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A case study on Process Condensate Stripper in Ammonia Plant

Presentation · September 2022

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.10124.18568

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Prem Baboo
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A case
se study on Process Condensate S
Stripper
tripper in Ammonia Plant
By
Prem Baboo
Fellow of Institution of Engineers (India)
Abstract kg/cm2. A new Plate heat exchanger was
A trouble shooting case study in Fertilizers unit, procured & installed for the heat recovery.
recovery
India.Solving
Solving the problem of Feed/Effluent Keyword-Process condensate stripper.
Exchanger E-3321A/B
3321A/B in Process Condensate Methanol,Ammonia,CO2.Energy,Primery
nergy,Primery
stripping section of Ammonia plant by Reformer, HP stripper.
Analytical approach. The problem solved by in Description
house experts without changing the heat Process condensate, which is separated from the
exchangers while others plant change the heat synthesis gas produced in the front end, is
exchangers.Number
umber of modification done and purified in the processs condensate stripper.
huge amount of energy saved. The paper Small amounts of ammonia are formed in the
intended how to save energy by changin
changing heat secondary reformer
rmer and small amounts of
exchanger and pressure of PC Stripper. The methanol are formed in the low temperature CO
treated process condensate was earlier cooled by converter. Together with the carbon dioxide in
CW in final cooler from about 90ºC to 40ºC. the raw synthesis gas, these compounds enter the
This available heat of PC is being recovered by process condensate according to the following
exchanging heat with DM water in a plate heat equilibrium reactions:
exchanger. The pressure
sure of PC stripper has been 1. NH3 + H2O ⇔ NH4 + + OH-
raised to about 1.5 kg/cm²g to make the extra 2. CO2 + H2O ⇔ H+ + HCO3 –
heat recovery possible. Now pressure is 41.5 3. HCO3 - ⇔ CO3 2- + H+
4. NH3 + HCO3 - ⇔ NH2COO- + H2O

Fig-HP stripper flow diagram

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The methanol simply dissolves in the process containing mostly water and an equilibrium
condensate. In order to reduce the consumption amount of CO2 is formed.
of regeneration chemicals in the 1. This stream normally known as
demineralization unit, the condensate is stripped “Benfield” condensate is subsequently
using medium pressure steam. The process pressurized and added to the condensate
condensate stripper operates at a pressure of 41.5 stream obtained at the end of the LTS
kg/cm2 g. The overhead steam from the process step. The resultant stream called
condensate stripper is returned to the front-end “process” condensate.
and used as process steam for the reforming 2. Typically contains ammonia, methanol
section. In the reforming section, methanol and and carbon dioxide, each in the range of
ammonia undergo chemical reactions and end up 300 to 2000 ppm by weight, depending
as nitrogen, hydrogen and carbon oxide. The on the variations in process and
stripped condensate is cooled to approximately operating conditions in a plant. A
90°C in the process condensate feed/effluent comprehensive analysis and
exchanger where it is used to preheat the process characterization of process condensate
condensate going to the process condensate has been carried out by the investigators
stripper. The stripped condensate is finally earlier and reported.
cooled to 44°C in the stripped condensate cooler 3. The current method of treating process
and exported to the BFW/CPU preparation unit. condensate involves steam stripping to
The stripped process condensate is of a suitable reduce the ammonia, methanol and
quality so that it can be further processed into carbon dioxide content to below 5 ppm
boiler feed water. Part of the process steam is by weight for each and re-use the
used to strip the process condensate in order to purified condensate as boiler feed water
remove methanol, NH3, CO2 and other (BFW). The stripper has to operate
remaining dissolved gasses. The amount of under severe operating conditions where
stripping steam used is controlled by FIC, which a large amount of superheated steam is
operates at the steam inlet of the process consumed making it a highly energy
condensate stripper. After passing through PCS intensive operation. Even then, the BFW
the steam is returned to the HS steam line specifications for recycle are hard to
upstream the steam/natural gas mixing point. achieve. This can result in degradation
The flow signals from three independent flow of condensate to lower duty or rejection
transmitters FXT- ensure that the primary and increase of stripper steam.
reformer interlock safety group is tripped if the Advantages of HP Stripper
steam/carbon ratio or the flow of natural gas or Steam quality is better than in the single steam
process steam is too low. In the ammonia system, Most of the impurities in process
manufacturing process, when syngas is cooled condensate are recycled to the reformer as
after the low temperature shift (LTS) step, the process steam and all the process condensate can
unreacted steam (used in reforming and shift be recycled without restriction.
conversion) forms a condensate stream which
Energy Saving –In HP stripper the HP
contains impurities, the major ones being
steam is used in reformer hence about 0.05
ammonia (NH3), methanol (CH3OH) and carbon
G.Cal /ton of energy saved. Otherwise in LP
dioxide (CO2). The syngas from this step goes to
stripper the steam cannot be utilized and
a CO2 separation step where another stream
generally it is vented.
2

