonia concentration in Desorber feed, operational flexibility of Hydrolyser-Desorber is improved by 5.0 %. Improvement in plant operation & reliability. Thus, it can be concluded that even a small modification in the process plant can contribute significant saving in the inputs & energy which will resulted in over-all productivity improvement of the organisation.