Abstract: The invention relates to the field of hydrogenpro-duction from the catalytic cracking of ammonia. The invention comprises a primary cracking pathway comprising one or more catalyst containing reaction tubes disposed within a fired ammonia cracking reactor; and a parallel cracking pathway comprising one or more secondary ammonia cracking reactors arranged sequentially and in fluid connection with one another. The invention may be used to produce hydrogen from ammonia.

Abstract: A process for steam reforming in an autothermal or secondary reformer is described, comprising: (i) non-catalytically partially combusting a feed gas comprising a hydrocarbon with an oxygen-containing gas to form a partially combusted gas mixture and (ii) passing the partially combusted gas mixture through a catalyst bed comprising a first layer of a first particulate steam reforming catalyst and a second layer of a second particulate steam reforming catalyst, wherein the partially combusted gas mixture passes through the first layer and then the second layer, the second particulate steam reforming catalyst is an eggshell catalyst comprising nickel coated on a refractory support, and the first layer has a thickness in the range of 20 to 60% of the combined thickness of the first and second layers.

Abstract: Process A process for producing hydrogen gas from the catalytic cracking of ammonia. The process comprises the step of supplying a hydrogen containing recycle gas taken from downstream of an ammonia cracking reactor to one or more catalyst containing reaction tubes disposed within the ammonia cracking reactor. The invention may be used to provide hydrogen gas as a non-carbon containing fuel.

Abstract: A process for the co-production of methanol and ammonia is described comprising the steps of: (a) forming a first synthesis gas stream by reacting a first portion of a hydrocarbon feedstock and steam in a steam reformer, (b) forming a second synthesis gas stream in parallel to the first synthesis gas stream by reacting a second portion of the hydrocarbon feedstock with an oxygen-containing gas and steam in an autothermal reformer, (c) synthesising methanol from a first process gas comprising the first synthesis gas stream, and (d) synthesising ammonia from a second process gas prepared from the second synthesis gas stream, wherein a purge stream containing hydrogen is recovered from the methanol synthesis step (c) and a portion of the purge gas stream is fed to the autothermal reformer and/or the second synthesis gas in step (b).

Abstract: A process for cracking ammonia to form hydrogen is described comprising the steps of (i) passing ammonia through one or more catalyst-containing tubes in a furnace to crack the ammonia and form hydrogen, wherein the one or more tubes are heated by combustion of a fuel gas mixture to form a flue gas containing nitrogen oxides capable of reacting with ammonia in the flue gas to form ammonium nitrate, and (ii) cooling the flue gas to below 170° C., characterised by maintaining an amount of steam in the flue gas according to the following equation to prevent solid ammonium nitrate formation: (I) where, yH2O is the mol % of steam in the flue gas, P*H2O is the equilibrium vapor pressure of water in an aqueous solution of ammonium nitrate, and p is the minimum operating pressure of the flue gas.

Abstract: A method is described for retrofitting a hydrogen production unit, said hydrogen production unit having, a purification unit that separates the hydrogen-enriched gas into a hydrogen product stream and an off-gas stream, said method comprising the steps of: (a) installing a gas-heated reformer, and installing a carbon dioxide removal unit; (b) feeding a mixture of hydrocarbon and steam the gas-heated reformer, (c) combining the gas recovered with a second gas recovered and using the combined synthesis gas to heat reformer tubes in the gas-heated reformer; (d) recovering a cooled gas and passing the cooled gas to the water gas shift unit; (e) feeding the gas to the carbon dioxide removal unit to produce a carbon dioxide stream and a crude hydrogen stream, and; (f) passing the crude hydrogen stream to the purification unit. The invention further includes a process and system for producing hydrogen using the production unit.

Abstract: A plant for the production of hydrogen, comprising: a fired reformer containing a plurality of catalyst-containing reformer tubes and having a shell side, operable to produce a crude synthesis gas from a feed stream containing a hydrocarbon and steam; an autothermal reformer arranged to be fed with an oxygen-containing gas and a crude synthesis gas from the fired reformer, operable to produce a reformed synthesis gas; a water-gas shift unit arranged to be fed with a reformed synthesis gas recovered from the autothermal reformer, operable to produce a hydrogen-enriched gas; a carbon dioxide removal unit arranged to be fed with a hydrogen-enriched gas from the water-gas shift unit, operable to produce a crude hydrogen stream and a carbon dioxide stream; a purification unit arranged to be fed with a crude hydrogen stream gas from the carbon dioxide removal unit, operable to produce a hydrogen product stream and an off-gas stream.

Abstract: A method is described for controlling a furnace containing a plurality of catalyst-containing tubes heated by a combustion gas generated by a plurality of burners, said method comprising the steps of: (i) measuring path-averaged combustion gas temperatures on multiple paths through the furnace using tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy, (ii) periodically measuring temperatures of surfaces within the furnace to obtain periodic surface temperature information, (iii) entering the path-averaged combustion gas temperatures and periodic surface temperature information into a computer model of the furnace, said model comprising parameters for controlling the furnace; and (iv) using the computer model and the temperature information to obtain optimised parameters for controlling the furnace. A system for performing the method is also described.

