Electric-Heated Urea Stripper for Lower-Carbon Carbamate Breakdown
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional urea production processes emit significant carbon dioxide due to the use of medium-pressure steam for decomposing ammonium carbamate, which is a greenhouse gas, and there is a need to reduce the carbon footprint of fertilizer production.
Innovation Solution
A urea stripper design that utilizes electricity as a heat source instead of steam, featuring a vertical body with electric heating elements, a horizontal plate, and a means for distributing the aqueous solution, allowing for the decomposition of ammonium carbamate into ammonia and carbon dioxide without releasing additional greenhouse gases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If medium-pressure steam is used to decompose ammonium carbamate in the urea stripper, then the decomposition process is effective, but carbon dioxide emissions increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the thermal energy system (steam heating) with an electrical energy system (electric heating elements). The electric heating elements directly heat the urea solution to decompose ammonium carbamate, eliminating the need for steam generation and thus preventing carbon dioxide emissions associated with fossil fuel combustion for steam production.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the energy source parameter from thermal energy (steam) to electrical energy. This parameter change fundamentally alters the energy conversion pathway, replacing the combustion-based steam generation process with direct electrical heating, thereby resolving the contradiction between maintaining decomposition efficiency and reducing carbon emissions.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If electric heating elements are used instead of steam, then carbon footprint is reduced, but energy consumption pattern changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes the steam-based thermal energy system with an electrical heating system. The electric heating elements convert electrical energy directly into thermal energy within the urea solution, changing the energy consumption pattern from fossil fuel-based steam generation to electricity-based heating, thereby reducing carbon footprint while maintaining the necessary thermal processing.
3Ease of operation
If the horizontal plate surface is made equal to 90-100% of the cross-section area, then gas distribution is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The horizontal plate serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a gas distribution plate, a structural support element, and a flow guide. By making the plate surface equal to 90-100% of the cross-section area, the design achieves uniform gas distribution across the entire reactor cross-section while maintaining a relatively simple single-plate configuration rather than requiring multiple complex components.
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
The electrically powered urea stripper effectively reduces greenhouse gas emissions by decomposing ammonium carbamate, producing a urea solution with lower carbon dioxide and ammonia content, thereby lowering the overall carbon footprint of urea production.
Implementation Method 1
The urea stripper uses electricity as heat source
Implementation Method 2
the ammonium carbamate comprised in the first aqueous urea solution to decompose into ammonia and carbon dioxide
Implementation Method 3
the horizontal plate comprising through holes for allowing gases to reach the gas outlet
Implementation Method 4
a means for distributing an aqueous solution in the spaces between the electric heating elements
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The present disclosure is related to the field of urea production, in particular urea strippers for removing ammonium carbamate, ammonia, and carbon dioxide from an aqueous urea solution comprising urea, ammonium carbamate, ammonia, and carbon dioxide, the urea stripper a plurality of electric heating elements.