Stamicarbon technology allows 1 month block-ins at urea plants

The Launch Melt^TM Design Pool Reactor, together with Safurex^® equipment, give urea plant owners the ability to block-in for a month without issues (while a longer block-in period is also possible). Urea plants therefore do not need to be drained (emptying of the synthesis sections) in case of upsets.

When (re)starting a urea plant, the temperature in the reactor should be above 125°C in order to start the urea formation reaction. During prolonged periods of block-in, the temperature will most likely drop below 125°C. Due to the layout of the Pool Reactor Design’s synthesis section, it is possible to increase the temperature of the reactor contents during block-in. This is done by discharging a small amount of liquid from the pool reactor to the HP stripper. The strip-gas that is generated in the stripper is discharged to the pool reactor, where condensation in the liquid takes place, increasing the temperature of the reactor contents. This is done intermittently, in order to maintain the temperature around 125°C.

There is no virgin CO2 added, so no oxygen is supplied to the synthesis. This requires a material that is not prone to active corrosion, such as Safurex.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldfertilizer.com/product-news/24042020/stamicarbon-technology-allows-1-month-block-ins-at-urea-plants/