Topsøe ammonia technology

Topsøe ammonia technology

– processes for today and the future

Our ammonia experience Grassroot units – tailor made solutions

The Topsøe low-energy ammonia process is adjusted according
For more than 60 years, Topsøe has been one of the main to the specific project requirements. In the design of new plants,
suppliers of catalysts and technology for the ammonia industry. investment cost is often the deciding factor. However, in some
By introduction of new catalysts, new equipment design and parts of the world feedstock prices are very high, which means
extensive process optimisation studies, Topsøe has contributed that the optimum design may change from client to client.
significantly to the development of efficient ammonia production
technology. Topsøe’s approach ensures that an optimum design is achieved
for each individual project in terms of minimising investment
Today, approximately 50% of new ammonia plants use Topsøe cost and operating cost. Furthermore, Topsøe has led the trend
technology. towards plant economy of scale, resulting in lower investment
per ton of ammonia, and we have developed designs for plants
with capacities up to 5,000 MTPD.
Why choose Topsøe ammonia technology?
Our integrated approach of research-based catalysts and
technologies ensures a fundamental understanding of
the ammonia process, reinforced by decades of industrial
experience as well as a full range of catalysts and technologies
for ammonia production.

Topsøe’s ammonia experience is unmatched as a result of more

than 60 years of industrial experience with plant operations
throughout the world. Topsøe can offer our clients a reliable and
optimised catalyst and technology solution.
Alternative feedstocks and plant integration Depending on the type and size of the revamp project, Topsøe
In addition to the design of ammonia plants based on natural gas will provide a scope of supply ranging from basic process design
feedstock, Topsøe also has extensive experience in designing to complete equipment supply.
ammonia synthesis loops based on alternative feedstocks
such as synthesis gas from gasification of coal, residual refinery Topsøe has extensive experience with revamp of proprietary
products and hydrogen containing waste streams from other as well as out-of-house plant designs with regard to lowering
petrochemical plants. energy consumption, increasing capacity and flexibility of
feedstocks.
Topsøe’s ammonia plants can be integrated with production
of petrochemicals such as methanol or DME, thus achieving The Topsøe approach
a lower relative investment cost. Poly-production capabilities The Topsøe approach to a revamp project is to divide the
ensure lower sensitivity to market prices and enable the client project into a study phase followed by an engineering and
to switch to producing a more valuable product. Methanol and implementation phase. Based on the objective of the revamp,
DME synthesis are both in-house technologies of Topsøe. which is defined in close collaboration with the client, the
study will establish with reasonable accuracy the possible
capacity increase and/or energy savings obtainable, and the
Revamp options capital expenditures required for materialising these benefits,
Topsøe has always emphasised the importance of continuous thus creating a sound basis for the client’s decision. Topsøe’s
optimisation of operating plants. In many cases this has led involvement in the implementation of the revamp scheme can be
to revamp projects based on detailed optimisation studies. tailored to the needs of the client.
Our flexible and project-specific approach ensures that a
revamp project is performed efficiently based on the client’s
requirements.
 The Topsøe
ammonia process
Topsøe continuously develops and optimises equipment, Our ammonia process
catalysts and processes for ammonia production, ensuring our Topsøe’s low-energy ammonia process scheme is optimised for
clients state-of-the-art operations. the actual project conditions by selection of process features
and by adjusting the process parameters. Topsøe’s ammonia
Our specialised equipment plant designs are characterised by the extensive integration
Topsøe’s research programme has made many improvements between process sections and the steam and power system.
in the process technology and development of specialised
equipment for critical processing steps. Such equipment A new Topsøe ammonia plant will typically consist of the
includes: following main process steps:

-- tubular reformers -- feed purification

-- secondary reformer burners -- steam reforming
-- Haldor Topsøe Exchange Reformer (HTER) -- CO conversion
-- waste heat boilers -- CO2 removal
-- ammonia converters -- methanation
-- ammonia synthesis
Our catalyst
Our catalysts and processes are developed in close
collaboration between research, engineering and production,
with a detailed R&D programme for the catalysts used in every
step of the ammonia process, from feed purification to ammonia
synthesis.

