US 12,421,109 B2
Process and apparatus for cracking ammonia
Vincent White, Surrey (GB); Andrew Shaw, Sunbury on Thames (GB); and Simon Craig Saloway, Surrey (GB)
Assigned to Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., Allentown, PA (US)
Filed by Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., Allentown, PA (US)
Filed on Nov. 21, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/990,817.
Prior Publication US 2024/0166503 A1, May 23, 2024
Int. Cl. C01B 3/00 (2006.01); B01J 8/00 (2006.01); B01J 8/04 (2006.01); B01J 8/06 (2006.01); C01B 3/04 (2006.01); C01B 3/50 (2006.01)
CPC C01B 3/047 (2013.01) [B01J 8/0005 (2013.01); B01J 8/0457 (2013.01); B01J 8/062 (2013.01); C01B 3/508 (2013.01); B01J 2208/00176 (2013.01); B01J 2208/00194 (2013.01); B01J 2208/00274 (2013.01); B01J 2208/00283 (2013.01); B01J 2208/025 (2013.01); B01J 2208/065 (2013.01); C01B 2203/0277 (2013.01); C01B 2203/043 (2013.01); C01B 2203/0827 (2013.01); C01B 2203/0866 (2013.01); C01B 2203/0883 (2013.01); C01B 2203/1058 (2013.01); C01B 2203/1064 (2013.01); C01B 2203/1205 (2013.01); C01B 2203/1258 (2013.01); C01B 2203/1294 (2013.01); C01B 2203/142 (2013.01); C01B 2203/1614 (2013.01); C01B 2203/1628 (2013.01)] 25 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A process for cracking ammonia comprising:
providing a heated ammonia gas at super-atmospheric pressure;
feeding the heated ammonia gas at a first temperature (T1) to a first adiabatic reactor comprising a catalyst bed to crack a portion of the ammonia and produce an intermediate partially cracked ammonia gas;
heating the intermediate partially cracked ammonia gas to produce a heated intermediate partially cracked ammonia gas;
feeding the heated intermediate partially cracked ammonia gas, or a heated intermediate partially cracked ammonia gas derived therefrom, at a second temperature (T2) which is lower than the first temperature (T1) to a further adiabatic reactor comprising a catalyst bed to crack a further portion of the ammonia and produce a partially cracked ammonia gas;
combusting fuel with an oxidant gas in a furnace to heat catalyst-containing reactor tubes and form a flue gas; and
feeding the partially cracked ammonia gas to the catalyst-containing reactor tubes to cause cracking of further ammonia to produce a cracked gas comprising hydrogen gas, nitrogen gas and residual ammonia.