Urgent!! Issues regarding the recovery and treatment of condensate in the ammonia synthesis process
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In our company’s ammonia synthesis plant, a process condensate stripper is used to recover process condensate. We would like to ask all experts about the mature technologies for utilizing process condensate as boiler feedwater. It is said that Brown’s process for refining process condensate is quite mature; we hope everyone can provide relevant information in this regard. Thank you!
In recent years, many processes for treating the condensate from synthesis and urea production have been developed both domestically and internationally, such as medium-pressure stripping, low-pressure stripping, and full-reflux low-pressure stripping. Some companies also employ a combined treatment approach using natural gas for humidification and low-pressure air lifting, which offers excellent environmental and energy-saving benefits. As far as we know, a fertilizer factory in Daqing also uses the biochemical treatment process developed by Harbin Institute of Technology, with good results.
The condensate from the ammonia synthesis process contains organic components such as ammonia nitrogen, alcohols, and CO2. Medium-pressure stripping can be employed, followed by recovery through desalination, to achieve zero emissions
Thank you! The two gentlemen above. Our company uses a medium-pressure stripping process to treat process condensate, and the treated condensate that meets the required standards is recycled to the desalinated water system. Currently, we have learned from related units the following: the impurities in the process condensate after treatment cause blockages in the ultrafiltration membranes of the desalinated water treatment system; as a result, these membranes need to be replaced frequently, resulting in high costs. (The desalinated water is produced using ultrafiltration + reverse osmosis + EDI). Do anyone have any good suggestions to address this issue?
Can an activated carbon filter be added at the front? The conductivity after hydrolytic stripping is within acceptable limits, but it still contains trace amounts of organic matter, which can affect ultrafiltration.
Activated carbon filters should be able to adsorb and capture certain impurities.
Also, if the iron oxide content in the process condensate is high, it is likely to clog the ultrafiltration membrane as well. Pre-treatment to remove iron from the process condensate can also be considered.
The Brown process designs are quite good, but there aren’t many that can be put into actual use.
The technology for treating condensate into boiler make-up water requires proper preprocessing; otherwise, it can have a significant impact on subsequent units. We have carried out similar projects, and those who are interested can send an email to yanzh@omex-oee.com.cn to discuss further.
It’s possible that the packing in the gas tower was put into use without being cleaned properly; our factory has encountered similar situations, and things were resolved after thorough cleaning
The process condensate from our plant, after being stripped under medium pressure, is sent to the demineralized water treatment section. It first passes through an activated carbon filter, then goes to cation and anion exchange beds to remove cations and anions. Finally, it enters a mixed ion exchange bed for further treatment. Then, for the boiler water that meets the required standards, our condensate is not fed into the ultrafiltrator, as this can easily cause clogging of the ultrafiltrator; after being filtered by an activated carbon filter, it goes directly into the ion exchange bed. Poor quality of condensate can lead to a reduced operating time for cation and anion exchangers, as well as more frequent regeneration. But under normal circumstances, operation is fairly stable, unless there is a major leak