CASE STUDY 106 ee ee Ammonia Synthesis THIS STUDY illustrates the design of multistige, fived-bed reactors with direct-contact quench between stages. The optimum approach to equilibrium is sought, and convenient graphical procedures that aid in selecting operating conditions are illustrated. This reactor is in the synthesis portion of the to! ammonia plant as shown in Fig. CS-5.1 (p. 45). Problem Statement Design the converter for an ammonis plant capable of producing 1000 tons-day of liquid ammonia delivered at the battery limits at —28 F. Feed Synthesis gas from the methanator is delivered to the converter at 100 F and 335 psig (see Fig. CS-3.1), Component — Mole °, Ny CH, Ar Catalyst A triply promoted (K30-CaO The iron oxide (Fe,O,-FeO) is iCS-1o6 AMMONIA. SYNTHESIS, made by fusing the ‘s vu oetetlte with the promoters, The lyst is reduced fo situ, sand the fremont of oy: ields Mahi Porous sureties ofiron with between the iron crystals and sis porous ‘Ores range from 50 A Lo 100 AS and ourht to occur by the bulk mechanism. ering ine! corresponding fose of Surface area and oO. Preventing its loss durin use (1. The KO und CaQ character of 41,0). Bath K.0 and CaO decrease the ae ne . : ; e yen Work function of iron And increase its ability to chemisorb nitrogen Y Charge transfiee to the Mitrogen (1), Promoters present . Clusters along the inlrapatticle diffusion ig th Mumina prevente sint also bonds the K neutralize the el Proportion Particle Size. Granules, in sige Fange 6-10 mm, Bulk Density. 165 ibvew t (2 63 kg liter), Particle Deus 305 Ib cu ft (4.9 gem!) Activity lass in sercive, 20-50" in 3 yr depending on severity of operating condit Presence of poisons. Catalyst is slowly deactivated at oper- ating temperatures above 985°F (530°C), Catalyst Poisens. In addition jg Poisons shown in Table 23. hydro- curbons such as lubricating oils and olefins can crack and plug pores, Sulfur, Phosphorous, and arsenic compounds are Permanent poisons. Oxygen and listed Oxygen compounds should not exceed 15 ppm. Though temporary poisons, they cause erystal growth and attendant area decline, Chlorine compounds form volatile alkulichlorides with promoters (1), Chemistry and Kinetics The overall stoichiometric equation i studies of ummonia synthesis on iron (12). Hig) —— + 2H(ad N(ads) + H(ads) NH{ads) + H(ads) NH.(ads) + Huds). NH(ads))RATE ON FINE CaTatysy . 83 sed Of nitrogen ; he slow step and the wh other fu © ed that alse correlate the data, REST tips mae veness factor of ay commicreial size pellets. it is desiral laboratory data on finely erount a correction for ather sizes, sufficient ati catalyst 3s tess thaw unigy in ble Wo develop a tute equation Pow rewction with sit existent to make th following equations in terms or activity hin procedure feasible. ‘1 we been tecommoended (3), n= ry = af a i ) Ge) semen (eS-6.4)* Lat 7 (mScan\(he) Rate on Fine Carly where subseripts A, H. respectively, K is the eq decount for efk The origin dN refer to ammonin, hydrogen, and nitrogen, brium constant and Wb is the activity factor to 1 of particle size on the ultimate surface area ufter reduction. al data are based on reduced articles of 3-6 mm size (4.6 mm, lise diameter and 8.6 m/z). We use 6-10 mm (5.83 mm effective ditmeter) for which the urea cun be estimated from Ret. 13 a 7S m2 /p, Thus = 7.5/8.6 = 0.87. 2h = 1.7698 % 10 exp (40.7635 R'T) (CS-6.2) logy, K = — 2.691122 logy, T= 5.519265 « 1-8 T 2001.6 + 1848863 x 10-77 + 42.6999) where T= K. . Equation rel it 2 atlyst formulation (4) i rediict ne an deviation of 10-20% in 150-300 atm, Thus a pressure corr in the value of k asa nominal valu An ellectiveness: factors equal rather than pseudo-first-order ki * This unusual arrangement restilts constant) as the rate Constant