Abstract:
A process for the manufacture of urea from ammonia and carbon dioxide is described with particular reference to procedures in handling the ammonia feed to the urea reactor whereby the volume of inert gases in said reactor is reduced without need for condensation and liquefication of the ammonia synthesis gas. The technique described involves absorbing the ammonia from the ammonia synthesis gas mixture (containing ammonia, hydrogen and nitrogen) in water, a dilute aqueous solution of urea, or a dilute aqueous solution of ammonia and carbon dioxide at a relatively high pressure (250 atm. or more) and then delivering the absorbed ammonia solution to the urea plant-this technique being practiced so that only a relatively small amount of additional water (over and above that autogenously formed in the urea reaction itself) is introduced into the urea reactor.
Abstract:
A PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF UREA FROM AMMONIA AND CARBON DIOXIDE IS DESCRIBED WHEREIN A TECHNIQUE FOR REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF INERT GASES SUPPLIED TO UREA REACTOR IS UTILIZED. THIS TECHNIQUE INVOLVES FIRST ABSORBING THE AMMONIA FROM THE AMMONIA SYNTHESIS GAS MIXTURE (CONTAINING AMMONIA, HYDROGEN AND NITROGEN) IN A SUITABLE SOLVENT (WATER, OR AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION IN WHICH AMMONIA IS READILY ABSORBED), AND THEREAFTER DESORBING THE AMMONIA IS READILY ABSORBED), AND THEREAFTER DESORBING THE AMMONIA CONTENT OF THE ABSORBENT SOLUTION IN A SUITABLE GAS STREAM, THE DESORPTION BEING CONDUCTED IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE AMMONIA CONTENT OF THE DESORBED GAS MIXTURE IS MAINTAINED SUFFICIENTLY HIGH THAT A RELATIVELY MUCH SMALLER VOLUME OF INERT GASES ARE THEREBY INTRODUCED INTO THE UREA SYNTHESIS REACTOR.