Low energy consumption ammonia synthesis device and process
By using a low-energy ammonia synthesis device and process, and utilizing equipment such as an ammonia absorption tower and a jet mixer, the high energy consumption and safety issues of the high-pressure ammonia synthesis process have been solved, and efficient preparation and safe production of ammonia under low pressure have been achieved.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- CAPSO GREEN ENERGY TECH (NANJING) CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2026-03-13
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-09
Smart Images

Figure CN122164306A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to a chemical apparatus and process, particularly an apparatus and process for ammonia synthesis, specifically a low-energy ammonia synthesis apparatus and process. Background Technology
[0002] Ammonia water is the simplest type of synthetic fertilizer. It is generally diluted with water and then applied deeply or used for irrigation. It can also be used as an intermediate product to be further compounded into compound fertilizer.
[0003] Currently, the main method for preparing ammonia water is the Habor-Bosch ammonia synthesis process, which converts hydrogen and nitrogen into liquid ammonia, then vaporizes the liquid ammonia and sprays it with water to obtain ammonia water of a specific concentration. However, for ammonia water applications, especially for distributed, small-scale needs, and for farms where liquid ammonia sources and transportation are difficult, the traditional Habor-Bosch ammonia synthesis process mostly operates at high pressures of 10-20 MPa, resulting in huge energy consumption in the upstream hydrogen and nitrogen compression stages. Simultaneously, at the ammonia separation stage, a large amount of cooling is required to separate liquid ammonia from the circulating gas, which also significantly increases energy consumption. Furthermore, the high-pressure circulation loop places extremely high demands on the overall system's piping and equipment materials, resulting in high costs and a high risk of leakage.
[0004] Therefore, improvements are urgently needed to better meet market demands. Summary of the Invention
[0005] The purpose of this invention is to address the shortcomings of existing technologies by providing a low-energy-consumption ammonia synthesis device and process, which can effectively reduce the pressure required for the circulation loop and lower operating energy consumption. Simultaneously, it can also fully remove moisture from the absorbed circulating gas, extending the catalyst's lifespan.
[0006] The technical solution of this invention is: A low-energy ammonia synthesis device includes an ammonia synthesis reaction unit, an ammonia absorption unit, and a circulating gas dehydration unit. The ammonia synthesis reaction unit includes an ammonia synthesis reactor, which reacts raw materials hydrogen and nitrogen to convert them into an ammonia mixture. The ammonia absorption unit includes an ammonia absorption tower, which converts the ammonia mixture into ammonia water and residual gas. The circulating gas dehydration unit includes multiple separators, which separate and dehydrate the residual gas to generate circulating gas, which is then returned to the ammonia synthesis reactor.
[0007] Furthermore, the ammonia synthesis reaction unit also includes a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, a water cooler, and a three-way valve; the inlet of the ammonia synthesis reactor is connected to the third end of the reactor premixer after passing through the tube side of the first heat exchanger, and its outlet is connected to the first end of the three-way valve after passing through the shell side of the first heat exchanger, the shell side of the second heat exchanger, and the water cooler in sequence; the first end of the reactor premixer is connected to the raw material gas source.
[0008] Furthermore, the ammonia absorption unit also includes a water pump, an absorption tower pre-mixer, and an absorption tower pre-mixer; the water inlet at the top of the ammonia absorption tower is connected to an external water source through the water pump, the air inlet at its bottom is connected to the third end of the absorption tower pre-mixer, and the air outlet at its top is connected to the first end of the venting gas separator; the second end of the venting gas separator is connected to the venting gas discharge pipe; and the third end of the absorption tower pre-mixer is connected to the second end of the tee.
[0009] Furthermore, the circulating gas dehydration unit includes a first separator, a second separator, a third separator, and a jet mixer; the inlet of the first separator is connected to the third end of the three-way valve, its top outlet is connected to the first end of the pre-absorption tower mixer after passing through the tube side of the second heat exchanger, and its bottom outlet is connected to the inlet of the liquid ammonia atomizing nozzle in the jet mixer; the inlet of the second separator is connected to the third end of the venting gas separator, its top outlet is connected to the inlet of the jet mixer, and its bottom outlet is connected to the ammonia storage tank; the inlet of the third separator is connected to the outlet of the jet mixer, its top outlet is connected to the second end of the pre-reactor mixer after passing through the circulating compressor, and its bottom outlet is connected to the ammonia storage tank.
