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Synthesis Gas Preparation First Methane Is Cleaned To Remove Impurities That Would Poison The Catalysts

First, methane is cleaned and reacted with steam to produce synthesis gas via steam reforming. Secondary reforming then converts any remaining methane. The gas mixture undergoes water gas shift reaction and methanation to yield hydrogen while removing carbon monoxide. This allows ammonia to be produced from nitrogen and hydrogen via the Haber process at high pressures and temperatures over an iron catalyst. Ammonia and nitric acid then react to produce ammonium nitrate solution, which is concentrated and processed to form prills or granules.

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69 views

Synthesis Gas Preparation First Methane Is Cleaned To Remove Impurities That Would Poison The Catalysts

First, methane is cleaned and reacted with steam to produce synthesis gas via steam reforming. Secondary reforming then converts any remaining methane. The gas mixture undergoes water gas shift reaction and methanation to yield hydrogen while removing carbon monoxide. This allows ammonia to be produced from nitrogen and hydrogen via the Haber process at high pressures and temperatures over an iron catalyst. Ammonia and nitric acid then react to produce ammonium nitrate solution, which is concentrated and processed to form prills or granules.

Uploaded by

abdo
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Synthesis gas preparation

First methane is cleaned to remove


sulphur impurities that would poison the
catalysts.
The clean methane is then reacted with
steam over a catalyst of nickel oxide.
This is called steam reforming:

CH4 + H2O CO + 3H2


Secondary reforming

addition of air to convert the methane


that did not react during steam
reforming.

2CH4 + O2 2CO + 4H2

CH4 + 2O2 CO2 + 2H2O


Wikipedia

Haber Process

The synthesis of ammonia using an


iron oxide catalyst:
N2 + 3H2 2NH3

Ho = 92.4 kJmol-1
At 1525 MPa (150250 bar)

between 300 and 550C,

passing the gases over four beds of catalyst,


with cooling between each pass to maintain a
reasonable equilibrium constant.
he reaction mechanism, involving the
heterogeneous catalyst, is believed to be as
follows:

1. N2 (g) N2 (adsorbed)
he reaction mechanism, involving the
heterogeneous catalyst, is believed to be as
follows:

1. N2 (g) N2 (adsorbed)

2. N2 (adsorbed) 2N (adsorbed)
he reaction mechanism, involving the
heterogeneous catalyst, is believed to be as
follows:

1. N2 (g) N2 (adsorbed)

2. N2 (adsorbed) 2N (adsorbed)

3. H2 (g) H2 (adsorbed)
he reaction mechanism, involving the
heterogeneous catalyst, is believed to be as
follows:

1. N2 (g) N2 (adsorbed)

2. N2 (adsorbed) 2N (adsorbed)

3. H2 (g) H2 (adsorbed)

4. H2 (adsorbed) 2H (adsorbed)
he reaction mechanism, involving the
heterogeneous catalyst, is believed to be as
follows:

1. N2 (g) N2 (adsorbed)

2. N2 (adsorbed) 2N (adsorbed)

3. H2 (g) H2 (adsorbed)

4. H2 (adsorbed) 2H (adsorbed)

5. N (adsorbed) + 3H (adsorbed) NH3


(adsorbed)
he reaction mechanism, involving the
heterogeneous catalyst, is believed to be as
follows:

1. N2 (g) N2 (adsorbed)

2. N2 (adsorbed) 2N (adsorbed)

3. H2 (g) H2 (adsorbed)

4. H2 (adsorbed) 2H (adsorbed)

5. N (adsorbed) + 3H (adsorbed) NH3


(adsorbed)
he reaction mechanism, involving the
heterogeneous catalyst, is believed to be as
follows:

1. N2 (g) N2 (adsorbed)

2. N2 (adsorbed) 2N (adsorbed)

3. H2 (g) H2 (adsorbed)

4. H2 (adsorbed) 2H (adsorbed)

5. N (adsorbed) + 3H (adsorbed) NH3


(adsorbed)
1.On each pass only about 15% conversion

2.unreacted gases are recycled

3.eventually overall conversion of 98%


The production of ammonium nitrate in
industry although simple chemistry is
technologically challenging:
The production of ammonium nitrate in
industry although simple chemistry is
technologically challenging:

The acid-base reaction of ammonia


with nitric acid gives a solution of
ammonium nitrate:[2]
The production of ammonium nitrate in
industry although simple chemistry is
technologically challenging:

The acid-base reaction of ammonia


with nitric acid gives a solution of
ammonium nitrate:[2]

HNO3 (aq) + NH3 (g) NH4NO3 (aq).


