Ammonia Flare Stack Catalytic Reformer for Emergency Pressure Relief
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ammonia stored in tanks can vaporize due to external heat, leading to increased pressure, and in emergencies like power failures, there is no BOG compressor to manage this, posing safety risks unless ammonia can be quickly burned off.
Innovation Solution
A flare stack system with a main burner, a pilot burner, a first catalyst upstream of the pilot burner to decompose ammonia into reformed fuel, and a heater to heat the catalyst, along with a controller to manage the heating based on temperature, ensuring efficient burning of ammonia.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If ammonia is stored in a tank, then ammonia can be stored in liquid state, but heat from outside causes ammonia to vaporize and increase pressure in the tank
Solution Approach 1:
A flare stack system is introduced as an intermediary device between the ammonia tank and the environment. The flare stack receives vaporized ammonia from the tank and combusts it in a controlled manner, converting the harmful pressure-building vaporization into a useful energy release while maintaining tank pressure within safe limits.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful effect of ammonia vaporization, which normally leads to dangerous pressure buildup, is converted into a beneficial process. The vaporized ammonia that would otherwise be a safety hazard is instead used as fuel in the flare stack, generating heat and light while preventing tank overpressurization.
2Stress or pressure
If a BOG compressor is used to return ammonia to liquid state, then tank pressure can be controlled, but the compressor may not be available in emergencies like power failure
Solution Approach 1:
The flare stack system operates autonomously without requiring external power or complex control systems. When ammonia vaporizes and enters the flare stack, it is automatically combusted through the catalytic reforming process, eliminating the need for powered compressors and ensuring operation during power failures or emergencies.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical BOG compressor system is replaced with a thermal-catalytic system. Instead of using mechanical compression to condense ammonia, the invention uses catalytic reforming followed by combustion to handle vaporized ammonia, eliminating moving parts and power requirements while improving reliability.
3Productivity
If ammonia is combusted by a flare stack, then vaporized ammonia can be quickly removed from the tank, but ammonia has poor ignitability making combustion difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Before ammonia is combusted in the flare stack, it undergoes preliminary catalytic reforming that converts it into a more ignitable mixture containing hydrogen and other combustible components. This preliminary chemical transformation occurs in the reformer section of the flare stack, preparing the ammonia for efficient combustion.
Solution Approach 2:
The chemical composition parameters of ammonia are changed through catalytic reforming. The reforming process alters the molecular structure and composition of ammonia, converting it into a reformed gas mixture with improved combustion characteristics, including better ignitability and higher flame temperature.
4Productivity
If a catalyst is used to decompose ammonia into reformed fuel, then ammonia combustion can be improved, but the catalyst requires heating to operate effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The catalyst heating function is merged with the combustion process. The flare stack is designed so that the combustion zone and catalyst bed are positioned to share thermal energy, where the exothermic combustion reaction provides the necessary heat for catalyst activation and maintenance, eliminating the need for separate heating systems.
Solution Approach 2:
Once the catalyst is initially heated, the continuous combustion of reformed ammonia maintains the catalyst temperature automatically. The exothermic nature of the combustion reaction ensures continuous heat generation that sustains catalyst activity without interruption or additional energy input, creating a self-sustaining thermal process.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables quick burning of ammonia, improving safety by managing pressure and reducing risks during emergencies, and potentially reducing CO2 emissions.
Implementation Method 1
a first catalyst that is provided upstream of the pilot burner in a flow of ammonia and that decomposes the ammonia supplied to the pilot burner into reformed fuel including hydrogen
Implementation Method 2
a heater that heats the first catalyst
Implementation Method 3
The pilot burner may be arranged such that a flame of the pilot burner heats the first catalyst
Implementation Method 4
a main burner to which ammonia is supplied
Data Source
AI summary
A flare stack includes a main burner to which ammonia is supplied, a pilot burner to which ammonia is supplied, a first catalyst that is provided upstream of the pilot burner in a flow of ammonia and that decomposes the ammonia supplied to the pilot burner to reformed fuel including hydrogen, and a heater that heats the first catalyst.