[0010] Furthermore, the circulating gas dehydration unit also includes a condenser, which is disposed on the pipeline between the inlet of the first separator and the third end of the tee.
[0011] Furthermore, the circulating gas dehydration unit also includes a third heat exchanger; the top outlet of the third separator is connected to the circulating compressor after passing through the tube side of the third heat exchanger; the inlet of the second separator is connected to the third end of the venting gas separator after passing through the shell side of the third heat exchanger.
[0012] Furthermore, it also includes a hydrogen-nitrogen mixer. The inlet of the hydrogen-nitrogen mixer is connected to the feed pipes for raw hydrogen and raw nitrogen, respectively, and its outlet is connected to the first end of the pre-reactor mixer after passing through a fresh gas compressor.
[0013] A low-energy ammonia synthesis process includes the following steps: 1) After the raw materials hydrogen and nitrogen are mixed, they are converted into an ammonia mixture after passing through an ammonia synthesis reactor; 2) A portion of the ammonia mixture is cooled and separated to remove liquid ammonia, and then it is fed into the ammonia absorption tower together with the rest of the ammonia mixture to generate product ammonia water and circulating gas; 3) After the circulating gas is cooled and separated, the ammonia water is removed. Then, it is sprayed together with the liquid ammonia in step 2) to form a gas-liquid mixture containing ammonia water. 4) After separation, the ammonia water in the gas-liquid mixture is removed, and then it is mixed with the raw material hydrogen / nitrogen mixture and reintroduced into the ammonia synthesis reactor for synthesis reaction.
[0014] Furthermore, the ammonia water in steps 3) and 4) flows into the ammonia water storage tank together with the product ammonia water; a portion of the circulating gas is discharged as purge gas.
[0015] The beneficial effects of this invention are: 1. Ammonia gas in the mixed gas generated by the ammonia synthesis reactor is separated by absorption method, and ammonia water of a specific concentration is directly obtained, which simplifies the process.
[0016] 2. By increasing the circulating gas volume, the pressure of the ammonia synthesis circulation loop is significantly reduced, allowing ammonia water to be directly produced for storage or downstream use at low pressure (5~7MPa), effectively reducing the investment cost and overall operating energy consumption of the unit and improving operational safety.
[0017] 3. By setting up a jet mixer, the moisture in the absorbed circulating gas is fully removed, which extends the service life of the catalyst and improves the stability of the unit's operation. Attached Figure Description
[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the ammonia synthesis apparatus of the present invention.
[0019] Among them, 1-hydrogen-nitrogen mixer, 2-fresh gas compressor, 3-reactor pre-mixer, 4-first heat exchanger, 5-ammonia synthesis reactor, 6-second heat exchanger, 7-water cooler, 8-tee, 9-absorber pre-mixer, 10-water pump, 11-ammonia absorption tower, 12-relaxation gas separator; 13-condenser; 14-first separator; 15-jet mixer; 16-atomizing nozzle, 17-third separator, 18-third heat exchanger, 19-circulating compressor, 20-second separator, 21-ammonia water pressure reducing valve, 22-ammonia water storage tank. Detailed Implementation
[0020] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.
[0021] like Figure 1 As shown, a low-energy ammonia water synthesis device includes an ammonia synthesis reaction unit, an ammonia absorption unit, and a circulating gas dehydration unit.
