Simplifying NH3 Production for Improved Economic Feasibility

As construction costs have continued to rise over the last two decades, nitrogen-based fertilizer production has grown in scale in order to maintain economic feasibility. However, in some mid-continent locations in the US, fertilizer is often in demand in much smaller quantities in more localized markets. Increased transportation costs to these markets puts an economic strangle-hold on some agricultural and other smaller chemical users of ammonia (NH₃₎. Smaller “distributed” NH₃ plants will be required to reliably supply these markets; however, they suffer the challenge of economies of scale and high equipment counts. To achieve economic viability, the production methods for NH₃ must be simplified.

The Linde Ammonia Concept (LAC^TM) for the production of ammonia from natural gas or light hydrocarbons reduces process steps and equipment quantities to lower investment and operating costs. Plant start-up and operation are also simplified. LAC combines a high-purity hydrogen plant, a high-purity nitrogen plant, and an ammonia synthesis loop. Hydrogen is mixed with nitrogen from an air separation unit to give inert-free ammonia synthesis gas that is converted to NH₃ with minimum purge gas waste.

By simplifying the flow sheet, reducing equipment counts, and maximizing modularization of process units, small scale NH₃ economics can be highly improved and new projects can be competitive with sources currently trucked or railed in from coastal production.