Figure 1: The ammonia proces

Feed purification Prereforming
In plants using the steam reforming process it is imperative to Prereforming is used for low-temperature steam reforming of
remove sulphur efficiently from the hydrocarbon feed in order to hydrocarbon feedstocks ranging from natural gas to heavy
prevent poisoning of the nickel-based reforming catalyst in the naphtha. The prereformer is located upstream the primary
primary reformer and other downstream catalysts. (tubular) reformer where it converts all higher hydrocarbons into
methane. The prereformer predigests the feed and ensures
Chlorine is also a poison for several catalysts, particularly easier and consistent feed for the primary reformer, resulting in
copper-containing catalysts such as the low temperature savings in the investment cost as the primary reformer can be
shift catalyst, and it can further cause corrosion in piping and designed for milder operating conditions.
equipment. Therefore it is essential to remove both sulphur and
chlorine present in the feedstock in the feed purification section. Furthermore, the prereformer catalyst will pick-up any traces
of sulphur and will consequently increase the lifetime of the
The feed purification section usually consists of units for downstream catalysts in the tubular reformer and the CO
hydrogenation, sulphur absorption and optionally chlorine conversion section.
absorption. All of these catalytic units are based on Topsøe’s
range of feed purification catalysts. Tubular reforming
Steam reforming is used in the production of synthesis gas
Steam reforming from feedstocks such as natural gas, refinery off-gases, LPG or
Steam reforming is a well established process for the naphtha. Topsøe’s fundamental knowledge of steam reforming
manufacture of hydrogen and synthesis gases. The feedstock reactions and the complex interaction between heat transfer
to steam reformers may be natural gas, refinery off-gases, LPG, and reaction kinetics has resulted in the development of superior
naphtha or any mixture of these feedstocks. steam reforming technologies and catalysts. Topsøe’s reforming
designs are based on the side-fired furnace concept, which
Topsøe’s steam reforming range ensures optimum use of high alloy tube materials. Accurate
Topsøe’s range of steam reforming processes includes several temperature control ensures long lifetime of the reformer tubes.
technologies:
A range of catalysts designed for the reforming processes
-- prereforming provide optimal plant performance.
-- tubular reforming
-- heat exchange reforming Topsøe has licensed more than 250 side-fired reformers all over
-- secondary reforming the world.

Topsøe’s state of the art low-energy ammonia process will

always include a tubular reformer and an air-blown secondary
reformer. However, depending on the specific conditions such
as natural gas composition, plant capacity and requirements
to steam export, it may be beneficial to introduce prereforming
and/or heat exchange reforming as well.
Heat exchange reforming (HTER) Typically up to around 20% of the natural gas feed can in this
The HTER (Haldor Topsøe Exchange Reformer) is a relatively way by-pass the primary reformer.
new feature, initially developed for use in synthesis gas plants. In
ammonia plants this unit is operated in parallel with the primary The first reference for an HTER has been in successful operation
reformer. The advantage of the HTER is that it reduces the size in a synthesis gas producing plant in South Africa since 2003.
of the primary reformer and at the same time it reduces the HP The HTER concept is also widely used in the design of high
steam production. capacity hydrogen plants.

Therefore, the HTER is found to be particularly well suited in Secondary reforming

large capacity plants (especially stand-alone ammonia plants In ammonia plants the methane reforming reaction from the
not requiring a large steam export to a urea plant) as well as in primary reformer is continued in the secondary reformer. The
revamp scenarios where the reforming section is the bottleneck. addition of air in the secondary reformer provides oxygen for the
combustion of the leftover methane. Furthermore, the nitrogen
The principle of the HTER is that reaction heat is provided by for the ammonia is introduced to the process.
the exit gas from the secondary reformer, and thereby the waste
heat normally used for HP steam production can be used for
the reforming process down to typically 750–850°C, depending
upon actual requirements. Operating conditions in the HTER are
adjusted independently of the primary reformer in order to get
the optimum performance of the overall reforming unit.
Figure 2 illustrates a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) profile of a CTS Figure 3 illustrates a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model of a
burner, illustrating the maintenance of low temperatures at the vessel walls Topsøe-designed ring-type burner. The Topsøe nozzle does not experience
and an efficient gas circulation pattern, thereby producing optimal mixing impingement of hot gas back-flow and therefore is able to operate for much
and minimising reactor damage. longer periods without need for repair or replacement compared to burners
of conventional design.