[0022] The ammonia synthesis reaction unit includes an ammonia synthesis reactor 5, a first heat exchanger 4, a second heat exchanger 6, a water cooler 7, and a three-way valve 8. The connection method is as follows: the inlet of the ammonia synthesis reactor 5 passes through the tube side of the first heat exchanger 4 and connects to the third end of the reactor premixer 3; its outlet passes sequentially through the shell side of the first heat exchanger 4, the shell side of the second heat exchanger 6, and the water cooler 7, and connects to the first end of the three-way valve 8. The first end of the reactor premixer 3 passes through a fresh gas compressor 2 and a hydrogen-nitrogen mixer 1, and then connects to the raw material gas source. Thus, the raw material nitrogen and hydrogen are mixed in the hydrogen-nitrogen mixer 1 and pressurized by the fresh gas compressor 2, then mixed with the circulating gas, and subsequently enter the tube side of the first heat exchanger 4 for preheating. After being heated to a specified temperature, it enters the ammonia synthesis reactor 5 to react and generate an ammonia mixture. Preferably, the ammonia synthesis reactor 5 can be a single-stage reactor, a multi-stage series reactor, an axial flow reactor, a radial flow reactor, etc., and the bed temperature distribution inside the reactor can be isothermal or adiabatic.
[0023] The ammonia absorption unit includes an ammonia absorption tower 11, a water pump 10, a pre-absorption tower mixer 9, and a purge gas separator 12. The connection is as follows: the water inlet at the top of the ammonia absorption tower 11 is connected to an external demineralized water source via the water pump 10; its bottom air inlet is connected to the third end of the pre-absorption tower mixer 9; and its top air outlet is connected to the first end of the purge gas separator 12. The second end of the purge gas separator 12 is connected to a purge gas discharge pipe. The third end of the pre-absorption tower mixer 9 is connected to the second end of the three-way valve 8. Thus, the mixed gas from the ammonia synthesis reaction unit flows from bottom to top through the ammonia absorption tower 11. Simultaneously, the treated demineralized water, after being pressurized by the water pump 10, flows into the top of the ammonia absorption tower 11, contacts the mixed gas counter-currently, and absorbs the ammonia to generate ammonia water. Preferably, the ammonia absorption tower 11 is a falling film isothermal absorption tower, and its gas-liquid contact form can be tray gas-liquid contact, packed spray absorption, or falling film absorption. The overall temperature distribution of the tower can be adiabatic absorption or isothermal absorption.
[0024] Furthermore, when the raw material hydrogen comes from high-purity hydrogen produced by water electrolysis, no purge gas emission is required. In this case, there will be no waste liquid or waste gas emissions during the entire ammonia synthesis process. When the raw material hydrogen comes from coal-based hydrogen production, natural gas-based hydrogen production, etc., and contains inert gases such as methane, a small amount of purge gas emission is required to prevent the accumulation of non-reactive gases in the circulation loop.
[0025] The circulating gas dehydration unit includes a first separator 14, a second separator 20, a third separator 17, and a jet mixer 15. The connections are as follows: the inlet of the first separator 14 is connected to the third end of the three-way valve 8; its top outlet, after passing through the tube side of the second heat exchanger 6, is connected to the first end of the pre-absorption tower mixer 9; and its bottom outlet is connected to the inlet of the liquid ammonia atomizing nozzle 16 in the jet mixer 15. The inlet of the second separator 20 is connected to the third end of the purge gas separator 12; its top outlet is connected to the inlet of the jet mixer 15; and its bottom outlet is connected to the ammonia storage tank 22. The inlet of the third separator 17 is connected to the outlet of the jet mixer 15; its top outlet, after passing through the circulating compressor 19, is connected to the second end of the pre-reactor mixer 3; and its bottom outlet is connected to the ammonia storage tank 22. Thus, the residual gas from the ammonia absorption unit, after dehydration, is returned to the ammonia synthesis reactor, improving utilization. Preferably, the inlet end of the ammonia storage tank 22 is also equipped with an ammonia pressure reducing valve 21 to meet usage requirements.
[0026] Furthermore, the jet mixer 15 has a conventional structure, and its working principle is as follows: the gas at the top of the second separator 20 enters the main pipe through the inlet of the jet mixer 15. Simultaneously, liquid ammonia flowing from the bottom of the first separator 14 flows into the liquid ammonia atomizing nozzle through the injection inlet, and is atomized into droplets, which then mix axially with the gas in the main pipe. At this time, the liquid ammonia droplets evaporate, causing a rapid drop in temperature, which in turn causes the moisture in the gas to condense and combine with the unevaporated liquid ammonia droplets to form ammonia water. Finally, it flows out from the outlet in a two-phase flow form.
