Thermodynamic Evaluation of Energy Integration and Cogeneration in Ammonium Nitrate Production Complexes

Year 2013, Volume: 16 Issue: 4, 163 - 171, 01.12.2013

Zornitza Kirova-yordanova

Abstract

The energy integration and cogeneration are commonly used in large nitrogen and phosphorous fertilizer production complexes for many years, due to the presence in the same site of production processes with highly exothermic main reactions, e.g. nitric and/or sulphuric acid plants and heat consuming processes, e.g. urea, ammonium nitrate, wet phosphoric acid, complex fertilizers, etc.) (Kongshaug, 1998).
In this work the exergy method is used to analyze the dependence of the primary energy consumption and GHG emissions in the ammonium nitrate production on basic parameters of the subsystems (ammonia, nitric acid and ammonium nitrate production units and CHP) and on the allocation of the additional fuel (natural gas) burning and steam generation.
The results show that the most effective allocation scheme depends on the relative efficiencies of the subsystems as well as on the boundary conditions and regulations of the GHG emissions.

Keywords

Ammonium nitrate; energy integration; cogeneration; exergy; GHG Emissions

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