Two-Loop Ammonia Scrubbing for Concentrated Ammonium Nitrate

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing ammonia scrubbing systems are inefficient, require hazardous chemicals, and produce low-concentration nutrient solutions, posing safety risks and environmental challenges.

Innovation Solution

A system with two separate liquid loops, one for generating nitric acid and one for capturing ammonia, allowing independent pH control and using oxygen-enriched air to enhance NOx conversion, resulting in high-pressure gas-liquid contactors for efficient ammonia removal and production of high-concentration ammonium nitrate.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If acid scrubbers with concentrated sulfuric acid are used to capture ammonia, then ammonia removal efficiency is improved, but safety risks and operational complexity increase due to hazardous chemicals

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveammonia removal efficiencyVSAvoidsafety risks from hazardous chemicals

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful effect of acidic pollutants (NOx, SOx) into beneficial nitric acid through plasma oxidation, which then serves as the scrubbing agent to capture ammonia. This eliminates the need for external sulfuric acid while maintaining high ammonia removal efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses the plasma-generated nitric acid within the same scrubbing tower to capture ammonia, making the scrubbing agent self-generated from the polluted gas stream itself rather than requiring external acid addition.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Object-affected harmful factors

If biological scrubbers are used to capture ammonia, then operational safety is improved by avoiding hazardous chemicals, but ammonia capture efficiency and nitrogen nutrient concentration decrease

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational safetyVSAvoidammonia capture efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the biological conversion process with a chemical plasma oxidation process that directly converts NOx to nitric acid, eliminating the need for bacterial cultures and their associated operational constraints while achieving superior ammonia capture efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Ease of operation

If conventional air scrubbers are used to remove ammonia, then operational simplicity is maintained, but the produced liquid product has low nitrogen concentration and nutritional value

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational simplicityVSAvoidnitrogen concentration in product

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical parameters of the scrubbing solution by generating nitric acid in-situ, which fundamentally alters the reaction with ammonia to produce ammonium nitrate instead of simple ammonium sulfate, thereby increasing nitrogen concentration while maintaining operational simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Productivity

If plasma NOx conversion is used to generate nitric acid, then ammonia capture efficiency and nitrogen concentration are improved, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveammonia capture efficiencyVSAvoidenergy consumption for plasma generation

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system recovers and utilizes the energy and chemical potential from the plasma-generated nitric acid to capture ammonia efficiently, making the energy input worthwhile by producing high-value ammonium nitrate product that can be directly used as fertilizer.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

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 system effectively removes ammonia without hazardous chemicals, producing a high-concentration nutrient-rich ammonium nitrate solution, reducing environmental impact and operational costs.

Implementation Method 1

a NOx generator with one or more oxygen enriched air streams and under pressure of 1-10 bar or alternatively at atmospheric or near atmospheric pressure that passes through a plasma reactor

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPlasma oxidation: Oxidation

Implementation Method 2

an aqueous fluid recirculation unit comprising a gas-liquid contactor and a liquid pump operating under atmospheric pressure or near atmospheric pressure to produce nitric acid and/or nitrous acid

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGas absorption: Absorption (physical)

Implementation Method 3

a second aqueous fluid recirculation unit comprising a gas-liquid contactor and a liquid pump to capture ammonia from an ammonia comprising gas into an aqueous stream

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGas absorption: Absorption (physical)

Implementation Method 4

Acids combine with ammonia to form a solution of ammonium nitrate

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectChemical neutralization: Chemical Bonding

Data Source

PatentUS20250381545A1Ammonium nitrate production

Publication Date: 2025.12.18 KATHOLIEKE UNIV LEUVEN

AI summary

The present invention relates generally to an ammonia capture system or method comprising plasma NOx and, more particularly to such system and method for ammonia capture comprising a two-tank NOx absorption system. Furthermore the present invention concerns a system to produce ammonium nitrate in solution or as a solid from atmospheric ammonium.