[0027] Furthermore, the circulating gas dehydration unit also includes a condenser 13. The condenser 13 is located on the pipeline between the inlet of the first separator 14 and the third end of the three-way valve 8, and can fully cool the ammonia mixture, converting the ammonia into liquid ammonia, thus creating conditions for subsequent liquid spraying operations.
[0028] Furthermore, the circulating gas dehydration unit also includes a third heat exchanger 18, so that the top outlet of the third separator 17 is connected to the circulating compressor 19 after passing through the tube side of the third heat exchanger 18, and the inlet of the second separator 20 is connected to the third end of the venting gas separator 12 after passing through the shell side of the third heat exchanger 18. Thus, the low-temperature gas from the liquid spraying mixture 15 can exchange heat with the residual gas from the ammonia absorption unit through the third heat exchanger 18, converting the small amount of moisture and ammonia in the residual gas into ammonia water, creating conditions for subsequent dehydration of the circulating gas.
[0029] According to the aforementioned low-energy ammonia synthesis apparatus, the present invention provides a low-energy ammonia synthesis process, comprising the following steps: 1) After the raw materials hydrogen and nitrogen are mixed, they are converted into an ammonia mixture after passing through an ammonia synthesis reactor; 2) A portion of the ammonia mixture is cooled and separated to remove liquid ammonia, and then it is fed into the ammonia absorption tower together with the rest of the ammonia mixture to generate product ammonia water and residual gas. 3) After the remaining gas is cooled and separated, the ammonia water is removed. Then, it is sprayed together with the liquid ammonia in step 2) to form a gas-liquid mixture containing ammonia water. 4) After separation, the ammonia water in the gas-liquid mixture is removed to form a circulating gas, which is then mixed with the raw material hydrogen / nitrogen mixture and reintroduced into the ammonia synthesis reactor for the synthesis reaction.
[0030] Furthermore, the ammonia water in steps 3) and 4) flows into the ammonia water storage tank together with the product ammonia water; a portion of the remaining gas is discharged as purge gas.
[0031] Furthermore, the ammonia mixture is a three-component mixture of hydrogen, nitrogen, and ammonia, wherein the ammonia concentration is 9%; the ammonia content of the product ammonia water is 30%; and the remaining gas is a three-component mixture of hydrogen, nitrogen, and ammonia, wherein the ammonia concentration is 0.5% and the water content is 1%.
[0032] The specific operation process of one embodiment of the present invention is as follows: 18 kmol / h of hydrogen and 6 kmol / h of nitrogen are mixed in a hydrogen-nitrogen mixer 1 and then compressed in a fresh gas compressor. This fresh gas compressor is a two-stage compressor with an outlet gas pressure of 50 bar.
[0033] The compressed fresh gas and approximately 97 kmol / h of circulating gas are mixed again in the pre-reactor mixer 3 before entering the tube side of the first heat exchanger 4. There, they exchange heat with the outlet gas of the ammonia synthesis reactor 5, raising its temperature to 320°C. The gas then enters the ammonia synthesis reactor 5.
[0034] The ammonia synthesis reactor 5 is a built-in cooling tube type. The gas entering the reactor absorbs heat released from the reaction bed and then reacts in the reaction bed to form an ammonia mixture, which is then discharged from the reactor outlet. This ammonia mixture has a temperature of 450°C and an ammonia concentration of 9.8%. It then enters the shell side of the first heat exchanger, where it is cooled to approximately 160°C. Next, it enters the tube side of the second heat exchanger 6, where it exchanges heat with the gas exiting from the top of the first separator 14, further cooling to approximately 180°C. Finally, it enters the tube side of the water cooler 7, where it is cooled to 40°C. Circulating cooling water is circulated through the shell side of the water cooler 7 to remove heat.
[0035] The gas exiting the tube side of the water cooler is divided into two streams via a tee valve (8). The first stream, with a flow rate of approximately 80 kmol / h, mixes with the gas exiting the shell side of the second heat exchanger via a pre-absorption tower mixer (9). This mixture then enters the bottom of the ammonia absorption tower (11) as the gas to be absorbed, where it is absorbed from bottom to top. The second stream, also with a flow rate of approximately 80 kmol / h and an ammonia content of approximately 23%, is first cooled to -15°C by a condenser (13), where most of the ammonia condenses. It then enters the first separator (14) for gas-liquid separation. The flow distribution between the two streams can be adjusted using control valves.
