Do you think Ammonia is part of Energy Transition, just like hydrogen? I think the answer is yes. Do you ever wonder how ammonia is produced? The most widely used technology by the industry is called Haber Process.
Nitrogen and hydrogen are mixed at a pressure of about 40 barg. Nitrogen is typically produced by an air separation unit, while hydrogen is typically produced by steam methane reforming process. The mixture is then compressed to about 150 barg, preheated to about 450 C, then goes through a series of reactors and coolers. The ammonia conversation rate will depend on catalyst, operating pressure and temperature.
The mixture of ammonia, nitrogen and hydrogen then go through a refrigeration process to liquefy and separate ammonia. First it goes through a cross heat exchanger to recover heat, then it is sent to the chiller. Most of the ammonia is liquefied and withdrawn as a liquid ammonia product at a temperature of about -20 C. The unreacted nitrogen and hydrogen are recycled back to the reactor inlet.
An ammonia refrigeration unit is used here to provide cold to liquefy ammonia product. Ammonia refrigerant is first vaporized in the chiller, then compressed and combined with the vapor from the flash economizer, then it is further compressed and sent to the refrigerant condenser. Ammonia refrigerant pressure is reduced in JT Valve 1 and further reduced at JT Valve 2 to provide a cold temperature of about -25 C.
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