AN INTEGRATED PROCESS FOR MAKING METHANOL AND AMMONIA

摘要

An integrated process for making methanol and ammonia from a hydrocarbon feed stock and air is disclosed. An air separation unit is used to produce substantially pure oxygen and nitrogen gas streams. The oxygen gas is used in the secondary reformer to increase the operating pressure of the reformers so that compression to methanol synthesis pressure may be done by a single stage compressor. The nitrogen gas is used to remove carbon oxides impurities from a ammonia synthesis feed stream in a nitrogen wash unit in addition to supplying the nitrogen reactant in the ammonia synthesis gas. Use of nitrogen wash obviates the need for steam shift and methanation reactions used in prior art processes.