[0036] The gas at the top of the first separator reaches 40°C after heat exchange in the tube side of the second heat exchanger 6. It then mixes with the first gas stream at the outlet of the three-way valve 8 at the mixer 9 before entering the ammonia absorption tower. The liquid at the bottom of the first separator 14 is 99.8% liquid ammonia, which is atomized by the atomizing nozzle 16 and enters the jet mixer 15.
[0037] Ammonia absorption tower 11 is a packed counter-current ammonia absorption tower, operating isothermally. The tower wall is jacketed, and circulating cooling water is used to control the absorption temperature at approximately 40℃. Treated demineralized water with a flow rate of 26 kmol / h is pressurized to 50 bar by pump 10 and then sprayed from the top of the ammonia absorption tower 11 via a liquid distributor. This sprayed water contacts the gas inside the tower counter-currently for absorption, forming a rich liquid that flows out from the bottom of the tower after sufficient ammonia absorption. This rich liquid is the product ammonia water, containing 30% ammonia.
[0038] The residual gas after absorption is discharged from the top of the ammonia absorption tower 11 at a flow rate of approximately 145 kmol / h, with an ammonia content of approximately 0.7%. This residual gas is then separated into two parts by the purge gas separator 12: one part is purge gas, approximately 0.01 kmol / h, which is treated and then discharged; the other part enters the tube side of the third heat exchanger 18 for heat exchange, where its temperature is cooled to -15°C, and the small amount of ammonia and moisture in it are combined to form ammonia water. Then, it enters the second separator 20 for gas-liquid separation.
[0039] The liquid ammonia entering the jet mixer expands and vaporizes, absorbing a large amount of heat, and its temperature drops to -20°C. Simultaneously, gas from the top of the second separator 20 also flows into the jet mixer 15, where moisture condenses at the low temperature. The outlet of the jet mixer 15 is a gas-liquid two-phase flow, which enters the third separator 17 for further gas-liquid separation. The water content of the circulating gas discharged from the top of the third separator is approximately 1.5 ppm, meeting the low water content requirement for the ammonia synthesis catalyst.
[0040] The circulating gas then passes through the tube side of the third heat exchanger 18 to raise its temperature to 30°C. After being pressurized to 50 bar by the circulating compressor 19, it is mixed with fresh gas in the pre-reactor mixer 3 and then enters the ammonia synthesis reaction cycle.
[0041] The liquid at the bottom of the third separator 17 and the liquid flowing out from the bottom of the second separator 20 are ammonia water of different concentrations. They can be combined with the rich liquid flowing out from the bottom of the ammonia absorption tower 11 and then depressurized to 8 bar by the ammonia water pressure reducing valve 21 before being transported to the ammonia water storage tank 22, so that the total ammonia water flow rate is about 38.2 kmol / h and the mass concentration is about 30%.
[0042] Therefore, compared with the current industrial ammonia synthesis coupled with ammonia water preparation system under a 10MPa circulating pressure, the overall process of the present invention can reduce energy consumption by about 20%.
[0043] In summary, the present invention has the following advantages: 1. Ammonia gas in the mixed gas generated by the ammonia synthesis reactor is separated by absorption method, and ammonia water of a specific concentration is directly obtained, which simplifies the process.
[0044] 2. By increasing the circulating gas volume, the pressure of the ammonia synthesis circulation loop is significantly reduced, allowing ammonia water to be directly produced for storage or downstream use at low pressure (5~7MPa), effectively reducing the investment cost and overall operating energy consumption of the unit and improving operational safety.
[0045] 3. By setting up a jet mixer, the moisture in the absorbed circulating gas is fully removed, which extends the service life of the catalyst and improves the stability of the unit's operation.
[0046] All parts not covered in this invention are the same as or can be implemented using existing technologies.
