Iowa Fertilizer Company (IFCo) Ammonia Plant Uses First Application of the KBR Shift Effluent Scrubber for Reduced Methanol Emissions

摘要

Methanol is a byproduct produced from side reactions in the front-end of ammonia plants, mainly across the Low Temperature Shift (LTS) catalyst. Some of this methanol passes through to the CO2 Removal System where it eventually conies out with the CO2 product and atmospheric vent. Methanol is classified as a Hazardous Air Pollutant (HAP) in the US. New plants emitting more than 10 ST/year of methanol qualify as a major HAP source, generally requiring the use of Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) to limit the emission. For ammonia plants with significant process CO2 venting, limiting emissions below the trigger for MACT regulations is challenging. The IFCo 2200 MTPD Ammonia Plant represents the first application of the KBR Shift Effluent Scrubber system for controlling methanol emissions. This paper presents the system in detail and reviews performance of the unit as measured during the plant's first year of operation.