Abstract: In a process for operating an ammonia plant, a gas mixture comprising nitrogen, hydrogen and ammonia is conveyed cyclically in a synthesis circuit with a conveying device which comprises at least a first compressor, nitrogen and hydrogen are converted at least partly into ammonia in a converter, the gas mixture is cooled in a cooling device in such a way that ammonia condenses out of the gas mixture, and hydrogen is provided at least partly by electrolysis. In this process, the utilization of fluctuating renewable energies can be integrated into existing plant designs, for the provision of hydrogen; for this reason, a master controller is provided and the master controller keeps at least the pressure in the synthesis circuit approximately constant via at least one control loop, on the basis of the anticipated amount of hydrogen. For this, the apparatus comprises a first bypass line for circumventing the first compressor, and a second bypass line for circumventing the cooling device.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an ammonia plant, wherein the ammonia plant comprises a converter, a first heat exchanger, and a removal apparatus. The converter and the first heat exchanger are connected to one another via a product gas connection in such a way that the ammonia synthesis product gas is guided out of the converter via the first heat exchanger to the removal apparatus. The removal apparatus and the converter are connected to one another via a reactant gas connection in such a way that the circulation gas is guided from the removal apparatus to the converter. The ammonia plant comprises a hydrogen feed that is connected to the converter via a second heat exchanger. The ammonia plant comprises a first electric heater and a steam turbine. The first electric heater is connected to the converter or to the steam turbine.

Abstract: A process may be utilized to coat urea-containing granules with organic polymers. The process may involve compressing gaseous carbon dioxide and condensing the carbon dioxide to obtain liquid carbon dioxide, increasing the pressure and/or the temperature above the critical point of carbon dioxide and obtaining supercritical carbon dioxide, dissolving an organic polymer in the supercritical carbon dioxide to obtain a polymer-containing solution, and mixing the polymer-containing solution with urea-containing granules and lowering the temperature and/or the pressure below the critical point of carbon dioxide and obtaining coated urea-containing granules and gaseous carbon dioxide. In some cases the organic polymer may include biodegradable polymers, and the polymer-containing solution may contain between 20 to 70% by weight biodegradable polymers.

Abstract: A process can be utilized to produce hydrogen and pyrolysis carbon from hydrocarbons where the hydrocarbons are converted into hydrogen and carbon in a reactor at temperatures of 1000° C. or more and the reactor has at least two electrodes that are at a distance from one another in a flow direction of the hydrocarbons. To avoid carbon deposits in a region between the electrodes, which can lead to failure of a heating system, the carbon particles may be introduced into the reactor in countercurrent to the hydrocarbons and may be heated in a heating zone between the electrodes to a temperature above a decomposition temperature of the hydrocarbons at such a mass flow that a reaction zone in which the hydrocarbons are converted into hydrogen and carbon is spatially separated in a flow direction of the carbon particles from the heating zone.

Abstract: A reformer for production of synthesis gas may include a reformer firing space having a reformer base, reformer walls, and a reformer roof. The reformer may include a first reformer tube and a second reformer tube, with at least sections of the first reformer tube and the second reformer tube being arranged within the reformer firing space. At least one reformer burner is disposed outside the reformer firing space. A cooling duct on or beneath the reformer base is disposed between the first reformer tube and the second reformer tube. The first reformer tube and the second reformer tube can be connected to a collecting system outside the reformer firing space, with the collecting system being disposed beneath the reformer base.

Abstract: A method can be utilized to startup into a normal operating state a steam reformer arrangement for the production of hydrogen, methanol, or ammonia. A plurality of burners that are coupled to at least one reactor having reformer tubes may be controlled and regulated. In particular, startup may be performed out and regulated in an automated manner by the burners ensuring normal operation, in particular non-startup burners, being ignited indirectly as a function of temperature by means of burners provided specifically for startup, in particular pilot burners and startup burners, as a function of automatically evaluated flame monitoring at least at the pilot burners. This method provides time savings and savings of outlay in terms of personnel and also high operational reliability.

Abstract: A method of removing inert gas dissolved in liquid ammonia involves evaporating, compressing, and then condensing the liquid ammonia together with the inert gas dissolved therein. Thereby, a product stream of warm liquid ammonia that has been freed of the inert gas is obtained, which is under elevated pressure relative to standard pressure and hence suitable for immediate use in methods in which pure liquid pressurized ammonia is required. If, by contrast, the ammonia is cooled first, for example, below the boiling temperature for ammonia and expanded to standard pressure to store it in tanks as liquid ammonia at low temperatures, it is necessary first to reheat and compress it for further processing operations. Thus the disclosed methods lead to significant energy savings.

