thyssenkrup Uhde completes hydrogen recovery unit for Fertiglobe
Published by Willow Munz,
Editorial Assistant
World Fertilizer,
thyssenkrupp Uhde has commissioned the start-up of a hydrogen recovery unit (HRU) at the Fertil plant in Ruwais, United Arab Emirates, owned by Fertiglobe, an exporter of urea, ammonia, and an early mover in sustainable ammonia. The scope of work included engineering, procurement, and site supervision during installation and start-up of the units.
After the plant revamp and commissioning of the HRU, the unit is now in operation. The plant will have a capacity of 2120 tpd of ammonia. The HRU enables advanced hydrogen recovery from the ammonia synthesis purge gas, allowing for increased feedstock utilisation and a 6% increase in ammonia output. thyssenkrupp Uhde completed the plant start-up, demonstrating exceptional safety awareness and capability in managing complex implementation during live operations.
Global low-carbon ammonia production and CO2 emission reduction
This milestone project represents a major step towards more sustainable and energy-efficient production of ammonia. At the same time, it contributes to a meaningful reduction in carbon dioxide emissions per ton of ammonia produced – supporting Fertiglobe’s strategic goal to reduce its carbon footprint and improve overall plant efficiency. The new HRU, along with an extended ammonia recovery unit, was installed while the plant was in full operation, demonstrating outstanding coordination and engineering capabilities. All tie-ins were carefully engineered and installed in advance to ensure smooth and safe integration without interrupting running plant operations.
Nadja Håkansson, CEO of thyssenkrupp Uhde, commented: “We are proud to contribute to Fertiglobe’s ammonia capacity increase. This cutting-edge hydrogen recovery technology marks a significant step through a more resource-efficient production. By delivering innovative, efficient, and sustainable solutions combined with our implementation expertise, we create sustainable alternatives for our customer, to set new CO2-reduction standards.”
Ahmed El-Hoshy, CEO of Fertiglobe, added: “The new HRU designed by thyssenkrupp Uhde and commissioned by both companies, thyssenkrupp Uhde and Fertil, marks a milestone in our journey towards our Manufacturing Improvement Plan (MIP) focused on increasing production and energy efficiency. The project delivers an annual IRR on investment of over 25%, increasing ammonia production by up to 6% while reducing CO2 emissions, and aligns well with our commitment to fostering sustainable growth. We are grateful for the seamless cooperation that made this achievement possible during ongoing plant operations.”
Efficient hydrogen recovery
The HRU uses membrane separation technology to efficiently recover valuable hydrogen from the purge gas of the ammonia synthesis, supporting Fertiglobe’s efforts for capacity enhancement, resource-efficient fertilizer production and to navigate market dynamics and lead the transformation of industry.
Read the article online at: https://www.worldfertilizer.com/environment/30092025/thyssenkrup-uhde-completes-hydrogen-recovery-unit-for-fertiglobe/