Developments in Ammonia Synthesis Technology

In recent years there have been major advances in ammonia synthesis technology. These changes have resulted in increased plant capacity, improved reliability, higher efficiency, and lower capital cost. These developments came about in two stages first by the introduction of the large single-stream ammonia plant, and second as a result of the search for maximum plant efficiency. 

The second stage, consisting of further improvements in efficiency, is really a refinement and optimization of the single-stream process concept. These developments followed as a consequence of the rises in the price of oil during the 1970s. 

The last 25 years has seen an increase in maximum single-stream capacity from 500 to over 2000 ton per day (although in recent years there has been renewed interest in smaller capacity plants), with a reduction in energy consumption from over 45 MJ kg ammonia to less than 32 MJ kg . 

To examine how this has been achieved, the following aspects of ammonia plant design will be examined  

Section 7.3 of this chapter will describe now these general trends are reflected in the specific process conditions of some of the leading, commercially available ammonia processes. 

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