KRES-ES™ Revamp Makes More Ammonia from less Natural Gas by Energy Substitution

摘要

The third KRES technology-based ammonia plant has now been in successful operation in a revamp project since 2009. KBR therefore has studied other schemes in which KRES technology could benefit ammonia plant operators. As a result, KBR is now offering low-cost KRES-ES™ technology (patent pending) for revamping ammonia plants by energy substitution. Ammonia plants having either expensive or curtailed/uncertain supply of natural gas may find this technology a solution to their problem if an alternative source of energy is available. The revamped ammonia plant requires oxygen and steam imports. Steam import can be met by either using existing capacity or an alternative source of energy. Alternative energy may be fossil fuel like coal or other source. Total natural gas consumption is reduced to <6.35 Gcal/t of ammonia by adding a new reforming exchanger to the existing primary and secondary reformers. Three examples of KRES-ES based revamps are presented, including technical and economic analysis to illustrate application of this technology.