Material balance of ammonia plant

In this chapter we have material balance of various equipment in the ammonia plant.The inlet and outlet compositions of various streams have been given. 1.Primary reformer Given below are the compositions of the inlet and the outlet streams. All compositions are expressed in percentages. Incoming stream DRY GAS COMPOSITION COMPONENT %AGE COMPOSITION ACTUAL QUANTITY IN NM3/HR HYDROGEN NITROGEN ARGON METHANE ETHANE PROPANE WATER DRY GAS 3.28% 1.17% 0.01% 94.7% 1.34% 0.1% 137445 NM3/HR 42909 NM3/HR 1407.4152 502.0353 13.7445 40634.823 574.9806 42.909 137445 42909

Outgoing stream DRY GAS COMPOSITION COMPONENT %AGE COMPOSITION ACTUAL QUANTITY IN NM3/HR HYDROGEN NITROGEN CARBON MONOXIDE METHANE CARBON DIOXIDE WATER DRY GAS CALCULATIONS There are 3 reactions which are taking place 1 NM3 of methane reacts with 1 NM3of water to give 1 NM3of carbon monoxide and 3 NM3of H2 CH4+H2OCO+3H2 69.11% 0.37% 9.28% 11.06% 10.18% 96988 NM3/HR 136487 NM3/HR 94326.1657 502.0353 12665.9936 15095.4622 13894.3766 96988 136487

C2H6+2H2O2CO+5H2 C3H8+3H2O3CO+7H2 Inlet methane=40634.823 NM3 Outlet methane=15095.4622 NM3 Reacted methane=25539.3608 NM3 Since each NM3of methane reacted gives 3 NM3 of hydrogen So 25539.3608 NM3of methane gives 3*25539.3608 NM3of H2 H2 produced =76618.0824 NM3 Propane and ethane are completely consumed to give syn gas Since each NM3 of ethane reacted gives 5 NM3 of hydrogen H2 produced= 5*574.9806 =2874.903 NM3 Since each NM3of propane reacted gives 7 NM3 of hydrogen H2 produced= 7*42.909 =300.363 NM3 Total H2 produced=1+2+3 =79793.3484 NM3 Some H2 is produced by shift reaction also CO+H2OCO2+ H2 Some of the CO is converted to CO2 and H2 by shift reaction The initial concentration of carbon dioxide is 0 But CO2 is present in the outlet This implies that CO2 is produced because of shift rtn. By shift rtn.1 NM3 of CO gives 1 NM3 of CO2 and 1 NM3 of H2 So 13894.3766 NM3 of CO2 is obtained by 13894.3766 NM3 of CO i.e 13894.3766 NM3 of CO reacts to give 13894.3766 NM3 of H2 Total H2 produced=79793.3484+13894.3766 =93687.725 NM3 Outlet H2 =inlet +produced =1407.4152+93687.725 =95095.1402 NM3 CO balance CO is produced by reforming reaction and consumed in shift reaction Net CO produced =CO prod in reforming rtn- CO consumed in shift rtn =25539.3608+2*574.9806+3*42.909-13894.3766 (by looking at the stoichiometry) =26818.049-13894.3766 =12923.6724 NM3 Net CO in the outlet=12923.6724 NM3 Steam balance Steam in =137445 NM3 Steam used =1*methane reacted+2*ethane reacted+3*propane reacted+1*CO consumed in shift reaction =40712.4526 NM3

Outlet steam=steam in steam out =137445-40712.4526 =96732.5474 NM3 DRY GAS COMPOSITION COMPONENT %AGE COMPOSITION ACTUAL CALCULATED QUANTITY QUANTITY IN IN NM3/HR NM3/HR HYDROGEN NITROGEN CARBON MONOXIDE METHANE CARBON DIOXIDE WATER DRY GAS 69.11% 0.37% 9.28% 11.06% 10.18% 96988 NM3/HR 136487 NM3/HR 94326.1657 502.0353 12665.9936 15095.4622 13894.3766 96988 136487 95095.1402 502.0353 12923.6724 15095.4622 13894.3766 96732.5474 137510.7

2.Secondary reformer This involves combustion as well as reforming reactions .By knowing the extent of various reactions we can carry out the same exercise.Until and unless the various reactions and their extent is known it is not possible to carry out a similar exercise as each component over here is involved in more than one reaction. 3.High temperature shift conversion Inlet stream DRY GAS COMPOSITION COMPONENT %AGE COMPOSITION ACTUAL QUANTITY IN NM3/HR HYDROGEN NITROGEN ARGON CARBON MONOXIDE METHANE CARBON DIOXIDE WATER DRY GAS 56.57% 22.56% 0.27% 12.97% 0.3% 7.33% 106.198 NM3/HR 202268 NM3/HR 114423.0076 45631.66 546.1236 26234.1596 606.804 14826.2444 106.198 202268

Outlet stream COMPONENT

%AGE COMPOSITION ACTUAL QUANTITY IN NM3/HR 60.17% 20.69% 0.25% 3.59% 0.28% 15.02% 87886 NM3/HR 220580 NM3/HR 132722.986 45631.66 551.45 7918.822 617.624 33131.116 87886 220580

HYDROGEN NITROGEN ARGON CARBON MONOXIDE METHANE CARBON DIOXIDE WATER DRY GAS

In an HTS the following shift reaction takes place

CO + H2O (Water) CO2 +

H2

+ Heat

(Carbon Mono-oxide)

(Carbon Di-oxide) (Hydrogen)