Abstract: A process for performing the water gas shift reaction wherein raw synthesis gas is reacted in the presence of steam and at least one water gas shift catalyst to convert carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide and to form hydrogen. The raw synthesis gas is initially passed through at least one unit for high-temperature CO conversion and subsequently, downstream thereof, passed through at least one unit for low-temperature CO conversion. After passing through the at least one unit for high-temperature CO conversion the synthesis gas stream is divided into at least two substreams. The first substream is passed through a first unit for low-temperature CO conversion and the second substream is passed through a second unit for low-temperature CO conversion, wherein both units for low-temperature CO conversion are arranged in parallel relative to one another.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of operating a reformer, wherein the reformer is operated at least with a first hydrocarbon mixture and a second hydrocarbon mixture. The reformer has a primary reformer that is supplied with a first gas stream. The reformer also has a secondary reformer that is supplied with a semifinished product gas stream from the primary reformer and with an air stream. The first gas stream and the air stream are used to form the quotient of the first gas stream divided by the air stream. A threshold value is defined, wherein the reformer is shut down below the threshold value. The threshold value is compared with the product of the quotient of the first gas stream divided by the air stream multiplied by a factor H, wherein the factor is defined depending on the chemical composition of the gas stream.

Abstract: A method of producing ammonia includes heating, with a start-up oven, a first synthesis gas for a first ammonia synthesis in a first reactor; transferring the heated first synthesis gas to the first reactor for initiating a chemical reaction; heating, with the start-up oven, a second synthesis gas for a second ammonia synthesis in a second reactor; and transferring the heated second synthesis gas to the second reactor for initiating a chemical reaction, wherein a high-pressure synthesis of ammonia is carried out in the first reactor and a low-pressure synthesis of ammonia is carried out in the second reactor at a process pressure which is lower than the process pressure in the first reactor.

Abstract: The integrated plant for making propene oxide includes a unit for producing hydrogen peroxide by an anthraquinone process, which includes a hydrogenator, an oxidizer and an extraction column, and a unit for making propene oxide from propene and hydrogen peroxide. The unit for making propene oxide has an epoxidation reactor and a work-up section, as well as an air compressor driven by a backpressure steam turbine with a conduit connecting an outlet of the air compressor with the oxidizer and a conduit connecting the steam outlet of the backpressure steam turbine with a heat exchanger of a distillation column of the work-up section.

Abstract: An exhaust air scrubber for removing dust, abraded product, and water-soluble constituents from process exhaust air may include in a single housing a cleaning stage that includes a droplet separator and a packing disposed below the droplet separator. The exhaust air scrubber may also include an inlet apparatus for process exhaust air disposed in a lower portion of the housing, a withdrawal apparatus for scrubbing solution, and a withdrawal conduit for cleaned exhaust air, with the withdrawal conduit beginning inside the housing above the cleaning stage, passing downward inside the housing, and passing out of the housing to an outside in the lower portion of the housing below the cleaning stage. The scrubber may further include a feed conduit for scrubbing solution in an upper portion of the housing above the cleaning stage.

Abstract: A process for preparing methanol by a methanol synthesis reaction of carbon dioxide with hydrogen may involve a distillation step and a condensation step following the synthesis of a crude methanol. A volatile component and water may be separated off from a methanol-containing product stream, and a gas stream containing a volatile component that has been separated off may be discharged at least partially as offgas. At least part of the gas stream that has been separated off may be recirculated into the methanol synthesis reaction. A plant for preparing methanol can store or utilize electric power generated from renewable energy sources and provide facilities for discharging the offgas stream, which can be purified by catalytic after-combustion. Alternatively, the plant can be configured without discharge of an offgas substream, or the offgas streams are so small that they can be released without treatment into the environment at a suitable position.

Abstract: A process can produce alcohols having at least two carbon atoms by catalytic conversion of synthesis gas into a mixture containing alkanes, alkenes, and alcohols. Alkenes are converted into corresponding alcohols in a subsequent step by hydration of the alkanes. Before the hydration and after the catalytic conversion, gas and liquid phases may be separated. Specific catalysts can be employed that have a markedly higher selectivity for alkenes than for alkanes. These catalysts comprise grains of non-graphitic carbon having cobalt nanoparticles dispersed therein. The cobalt nanoparticles have an average diameter dp from 1 to 20 nm, and an average distance D between nanoparticles is from 2 to 150 nm. The combined total mass fraction of metal ? in the grains ranges from 30% to 70% by weight of the total mass of the grains of non-graphitic carbon, wherein 4.5 dp/?>D?0.25 dp/?.