Topsøe burner technology Topsøe has done extensive research to optimise the burner
A critical parameter for satisfactory secondary or autothermal design to eliminate the problems described above, and offers
reformer performance is efficient mixing of the process gas and two special burners. For air-blown secondary reformers in
air or oxygen. Uneven mixing can result in large temperature ammonia plants, we offer a ring-type burner with a specialised
variations above and into the catalyst bed, causing variations nozzle shape that eliminates back-flow of hot gas onto the
in the degree of methane reforming achieved and often yielding nozzles themselves, thereby reducing mechanical wear and
a poor overall approach to reforming equilibrium, even with a damage to the burner.
highly active secondary reforming catalyst.
In autothermal and oxygen-blown secondary reformers, the
The efficiency of gas mixing is primarily a function of the burner enriched air or oxygen is typically supplied at high pressures,
design. In addition to causing inefficient gas mixing, a poorly thereby allowing for the possibility of a higher pressure drop
designed burner can damage the vessel walls, refractory or even across the reactor burner. For these services, Topsøe offers the
the burner itself due to impingement of hot gas and/or flame in CTS burner.
these areas.
Feeding the world
About 60% of the ammonia used for the world’s fertiliser production is produced with
Topsøe’s catalysts and technology. Without the use of fertiliser, we would only be able
to feed half of the world’s population of 6.3 billion.
CO conversion Methanation
The CO conversion in a Topsøe ammonia plant normally consists In order to ensure that the feed is free from carbon oxides, it
of a two-step process: a high temperature shift (HTS) and a low passes through the methanator, which removes any traces of
temperature shift (LTS). The process reacts water with CO and carbon dioxide and unconverted carbon monoxide from the shift
forms CO2 and hydrogen. section.

The performance of the CO conversion section strongly affects The carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide content in the feed is
the overall plant energy efficiency, as unconverted CO will normally reduced to less than 5 ppm before the feed passes to
consume H2 and form CH4 in the methanator, reducing the the ammonia synthesis converter.
feedstock efficiency and increasing the inert gas level in the
synthesis loop.

CO2 removal
The removal of CO2 is a non-catalytic process and has as
such not been a focus area for Topsøe with respect to process
development. In order to ensure that the optimum CO2 process
is chosen for each individual project, Topsøe maintains close
contact with all relevant suppliers of CO2 removal technology,
and in-depth studies are performed regularly to optimise the
integration of each technology into the Topsøe ammonia process
schemes. Topsøe’s knowledge of the integration options ensures
that the correct technology is selected for each individual
project, taking both the technical and economical aspects into
consideration. Topsøe has arrangements so that we can include
the CO2 removal technology with our technology supply.
 Cold shots

Ammonia synthesis
Topsøe’s ammonia synthesis technology is based on radial flow
converters where the synthesis of ammonia from hydrogen and
nitrogen takes place.

Topsøe pioneered radial flow converters with the installation

of the first radial flow converters in the 1960’s. Since then
continuous development has resulted in a comprehensive
portfolio of radial flow converter designs to meet the multifaceted
requirements in the industry.

Today Topsøe offers three radial flow converters adapted to

client needs and plant requirements for the most efficient plant
operation.

Selection of the optimal converter depends on the clients’

objectives such as investments cost, energy consumption,
steam production or possible reuse of an existing pressure shell.