Whatever CO2 is produced inside the reactor it is produced because of the shift reaction above. So amount of CO2 formed gives the extent of shift reaction. From the given inlet and outlet compositions we get CO2 produced=33131.116-14826.2444 =18304.8716 NM3 From stoichiometry CO reacted in shift reaction =18304.8716 NM3 Some of the CO reacts to give shift reaction also From the given inlet and outlet compositions we get Actual CO reacted=18315.3376 NM3 So the remaining CO reacts to give methane i.e.(18315.3376-18315.3376=10.446 NM3of CO reacts to give 1 NM3of CH4 so 10.466 NM3of CO gives 10.466 NM3of CH4 so now total CH4= CH4 in+ CH4 produced =606.804+10.466 =617.27 NM3 H2 balance H2 is produced in shift reaction and used in methanation reaction. H2 used in methanation=3*10.466 =31.398 NM3 H2 produced =18304.8716 NM3 (by shift reaction) Net H2 produced=18304.8716-31.398 =18273.4736 NM3 Steam requirement

CO in shift reaction requires H2O and in methanation produces H2O H2O required by shift reaction =18304.8716 NM3 H2O produced in methanation=10.466 NM3 So net H2O requirement=18294.4056 NM3 Now 106.198 NM3 is already present in inlet and also as seen from the given composition we need to have a balance of 87886 NM3 in the outlet stream. So amt of steam to be put in=18096.4056+87886 =105982.4056 NM3 COMPONENT %AGE COMPOSITION ACTUAL Calculated QUANTITY quantity IN NM3/HR HYDROGEN NITROGEN ARGON CARBON MONOXIDE METHANE CARBON DIOXIDE WATER DRY GAS 60.17% 20.69% 0.25% 3.59% 0.28% 15.02% 87886 220580 NM3/HR 132722.986 45631.66 551.45 7918.822 617.624 33131.116 87886 220580 112599.6393 45631.66 551.45 7918.822 617.27 33131.116 87886 200450

4.Low Temperature Shift Conversion Inlet stream COMPONENT %AGE COMPOSITION ACTUAL QUANTITY IN NM3/HR 60.17% 20.69% 0.25% 3.59% 0.28% 15.02% 87886 NM3/HR 220580 NM3/HR 132722.986 45631.66 551.45 7918.822 617.624 33131.116 87886 220580

HYDROGEN NITROGEN ARGON CARBON MONOXIDE METHANE CARBON DIOXIDE WATER DRY GAS Outlet stream COMPONENT

%AGE COMPOSITION ACTUAL QUANTITY IN NM3/HR 61.41% 20.05% 139798.6368 45631.66

HYDROGEN NITROGEN

ARGON CARBON MONOXIDE METHANE CARBON DIOXIDE WATER DRY GAS

0.24% 0.37% 0.27% 17.66% 80818 NM3/HR 227648 NM3/HR

546.3542 842.2976 614.6496 40202.6368 80818 227648

In lts too the shift reaction takes place though at a lower temperature than the HTS Performing the same calculations as in HTS CO2 produced=CO consumed=7071.5208 NM3 CO consumed actually=7076.5244 NM3 i.e.5.0036 is in other reaction H2 produced actually=7075.6508 NM3 H2 produced in shift reaction=4.13 NM3 if we consider methanation reaction and assume that remaining CO is consumed over here then we need to use up 15.0108 NM3of H2 and give out 5.006 NM3of CH4 and 5.006NM3of H2O but CH4 composition decreases instead of increasing .this could be because of decomposition. Around 7.9804 CH4 is used up in decomposition H2 produced because of decomposition=15.9608 NM3 Net H2 produced =0.95 NM3 5.Methanator Inlet COMPONENT

%AGE COMPOSITION ACTUAL QUANTITY IN NM3/HR 74.54% 24.29% 0.29% 0.46% 0.32% 0.1% 1426 NM3/HR 18708 NM3/HR 139507.7931 45631.66 542.54 860.5818 598.6656 187.083 1426 187083

HYDROGEN NITROGEN ARGON CARBON MONOXIDE METHANE CARBON DIOXIDE WATER DRY GAS

COMPONENT

%AGE COMPOSITION ACTUAL QUANTITY IN NM3/HR 74.08% 24.29% 0.30% 0.0% 0.9% 0.0% 570 NM3/HR 183854.4 NM3/HR 136000.5 45631.66 550.75 0 1652.274 0 570 183854.4

HYDROGEN NITROGEN ARGON CARBON MONOXIDE METHANE CARBON DIOXIDE WATER DRY GAS

In the methanator the CO and CO2 are converted to CH4 H2 used=3*860.5818+4*187.083 =2581.7454+748.332 =3330.0774 NM3 In- use=out 139507.7931-3330.0774 =136177.7157 NM3 CH4 produced =860.5818+187.083 =1047.6648 NM3 Outlet CH4 =1047.6648+598.6656 =1646.3304 NM3 Results

COMPONENT

%AGE COMPOSITION ACTUAL CALCULATED QUANTITY QUANTITY IN IN NM3/HR NM3/HR 74.08% 24.29% 0.30% 0.0% 0.9% 0.0% 570 NM3/HR 183854.4 NM3/HR 136000.5 45631.66 550.75 0 1652.274 0 570 183854.4 136177.7157 45631.66 550.75 0 1646.3304 0 570 184006.5

HYDROGEN NITROGEN ARGON CARBON MONOXIDE METHANE CARBON DIOXIDE WATER DRY GAS

Conclusion:Our purpose over here is to chalk out material balances of various components and thus verify the design parameters the main aim here is to learn the application of material balance concepts to an actual plant and to verify our calculated results with those obtained practically.The calculated and the given values were found to be fairly matching.methane slip was calculated.in case of a secondary reformer it is important to know the extent of various reactions in order to be able to calculate and verify the various composition values.