Abstract: A low-temperature heat utilization assembly may be configured to decouple low-temperature heat from process gas at temperatures below 200° C. and to provide the process gas at a lowered intermediate temperature or at a still further lowered final temperature for at least one subsequent process. In the low-temperature heat utilization assembly the process gas may be fed to a first unit, by means of which the temperature may be lowered to the intermediate temperature. The process gas may in some cases be provided to a heat exchanger stage for further lowering to the final temperature. The first unit is an ORC unit for energy transformation of the heat energy into electrical energy and may be coupled to an electrical consumer unit. The ORC unit may be configured for energy feedback of electrical energy within the low-temperature heat utilization assembly or to a process upstream of the ORC unit.

Abstract: A reactor and a method at least for pyrolysis of hydrocarbon-containing fluids at least for production of at least hydrogen-containing fluids are disclosed, where the reactor has a reactor shell and a reactor shaft disposed within the reactor shell, and a reactor lining at least for thermal sealing of the reactor shaft with respect to the reactor shell is disposed between the reactor shell and the reactor shaft, and wherein the reactor shaft has an at least tetragonal geometry in cross section, wherein at least one electrode for generation of thermal energy is disposed on each of two mutually opposite side walls of the reactor shaft.

Abstract: A method for operating a plant for synthesizing methanol, wherein a synthesis gas flow having hydrogen and carbon oxides is supplied to a synthesis gas compressor of the plant to increase the pressure of the synthesis gas flow. The pressure-increased synthesis gas flow is supplied to a methanol reactor arrangement of the plant for partial conversion to methanol. The plant has a hydrogen recovery arrangement which obtains an H-recycling flow including hydrogen from a recovery flow supplied from the methanol reactor arrangement, which hydrogen is converted at least in part to methanol. Upon failure of the synthesis gas compressor, the synthesis gas flow continues to be supplied to the methanol reactor arrangement for partial conversion to methanol. Following failure of the synthesis gas compressor, a line arrangement of the plant is switched such that the H-recycling flow is adjusted to compensate for a pressure loss in the methanol reactor arrangement.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing ammonia or hydrogen may include a) a gas stream feed conduit having a connecting conduit to a steam reformer with a waste heat section; b) a heat exchanger downstream of the gas stream feed conduit; c) a gas stream preheater downstream of the heat exchanger; d) a recirculation conduit which is located downstream of the gas stream preheater and leads to the gas stream feed conduit or, upstream of the heat exchanger, to the connecting conduit; and e) the steam reformer with the waste heat section, where the waste heat section may be in thermal contact with the gas stream preheater and the flow of the gas stream which has been heated in the gas stream preheater through the recirculation conduit can be regulated. A process for producing ammonia or hydrogen may employ such an apparatus.

Abstract: An ammonia plant having a first and second reactor and a start-up oven having at least one first heat exchanger. The first reactor operates under a higher internal pressure than the second reactor. The start-up oven is connected via a piping system for at least one synthesis gas to the first and second reactor. Ammonia is produced by heating synthesis gas in the start-up oven and transferring the heated synthesis gas to the first reactor for initiating the chemical reaction. Synthesis gas is heated with the same start-up oven and is transferred to the second reactor for initiating the chemical reaction, wherein high-pressure synthesis of ammonia occurs in the first reactor and low-pressure synthesis of ammonia occurs in the second reactor at a lower process pressure than in the first reactor.

Abstract: A process for the epoxidation of propene involves reacting propene with hydrogen peroxide, in the presence of a methanol solvent and a shaped titanium zeolite epoxidation catalyst in a fixed bed reactor. The process then involves recovering methanol from the reaction mixture, treatment of the recovered methanol by passing it through a bed of an acidic ion exchange resin, and recycling the treated methanol to the epoxidation reaction; as well as regeneration of the acidic ion exchange resin. Catalyst breakage can be reduced or avoided by washing the regenerated bed of an acidic ion exchange resin with methanol until the methanol exiting the resin bed has an apparent pH higher than 1.8, before methanol treated with the acidic ion exchange resin is recycled to the epoxidation reaction.