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Disadvantages of HP Stripper consumers, non-de-aerated

aerated process condensate
Some impurities remain in the stripped process will require stainless steel
condensate and end up in export steam, steam
quality is insufficient for certain steam
material or high volumes of chemical dosing for stripper overflow and subsequent water
pH adjustment and risk of process condensate introduction and damage of plant

Fig- Process Condensate stripper material & Energy Balance

Case study for Trouble
rouble shooting
Description
A case study in Unit of NFL (India
India).Solving the
problem of Feed/Effluent Exchanger E E-3321A/B
in Process Condensate stripping section of
Ammonia-IIII plant by Analytical approach.

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Description of the Problem-TheThe Feed

Feed-Effluent
exchanger (E-3321
3321 A/B) is used to preheat
Analysis of the problem
untreated process condensate (PC) being fed to
The thorough analysis of the problem was done
PC stripper (F-3321)
3321) by exchanging heat with
by Expert group of team as follows:-
follows:
treated PC coming out from bottom of stripper.
• The simulation of the feed effluent
Heat exchanger E-3321A/B 3321A/B had been
exchanger was carried out, which
performing poorly since inception both at
indicated excessive fouling of heat
Vijaipur-2 and Aonla-2. The poorr performance
exchangers.
of this heat exchanger was leading to following
The fouling of the exchanger was ruled out
problems:-
because:-
1. Wastage of useful heat to CW.
2. Lower temperature of PC feed to • The exchanger did not perform
Stripper (205ºC, design 228º
228ºC. This satisfactorily even during
resulted in more condensation of PC commissioning, GTR.
stripper feed steam & thereby causing • This exchanger was always found
less vapor outlet from PC stripper to almost clean, whenever inspected.
Primary reformer as process steam. High • High temperature of treated PC going to
temperature of treated PC going to PC
PC cooler E-3322
3322 (145ºC against design
cooler E-3322
3322 (145ºC against design
value 125ºC). value 125ºC).
3. High temperature of treated PC going to
PC cooler E-3322
3322 (145ºC against design
value 125ºC).
Hence it was concluded that this problem might In case of too low shell side velocity, designer
desig
occur due to bypassing of treated PC on shell choose F type shell as shown below. E-3321A/B
E
side, as these type of exchangers are prone to has also F-type
type shell arrangement.
bypassing on shell side. Detail of EE-3321 A/B,

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One of the limitations of the F-shell is the

potential for leakage. Engineers are generally
apprehensive of the possibility of physical
Fig-Detail of sealing strip
leakage of shell side stream from inlet to outlet
Improvements in performance after replacement
pass across the longitudinal baffles and a
of sealing strips
consequent deterioration in performance due to
The performance of E-3321 A/B is now close
loss in Mean temperature difference
to design level. The comparisons of main
Detail of sealing strip in F-type shell
parameter are shown in table given below:-