Abstract: A process for the co-production of methanol and ammonia is described comprising the steps of: (a) forming a first synthesis gas stream by reacting a first portion of a hydrocarbon feedstock and steam in a steam reformer, (b) forming a second synthesis gas stream in parallel to the first synthesis gas stream by reacting a second portion of the hydrocarbon feedstock with an oxygen-containing gas and steam in an autothermal reformer, (c) synthesising methanol from a first process gas comprising the first synthesis gas stream, and (d) synthesising ammonia from a second process gas prepared from the second synthesis gas stream, wherein a purge stream containing hydrogen is recovered from the methanol synthesis step (c) and a portion of the purge gas stream is fed to the autothermal reformer and/or the second synthesis gas in step (b).

Abstract: A process for the co-production of methanol and ammonia is described comprising the steps of: (a) forming a first synthesis gas stream by reacting a first portion of a hydrocarbon feedstock and steam in a steam reformer, (b) forming a second synthesis gas stream in parallel to the first synthesis gas stream by reacting a second portion of the hydrocarbon feedstock with an oxygen-containing gas and steam in an autothermal reformer, (c) synthesising methanol from a first process gas comprising the first synthesis gas stream, and (d) synthesising ammonia from a second process gas prepared from the second synthesis gas stream, wherein a purge stream containing hydrogen is recovered from the methanol synthesis step (c) and a portion of the purge gas stream is fed to the autothermal reformer and/or the second synthesis gas in step (b).

Abstract: A method is described for controlling a furnace containing a plurality of catalyst-containing tubes heated by a combustion gas generated by a plurality of burners, said method comprising the steps of: (i) measuring path-averaged combustion gas temperatures on multiple paths through the furnace using tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy, (ii) periodically measuring temperatures of surfaces within the furnace to obtain periodic surface temperature information, (iii) entering the path-averaged combustion gas temperatures and periodic surface temperature information into a computer model of the furnace, said model comprising parameters for controlling the furnace; and (iv) using the computer model and the temperature information to obtain optimised parameters for controlling the furnace. A system for performing the method is also described.

Abstract: A method is described for revamping an ammonia production facility said ammonia production facility having a front end comprising one or more reformers fed with a hydrocarbon feedstock at a hydrocarbon feed stock feed rate and a high-temperature shift reactor fed with a reformed gas obtained from said one or more reformers and containing a fixed bed of iron-containing water-gas shift catalyst, said front end operating at a first steam-to-carbon ratio and a first pressure drop, said method comprising the steps of (i) replacing the iron-containing water-gas shift catalyst with a low-steam water-gas shift catalyst to form a modified front end, (ii) operating the modified front end at a second steam-to-carbon ratio and a second pressure drop, wherein the second steam-to-carbon ratio is at least 0.2 less than the first steam-to-carbon ratio and the second pressure drop is less than the first pressure drop, and (iii) increasing the hydrocarbon feed stock feed rate to said one or more reformers.

Abstract: A process for the co-production of methanol and ammonia is described comprising the steps of: (a) forming a first synthesis gas stream by reacting a first portion of a hydrocarbon feedstock and steam in a steam reformer, (b) forming a second synthesis gas stream in parallel to the first synthesis gas stream by reacting a second portion of the hydrocarbon feedstock with an oxygen-containing gas and steam in an autothermal reformer, (c) synthesising methanol from a first process gas comprising the first synthesis gas stream, and (d) synthesising ammonia from a second process gas prepared from the second synthesis gas stream, wherein a purge stream containing hydrogen is recovered from the methanol synthesis step (c) and a portion of the purge gas stream is fed to the autothermal reformer and/or the second synthesis gas in step (b).

Abstract: A process for the production of formaldehyde-stabilised urea is described comprising the steps of: (a) generating a synthesis gas; (b) subjecting the synthesis gas to one or more stages of water-gas shift in one or more water-gas shift reactors to form a shifted gas; (c) cooling the shifted gas to below the dew point and recovering condensate to form a dried shifted gas; (d) recovering carbon dioxide from the dried shifted gas in a carbon dioxide removal unit to form a carbon dioxide-depleted synthesis gas; (e) synthesising methanol from the carbon dioxide-depleted synthesis gas in a methanol synthesis unit and recovering the methanol and a methanol synthesis off-gas; (f) subjecting at least a portion of the recovered methanol to oxidation with air to form formaldehyde in a stabiliser production unit; (g) subjecting the methanol synthesis off-gas to methanation in a methanation reactor containing a methanation catalyst to form an ammonia synthesis gas; (h) synthesising ammonia from the ammonia synthesis gas i

