Ammonia-based Fertilizer

Nitrogen type fertilizer manufacture starts by using air to partially oxidize methane to CO, CO₂ and H₂. Further oxidation via the water-gas shift reaction converts CO to CO₂, adding more H₂ to the mixture. Nitrogen comes from the combustion air which is already 80% N₂. Thus, we are left with a gas containing 1-part H₂ and 3-parts N₂, plus about 18% CO₂. The CO₂ is removed by scrubbing with either an amine solvent (either diglycolamine®, DGA®, ADEG®, or MDEA with piperazine promoter), or with potassium carbonate solution promoted with an amine or with an inorganic catalyst. Ammonia production, especially CO₂ removal, is a very energy intensive process and can greatly benefit from plant optimization, proper solvent selection, and maintaining solvent composition.  ProBot™ is a great early warning system to alert operations to units heading in the wrong direction.  ProTreat® does a superb job of simulating the entire CO₂ removal process using all three technologies and is used by the world’s largest fertilizer makers.