C. F. Braun & Co.

C F Braun, Inc.

Santa Fe Braun Inc.

Brown & Root Petroleum and Chemicals

Bernard J Grotz

Fiske O Parnkopf

G Robert Prescott

Vito Frankini

Clive R Good

Mukund L Bhakta

The present invention discloses application of axial-radial reactors to the Braun synloop using an external heat sink between the feed/effluent exchanger and the inlet to the second reactor. The advantages of the axial-radial reactors in the Braun synloop have been heretofor unavailable for failure of the prior art to combine the advantages of the high conversion disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,867,959 with axial-radial reactors.

Axial-radial reactors in the braun ammonia synloop with extrnal heat sink

A process and apparatus are disclosed to achieve high per-pass synthesis conversion of ammonia. A nitrogen/hydrogen synthesis gas mixture is passed sequentially through a plurality of catalyst beds. The effluent from a subsequent catalyst bed is cooled by direct quench with a partially reacted gas which has passed through at least a first catalyst bed.

High conversion ammonia synthesis

An apparatus for the synthesis of ammonia having at least two synthesis reactors in series in which two high temperature heat sink tube bundles are combined in a single shell which is close coupled to the inlet and outlet of a reactor, the second tube bundle being disposed in an interior portion of the exchanger shell inside of the first tube bundle, the first tube bundle being connected for flow from its tubes to the reactor inlet, the second tube bundle being connected for flow to its tubes from the reactor outlet.

Apparatus for ammonia synthesis

A continuous process for recovering ammonia from a purge gas of an ammonia synthesis system wherein the purge gas is scrubbed by an aqueous liquid solution in counter-current flow with continuous cooling which is controlled to maintain temperature levels safely above the freezing point and to produce an aqueous solution of high ammonia concentration which is mixed with an anhydrous ammonia product of the ammonia synthesis system to form a blended ammonia product with a minimum water concentration high enough to provide corrosion protection to carbon steel storage equipment and a maximum water concentration low enough to meet a maximum design specification for the concentration of water in the blended ammonia product.

Ammonia recovery from purge gas

A reformer method for reforming hydrocarbons are described. The feed stream is heated in the presence of reforming catalyst both in a tube convection portion and a radiant section of the reformer furnace. The catalyst tubes may have an extended surface in the tube convection portion to enhance heat transfer within the convection portion.

Steam reforming process with low fired duty

Apparatus is disclosed for synthesizing ammonia from an ammonia feed gas passing to an ammonia synthesis converter from a heat exchanger. The synthesis converter is close coupled through a channel to a heat exchanger and a conduit extends through the channel and is adapted to be connected to the tube side of the heat exchanger.

Ammonia conversion process

A combined heat exchanger particularly suited for ammonia converter reactor effluent is described. The combined exchanger includes a first exchanger and a high temperature heat sink, such as a steam superheater, within a single exchanger shell. In a preferred embodiment, gas leaving the ammonia converter is conveyed into a single pass tube bundle which comprises the feed-effluent exchanger section and then passes through a tubesheet which separates the feed effluent exchanger section from the steam superheater section, passing over a U-tube bundle which comprises the steam superheater section in the other part of the shell. Means are provided for protecting the shell in the steam superheater section adjacent the tubesheet.

Combined heat exchanger system such as for ammonia synthesis reactor

Means are disclosed for lowering the temperature of the gaseous effluent from the first catalyst bed in a continuous ammonia synthesis process in which a syngas mixture containing nitrogen and hydrogen is passed sequentially over two or more catalyst beds containing ammonia synthesis catalyst. This cooling, effected to promote the exothermic ammonia-forming reaction, is accomplished by subjecting the gaseous effluent from the first catalyst bed to heat exchange in a high temperature heat sink, preferably after having undergone heat exchange with the synthesis gas feed to the first catalyst bed, to control the temperature of the effluent entering the second catalyst bed to a desired level.

Process for synthesizing ammonia

Means are disclosed for lowering the temperature of the gaseous effluent from the first catalyst bed in a continuous ammonia synthesis process in which a syngas mixture containing nitrogen and hydrogen is passed sequentially over two or more catalyst beds containing ammonia synthesis catalyst. This cooling, effected to promote the exothermic ammonia-forming reaction, is accomplished by subjecting the gaseous effluent from the first catalyst bed to heat exchange in a steam superheater, preferably after having undergone heat exchange with the synthesis gas feed to the first catalyst bed, to control the temperature of the effluent entering the second catalyst bed to a desired level.

A process for synthesizing ammonia with improved efficiency is disclosed. The increase in efficiency is achieved by regulation of the temperature of at least three catalyst beds connected in series by a combination of influent/affluent heat exchange and high pressure heat sinks.

Temperature controlled ammonia synthesis process

Apparatus for synthesizing ammonia from an ammonia feed gas passing to an ammonia synthesis converter from a horizontally disposed heat exchanger. The synthesis converter comprising a shell and catalyst holder positioned within and spaced slightly from the shell to provide an annular passageway therebetween, is close coupled through a channel to a heat exchanger and a conduit extends through the channel and is adapted to be connected to the tube side of the heat exchanger.

Ammonia converter

A process for synthesizing ammonia with improved efficiency is disclosed. The increase in efficiency is achieved by regulation of the temperature of at least three catalyst beds connected in series by a combination of influent/affluent heat exchange and high pressure steam generation.

Growing community of inventors

Pasadena, CA, United States of America

Bernard J Grotz