Abstract: A process for the production of formaldehyde-stabilised urea is described comprising the steps of: (a) generating a synthesis gas; (b) subjecting the synthesis gas to one or more stages of water-gas shift in one or more water-gas shift reactors to form a shifted gas; (c) cooling the shifted gas to below the dew point and recovering condensate to form a dried shifted gas; (d) recovering carbon dioxide from the dried shifted gas in a carbon dioxide removal unit to form a carbon dioxide-depleted synthesis gas; (e) synthesising methanol from the carbon dioxide-depleted synthesis gas in a methanol synthesis unit and recovering the methanol and a methanol synthesis off-gas; (f) subjecting at least a portion of the recovered methanol to oxidation with air to form formaldehyde in a stabiliser production unit; (g) subjecting the methanol synthesis off-gas to methanation in a methanation reactor containing a methanation catalyst to form an ammonia synthesis gas; (h) synthesising ammonia from the ammonia synthesis gas i

Abstract: A process for producing formaldehyde-stabilised urea is described comprising generating a synthesis gas, subjecting the synthesis gas to water-gas shift to form a shifted gas; recovering carbon dioxide from the shifted gas; synthesising methanol from the carbon dioxide-depleted synthesis gas; subjecting recovered methanol to oxidation; subjecting the methanol synthesis off-gas to methanation; synthesising ammonia from the ammonia synthesis gas and recovering the ammonia; reacting ammonia and recovered carbon dioxide stream to form a urea stream; and stabilising the urea by mixing the urea stream and a stabiliser prepared using the recovered formaldehyde, wherein a portion of the synthesis gas by-passes either the one or more of the water-gas shift reactors, carbon dioxide removal unit, or water-gas shift reactors and the carbon dioxide removal unit used in the process.

Abstract: An integrated process for the production of a formaldehyde-stabilised urea is described comprising the steps of: (a) generating a synthesis gas comprising hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and steam in a synthesis gas generation unit; (b) dividing the synthesis gas into a first synthesis gas stream and a smaller second synthesis gas stream; (c) subjecting the first synthesis gas stream to one or more stages of water-gas shift in one or more water-gas shift reactors to form a shifted gas; (d) cooling the shifted gas to below the dew point and recovering condensate to form a dried shifted gas; (e) recovering carbon dioxide from the dried shifted gas in a carbon dioxide removal unit to form a carbon dioxide-depleted synthesis gas; (f) subjecting the carbon dioxide-depleted synthesis gas to a stage of methanation in one or more methanation reactors to form an ammonia synthesis gas; (g) synthesising ammonia from the ammonia synthesis gas in an ammonia production unit and recovering the ammonia; (

Abstract: A process is described for the production of formaldehyde, comprising (a) subjecting methanol to oxidation with air in a formaldehyde production unit thereby producing a formaldehyde-containing stream; (b) separating said formaldehyde-containing stream into a formaldehyde product stream and a formaldehyde vent gas stream; wherein the vent gas stream, optionally after treatment in a vent gas treatment unit, is passed to one or more stages of: (i) synthesis gas generation, (ii) carbon dioxide removal, (iii) methanol synthesis or (iv) urea synthesis.

Abstract: A process for production of ammonia includes: providing a reaction stream including carbon monoxide and hydrogen; passing the reaction stream and steam over a water gas shift catalyst in a catalytic shift reactor, forming a shifted gas mixture depleted in carbon monoxide and enriched in hydrogen; passing the shifted gas mixture with an oxygen-containing gas over a selective oxidation catalyst at ?175° C., forming a selectively oxidized gas stream with a portion of the carbon monoxide converted to carbon dioxide; removing some of the carbon dioxide from the selectively oxidized gas stream in a carbon dioxide removal unit; passing the carbon dioxide depleted stream over a methanation catalyst in a methanator to form a methanated gas stream, optionally adjusting its hydrogen:nitrogen molar ratio to form an ammonia synthesis gas; and passing the ammonia synthesis gas over an ammonia synthesis catalyst in an ammonia converter to form ammonia.

Abstract: An integrated process for the production of a formaldehyde-stabilised urea is described comprising the steps of: (a) generating a synthesis gas comprising hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and steam in a synthesis gas generation unit; (b) dividing the synthesis gas into a first synthesis gas stream and a smaller second synthesis gas stream; (c) subjecting the first synthesis gas stream to one or more stages of water-gas shift in one or more water-gas shift reactors to form a shifted gas; (d) cooling the shifted gas to below the dew point and recovering condensate to form a dried shifted gas; (e) recovering carbon dioxide from the dried shifted gas in a carbon dioxide removal unit to form a carbon dioxide-depleted synthesis gas; (f) subjecting the carbon dioxide-depleted synthesis gas to a stage of methanation in one or more methanation reactors to form an ammonia synthesis gas; (g) synthesising ammonia from the ammonia synthesis gas in an ammonia production unit and recovering the ammonia; (