7 replies to this topic

[RossHathaway]

Hello. I am not an engineer, but I had an idea related to ammonia production I am trying to look into. Can anyone tell me how much natural gas is used as feedstock for ammonia production (excluding that used for heating, pressurizing, etc), and how much is used as fuel for ammonia production? Thank you.

[Bobby Strain]

Maybe you will share your idea with the community. They may be helpful.

 

Bobby

[shvet]

 Can anyone tell me how much natural gas is used as feedstock for ammonia production (excluding that used for heating, pressurizing, etc), and how much is used as fuel for ammonia production? 

 

One of the real plant data:

Fuel ~60%

Synthesis ~40%

Total consumption 1.255 Nm3 of NG per 1 kg NH3

Edited by shvet, 14 August 2016 - 10:37 PM.

[RockDock]

Natural gas is extensively used in ammonia production as both feed stock and fuel.

[RossHathaway]

Thanks everyone. I was just trying to get a sense of how much fossil fuel consumption would be reduced by using renewable energy.

[shvet]

Thanks everyone. I was just trying to get a sense of how much fossil fuel consumption would be reduced by using renewable energy.

 

Ha and are you sure you can do this? Is renewable energy suitable to be burn in furnace? Actually I can't imagine what kind of renewable energy can be feed to reforming burner.

[Saml]

This has been investigated.

 

http://www.ispt.eu/m...ammonia_Eng.pdf

 

It is doable with H2 from electrolysis and all electrical heating and compression. It is just inefficient as the technology stands today. It makes more sense to replace other Nat Gas usages by renewables first, like heating where heat pumps can work  or electricity generation.

 

Also, the main use of ammonia is fertilisers. If you go to urea, you need a carbon source, that Natural Gas provides. If not, you have to go to ammonium nitrate. But ammonium nitrate is something the industry is moving away for fertiliser use.

 

Also, logistics in ammonium nitrate is an issue. I am OK to know that there is a 100 Kton inventory of urea near the place I live. Not if those 100 kton were ammonium nitrate.

[RossHathaway]

Thanks again all. I was thinking of using methane for the H and molten salt from a concentrated solar power plant for heat and pressure. If anyone is thinking seriously about doing that, or if you see potential problems with it, please let me know.