The production of ammonium nitrate in
industry although simple chemistry is
technologically challenging:

The acid-base reaction of ammonia


with nitric acid gives a solution of
ammonium nitrate:[2]

HNO3 (aq) + NH3 (g) NH4NO3 (aq).

anhydrous ammonia gas and


concentrated nitric acid. This reaction
is violent and very exothermic.
1. 100 million tons of nitrogen fertilizer per year
1. 100 million tons of nitrogen fertilizer per year

2. 3-5% of world natural gas production


1. 100 million tons of nitrogen fertilizer per year

2. 3-5% of world natural gas production

3. ~1-2% of the world's annual energysupply


1. 100 million tons of nitrogen fertilizer per year

2. 3-5% of world natural gas production

3. ~1-2% of the world's annual energysupply

4. sustains one-third of the Earth's population


1. 100 million tons of nitrogen fertilizer per year

2. 3-5% of world natural gas production

3. ~1-2% of the world's annual energysupply

4. sustains one-third of the Earth's population

5. environmental consequences.
age at: www.idsia.ch/~juergen/haberbosch.html
The Haber process now produces 100 million tons of nitrogen fertilizer
per year, mostly in the form of anhydrous ammonia, ammonium nitrate,
and urea. 3-5% of world natural gas production is consumed in the
Haber process (~1-2% of the world's annual energy supply)[1][13][14]
[15]. That fertilizer is responsible for sustaining one-third of the Earth's
population, as well as various deleterious environmental
consequences.[2][5] Generation of hydrogen using electrolysis of
water, using renewable energy, is not currently competitive cost-wise
with hydrogen from fossil fuels, such as natural gas, and is responsible
for 4% of current hydrogen production. Notably, the rise of this
industrial process led to the "Nitrate Crisis" in Chile, when the
industrials who owned the nitrate mines (most of them British) left the
country since the natural nitrate mines were no longer profitable
closing the mines and leaving a large unemployed Chilean population
behind.
[edit] See also
The steam reforming, carbon dioxide removal
and methanation operate at pressures of
about 2.53.5 MPa (2535 bar),
Synthesis gas preparation
First, the methane is cleaned, mainly to
remove sulphur impurities that would
poison the catalysts.
The clean methane is then reacted with
steam over a catalyst of nickel oxide.
This is called steam reforming:
CH4 + H2O CO + 3H2

Secondary reforming then takes place


with the addition of air to convert the
methane that did not react during steam
reforming.
2CH4 + O2 2CO + 4H2
CH4 + 2O2 CO2 + 2H2O
Synthesis gas preparation
First, the methane is cleaned, mainly to
remove sulphur impurities that would
poison the catalysts.
The clean methane is then reacted with
steam over a catalyst of nickel oxide.
This is called steam reforming:
CH4 + H2O CO + 3H2

Secondary reforming then takes place


with the addition of air to convert the
methane that did not react during steam
reforming.
2CH4 + O2 2CO + 4H2
CH4 + 2O2 CO2 + 2H2O
There are many engineering and construction
companies that offer proprietary designs for
ammonia synthesis plants. Haldor Topsoe of
Denmark, Lurgi AG of Germany, Uhde of
Germany, Saipem/Snamprogetti of Italy and
Kellogg, Brown and Root of the United States
are among the most experienced companies
in that field.[7]

Nowadays, the bulk of the hydrogen required


is produced from methane (natural gas) using
heterogeneous catalysis, because this
requires far less external energy input
Nowadays, the bulk of the hydrogen required
is produced from methane (natural gas) using
heterogeneous catalysis, because this
requires far less external energy input
compared to the electrolysis of water.
However, the source of the hydrogen makes
no difference to the Haber-Bosch process,
which is only concerned with synthesizing
ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen.
png - en.citizendium.org/images/6/6a/Steam-Metha
age at: www.initrogen.org/fileadmin/timeline/1913.html
Then the water gas shift reaction yields
more hydrogen from CO and steam.
CO + H2O CO2 + H2

The gas mixture is now passed into a


methanator, which converts most of the
remaining CO into methane for recycling:
CO + 3H2 CH4 + H2O

This last step is necessary as carbon


monoxide poisons the catalyst. The
overall reaction so far turns methane and
steam into carbon dioxide, steam, and
hydrogen.
Reaction 5 occurs in three steps, forming
NH, NH2, and then NH3. Experimental
evidence points to reaction 2 as being the
slow, rate-determining step.
A major contributor to the elucidation of this
mechanism is Gerhard Ertl.[9][10][11][12]
he chemical compound ammonium
nitrate, the nitrate of ammonia with
the chemical formula NH4NO3, is a
white powder at room temperature and
standard pressure. It is commonly used
in agriculture as a high-nitrogen
fertilizer, and it has also been used as
an oxidizing agent in explosives,
including improvised explosive devices.
Ammonium nitrate, when mixed with
water, will create a cold substance that
can be used as a cold pack.
The processes involved in the
production of ammonium nitrate in
industry, although simple in chemistry,
challenge technology: The
acid-base reaction of ammonia with
nitric acid gives a solution of
ammonium nitrate:[2]
HNO3(aq) + NH3(g) NH4NO3(aq).

For industrial production, this is done


using anhydrous ammonia gas and
concentrated nitric acid. This reaction
is violent and very exothermic.
After the solution is formed, typically at
about 83% concentration, the excess
water is evaporated to an ammonium
nitrate (AN) content of 95% to 99.9%
concentration (AN melt), depending on
grade. The AN melt is then made into
"prills" or small beads in a spray tower,
or into granules by spraying and
tumbling in a rotating drum. The prills
or granules may be further dried,
cooled, and then coated to prevent
caking. These prills or granules are the
typical AN products in commerce.
The Haber process combines nitrogen
and hydrogen to produce ammonia,
part of which can be oxidised to
nitric acid and combined with the
remaining ammonia to produce the
nitrate. Another production method is
used in the so-called Odda process.

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