Brief Description - Ammonia Storage Systems
Brief Description - Ammonia Storage Systems
Brief Description - Ammonia Storage Systems
Three vertical multistage centrifugal ammonia pumps are provided for the
transfer of liquid ammonia from storage tank either to the urea plant or to the
rail filling station. Each pump is capable of handling ammonia @ 50m 3/hr from a
suction pressure of 1.05 kg/cm2a and –330C temperature to a delivery pressure of
29.03 kg/cm2.
When there is no ammonia import to the storage, the duty is termed ‘Holding’.
Heat gained by the refrigerated storage tank through the insulation causes boil
off of ammonia vapour. In order to maintain the tank contents at –330C it is
necessary to compress this vapour condense and return it to the tank.
When there is import of liquid ammonia to the storage tanks the operation is
termed as ‘Let Down Duty’. The refrigeration circuit ensures that ammonia
remains liquid at the near atmospheric storage pressure. The refrigeration circuit
takes suction from the tanks, compresses it to 17kg/cm2, cools the vapours by
cooling water to condense the same and then through stepping down to 3.5
kg/cm2 lets down to storage pressure.
The refrigeration circuit also maintains storage tank pressure to counter-act heat
absorbed through the insulation that may otherwise increase pressure.
Additionally each compressor can be stopped from local control station, sub
station or central control room.
Tank is protected from over pressure by PSH and high level by LSH. Both the
switches interrupt the liquid ammonia input to the tank by closing tank inlet
valve and other valves to prevent tank high pressure/level. In case of Etra low
level in the tank LSL trips the ammonia pumps. Actions required to control the
tank pressure are as under:
To take care of emergency requirements a Flare Stack capable to pass through 4500
Nm3/hr cold vapour ammonia is installed to vent the ammonia released from the
tank. During cold venting the maximum GLC of ammonia is always <50 mg/m 3 and
GLR <1500 W/m2 while flaring at 100% capacity.