US 12,447,454 B1
Use of sulfur as alternative carbon-free fuel in ammonia primary reformer combustion zone, by coupling ammonia and sulfuric acid production facilities
Kashif Imran, Adelaide (AU); and Malik Mohammad Odeh Aqel, Amman (JO)
Assigned to Saudi Arabian Mining Company (MA'ADEN), Riyadh (SA)
Filed by Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma'aden), Riyadh (SA)
Filed on Oct. 2, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/904,840.
Claims priority of application No. 24197709 (EP), filed on Aug. 30, 2024.
Int. Cl. B01J 8/02 (2006.01); C01B 3/34 (2006.01); C01B 17/80 (2006.01); C01C 1/04 (2006.01); F02C 1/05 (2006.01)
CPC B01J 8/0278 (2013.01) [B01J 8/0285 (2013.01); C01B 3/34 (2013.01); C01B 17/806 (2013.01); C01C 1/0417 (2013.01); C01C 1/0452 (2013.01); F02C 1/05 (2013.01); B01J 2208/00309 (2013.01); B01J 2208/00504 (2013.01); C01B 2203/0233 (2013.01); C01B 2203/068 (2013.01); C01B 2203/0811 (2013.01); C01B 2203/0833 (2013.01); C01B 2203/1241 (2013.01); F05D 2220/64 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A process comprising an integrated system to produce ammonia coupled with sulfuric acid production, the process comprising: (a) providing O2 from an air separation unit to an ammonia primary reformer comprising a combustion zone; (b) providing air; (c) providing molten sulfur; (d) burning sulfur as fuel burn with a mixture of air and O2; (e) producing an SO2-rich stream exiting the ammonia primary reformer combustion zone and a waste heat recovery zone; (f) maintaining control of the combustion temperature of the sulfur with air and O2 by recycling cooled SO2-rich stream from the waste heat recovery zone; (g) utilizing the high pressure steam generated in the waste heat recovery zone to operate steam driven turbine machines; (h) utilizing medium pressure steam excess from the waste heat recovery zone to run a full condensation steam turbine generator; (i) utilizing the power generated from excess medium pressure steam to operate electrically driven motors in the ammonia plant; (j) transferring the SO2-rich stream to at least one sulfuric acid plant; (k) converting SO2 to sulfuric acid in the at least one sulfuric acid plant; (l) generating heat in the at least one sulfuric acid plant; (m) producing high pressure steam utilizing the heat generated in the at least one sulfuric acid plant; (n) utilizing the energy produced by the high pressure steam to run the steam turbine generator; (o) utilizing the power generated by the steam turbine in the air separation unit; (p) utilizing nitrogen in ammonia syntheses loop in the ammonia plant; and (q) producing low carbon ammonia; and (r) utilizing carbon-free power generated in the air separation unit.