Process for recovery and recycle of ammonia from a reactor effluent stream

摘要

The present invention provides a novel process of recovering unreacted ammonia from a reactor effluent. This novel process includes at least the following steps: (1) quenching a reactor effluent containing ammonia with a first aqueous ammonium phosphate quench solution, wherein the pH of the solution is less than about 3.5, thereby absorbing ammonia to form a second aqueous ammonium phosphate solution richer in ammonium (NH4<+>) ions than the first solution but substantially free of dissolved CO2, (2) heating the second solution to an elevated temperature to reduce the amount of ammonium ions present to substantially the same level present in the first solution and thereby generate a vaporous stream containing ammonia, (3) recycling said vaporous stream containing ammonia to a reaction zone in a manner that minimizes the contamination of the reaction zone.