Benefits
Topsøe’s converter types offer a number of benefits:

-- 100% radial flow through the catalyst beds to obtain low

pressure and high conversion with a small size catalyst Main gas inlet
particle Gas outlet
-- indirect cooling of the gas in the heat exchangers between
the catalyst beds instead of quenching to avoid dilution of
the converted gas
-- total converter feed flow passes through all beds fully Inlet gas
utilising the total installed catalyst volume interbed heat exchager
-- stable operation with great flexibility in operating range
-- simple temperature control Figure 4: S-300 converter
The Topsøe S-200 converter The three catalyst beds offer a higher conversion of ammonia
The Topsøe S-200 ammonia converter is a two-bed radial flow or alternatively a reduced catalyst volume compared to the
converter with indirect cooling between the catalyst beds. Since S-200 converter, thus ensuring increased production or lower
the introduction of the S-200 ammonia converter in 1976, this investment cost.
converter type has been used in more ammonia plants than any
other converter design. The S-300 basket design has been well received by the industry,
and since the first reference for the S-300 basket was sold in
Two versions of the S-200 converter are available: The first has 1999, more than 30 plant owners have selected the S-300
a built-in-feed-effluent heat exchanger (lower heat exchanger) basket technology.
below the second catalyst bed allowing the heat of the reaction
to be used for preheating the boiler feed water downstream the The Topsøe S-50 converter
ammonia converter. The second version is designed without The S-50 converter is a single bed radial flow converter, which
a lower heat exchanger, meaning that the outlet gas from the is added downstream of the main converter to increase the
second bed will go directly to a boiler for production of high- ammonia conversion, and at the same time to improve the
pressure steam. steam generation. By having two converters, the heat of reaction
after the last bed in the first converter can be utilised for boiling
The Topsøe S-300 converter or superheating of HP steam. The two converter configurations
Topsøe’s S-300 converter is the newest development in Topsøe’s can be used to close the overall plant steam balance if the waste
ammonia converter portfolio and the recommended converter heat available for boiler feed water preheat and boiling of steam
selection for all new plants. is not in balance.
Less makes more – producing ammonia
1958: 3,3 GJ to produce 2000 tonnes ammonia pr. day
2010: 1,7 GJ to produce 2000 tonnes ammonia pr. day

1.1 MM ton reduction in CO2 emission pr. year

It takes energy to produce ammonia. With more efficient Topsøe catalysts and processes, we have reduced
the energy required to produce 1 ton of ammonia with 50%, which also means that we have reduced the CO2
emissions substantially.
 Committed to a better future

The Topsøe approach to quality Continued improvement

Each ammonia process scheme is custom-designed based on Extensive collaboration between Topsøe’s engineering
detailed technical reviews and dialogue with our clients to ensure disciplines, Research and Development and industrial feedback
an optimal design to meet or exceed the required performance ensures fast implementation of new ideas and design features
and specifications. for constant improvement of our technology.

Topsøe’s product portfolio includes catalyst, licensing of We offer our clients a wide range of services through
technology, engineering of processing units and technical individualised service agreements. Topsøe has at its disposal a
service. Proprietary knowledge in these areas makes Topsøe a full range of resources to diagnose the most complex problems.
valuable business partner for our clients. Combined with our skilled and experienced process, mechanical
and instrument engineering departments, this forms the basis for
our advisory services and operational assistance.

Topsøe’s unique business model integrates all aspects from

fundamental knowledge to practical implementation to achieve
optimum industrial efficiency. By choosing Topsøe’s ammonia
technology, clients will have a competent and reliable partner for
today and for the future.
Corporate PR 08.2010.2

Haldor Topsøe A/S - Nymøllevej 55 - 2800 Kgs. Lyngby - Denmark

Tel. +45 4527 2000 - Fax. +45 4527 2999 - www.topsoe.com

The information and recommendations have been prepared by Topsøe specialists having a
thorough knowledge of the catalysts. However, any operation instructions should be considered to
be of a general nature and we cannot assume any liability for upsets or damage of the customer’s
plants or personnel. Nothing herein is to be construed as recommending any practice or any
product in violation of any patent, law or regulation.