Claims
1. A low-energy ammonia synthesis device, characterized in that, The system includes an ammonia synthesis reaction unit, an ammonia absorption unit, and a circulating gas dehydration unit. The ammonia synthesis reaction unit includes an ammonia synthesis reactor, which reacts raw materials hydrogen and nitrogen to convert them into an ammonia mixture. The ammonia absorption unit includes an ammonia absorption tower, which converts the ammonia mixture into ammonia water and residual gas. The circulating gas dehydration unit includes multiple separators, which separate and dehydrate the residual gas to generate circulating gas, which is then returned to the ammonia synthesis reactor.
2. The low-energy ammonia water synthesis device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ammonia synthesis reaction unit further includes a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, a water cooler, and a three-way valve; the inlet of the ammonia synthesis reactor is connected to the third end of the reactor premixer after passing through the tube side of the first heat exchanger, and its outlet is connected to the first end of the three-way valve after passing through the shell side of the first heat exchanger, the shell side of the second heat exchanger, and the water cooler in sequence; the first end of the reactor premixer is connected to the raw material gas source.
3. The low-energy ammonia water synthesis device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The ammonia absorption unit also includes a water pump, a pre-absorption tower mixer, and a pre-absorption tower mixer; the water inlet at the top of the ammonia absorption tower is connected to an external water source through the water pump, the air inlet at its bottom is connected to the third end of the pre-absorption tower mixer, and the air outlet at its top is connected to the first end of the venting gas separator; the second end of the venting gas separator is connected to the venting gas discharge pipe; and the third end of the pre-absorption tower mixer is connected to the second end of the tee.
4. The low-energy ammonia water synthesis device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The circulating gas dehydration unit includes a first separator, a second separator, a third separator, and a jet mixer. The inlet of the first separator is connected to the third end of the three-way valve, its top outlet is connected to the first end of the pre-absorption tower mixer after passing through the tube side of the second heat exchanger, and its bottom outlet is connected to the inlet of the liquid ammonia atomizing nozzle in the jet mixer. The inlet of the second separator is connected to the third end of the venting gas separator, its top outlet is connected to the inlet of the jet mixer, and its bottom outlet is connected to the ammonia storage tank. The inlet of the third separator is connected to the outlet of the jet mixer, its top outlet is connected to the second end of the pre-reactor mixer after passing through the circulating compressor, and its bottom outlet is connected to the ammonia storage tank.
5. The low-energy ammonia water synthesis device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The circulating gas dehydration unit also includes a condenser, which is installed on the pipeline between the inlet of the first separator and the third end of the tee.
6. The low-energy ammonia water synthesis device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The circulating gas dehydration unit also includes a third heat exchanger; the top outlet of the third separator is connected to the circulating compressor after passing through the tube side of the third heat exchanger; the inlet of the second separator is connected to the third end of the venting gas separator after passing through the shell side of the third heat exchanger.
7. The low-energy ammonia water synthesis device according to claim 2, characterized in that, It also includes a hydrogen-nitrogen mixer; the inlet of the hydrogen-nitrogen mixer is connected to the feed pipes for raw material hydrogen and raw material nitrogen, respectively, and its outlet is connected to the first end of the pre-reactor mixer after passing through a fresh gas compressor.
8. A low-energy-consumption ammonia synthesis process, characterized in that, This process utilizes the low-energy ammonia synthesis apparatus described in claims 1 to 7, and includes the following steps: 1) After the raw materials hydrogen and nitrogen are mixed, they are converted into an ammonia mixture after passing through an ammonia synthesis reactor; 2) A portion of the ammonia mixture is cooled and separated to remove liquid ammonia, and then it is fed into the ammonia absorption tower together with the rest of the ammonia mixture to generate product ammonia water and circulating gas; 3) After the circulating gas is cooled and separated, the ammonia water is removed. Then, it is sprayed together with the liquid ammonia in step 2) to form a gas-liquid mixture containing ammonia water. 4) After separation, the ammonia water in the gas-liquid mixture is removed, and then it is mixed with the raw material hydrogen / nitrogen mixture and reintroduced into the ammonia synthesis reactor for synthesis reaction.
9. The low-energy ammonia synthesis process according to claim 8, characterized in that, In steps 3) and 4), the ammonia water flows into the ammonia water storage tank together with the product ammonia water; a portion of the circulating gas is discharged as purge gas.