Parameters Design Before replacing sealing After replacing sealing

PC flow (T/h) 73 95 100
Temperature of PC feed 228 205 223
Temp. of PC to cooler 125 145 121
Steam condensed in -1.6 4.5 0.3
stripper (T/h)
Table –After replacement Moreover we could also avoid procurement of
The problem could be solved with application of new exchanger.
analytical approach by in-house process Modification in Process Condensate section
engineering. The treated process condensate was earlier
The same problem was tackled by IFFCO- cooled by CW in final cooler from about 90ºC to
Aonla (India) by installation of an additional 40ºC. This available heat of PC is being
exchanger at high cost. recovered by exchanging heat with DM water in
We could save energy of VP-2 by 0.02 a plate heat exchanger. The pressure of PC
G.cal/MT of Urea stripper has been raised to about 1.5 kg/cm²g to
Saving= 0.02 *3231=64.62 G.Cal per day, per make the extra heat recovery possible. A new
year saving= 64.62*330 G.Cal=21324.6 G.cal, Plate heat exchanger was procured & installed
Financial Saving=21324* $88.8=$1893624 per for the heat recovery.
annum.

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After Modification: • Specific energy saving

• Fuel saving in boiler due to increase in =5.38*24/2620 =0.049
DM water temperature =5.7 G.cal/h G.cal/MT of Urea
• Increase in fuel energy due to c/o of TP- • Saving per day=0.049*3231=158.31
1601B to MP-1601C = 0.32 G.cal/h G.Cal /Day, and annually
• Net gain in energy due to scheme 158.31*330=52245 G.Cal per year
=5.7-0.32, =5.38 G.cal/h saving in terms of
dollar,52245*$88.8=$4639380 per
year saving

Fig- Modification –plate type heat exchanger provided with DM water cooling

Trouble shooting of Process 3. Conductivity to high

The conductivity of the treated process
Condensate stripper
condensate is measured by conductivity
1. To High Level
meter on line analyzer, which, at a too
Too high a level in of Process condensate
high conductivity, divert the condensate
stripper will trip interlock sequence , which
to off spec tank via motorized valve B in
stops the flow of process condensate to the
order not to overload the polishing
stripper by closing the valve and send it to the
unit.IS-1 interlock is appeared.
off spec tank by opening motorized valve .
4. High Differential Pressure
2. To level Low
Flooding in the process condensate stripper
Too low a level in Process Condensate stripper
is critical if liquid carry-over reaches the
will trip interlock sequence , which stops the
reformer catalysts. The column is therefore
export of treated process condensate by closing
equipped with a differential pressure-
level control valve. When the process
measuring device with a high differential
condensate flow to 11-C-701 stops, the level
pressure alarm to provide an early indication
control valve LIC will close automatically.
6

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of possible problems. If flooding occurs, flow of Conclusion

steam and liquid carry-over to the reformer In Numbers of the plants L.P. stripper has been
should be stopped immediately by shutting off changed to HP stripper. The energy saved
the steam flow or by activating interlock. If reported 0.05 to 0.07 G.Cal/ton of urea and
Stripping section is not in operation, the un depends upon plant load. The HP export steam
stripped process condensate is rerouted to Off- system is completely separated from the process
Spec. steam system to produce the highest superheated
Some other special case also can be exported steam quality for
The low pressure stripper operates under these condensing turbine use also. If the quality is
conditions. Operating the stripper at higher saturated then used in primary reformer.
pressures, results in increased usage of steam
which counters the effect of ammonia solubility
at these pressures. Existing high pressure
stripper variants in fertilizer plants in India
consume 14 t/h of steam as against 42 t/h
required for stripping ammonia from process
condensate. It is clear that by compromising on
steam usage, this stripper variant does not strip
ammonia completely and is utilized only to
direct the overhead steam with impurities mainly
methanol and carbon dioxide back to the
reforming process. It is observed again that
increasing steam tonnage results in condensate
carryover in the stripper overhead stream, the
effect being prominent when the degree of
superheat is higher.

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