This reactor is the centerpiece of Stamicarbon’s LAUNCH MELT™ Ultra-Low Energy Design, featuring a breakthrough technology, as it allows for energy savings unrivalled by any other known urea technology. The reactor embeds two heat exchanging tube bundles and makes use of SAFUREX®, the best in class stainless steel for high pressure equipment in the synthesis section in urea plants.
The LAUNCH MELT™ Ultra-Low Energy Design is the latest Stamicarbon process technology, which is an important innovation in energy efficiency. Most urea processes until now are based on a so-called "N=2" heat integration design, in which the heat supplied to the plant is used twice. In the Ultra-Low Energy Design Stamicarbon has gone one step further with the "N=3" design, in which the heat supplied in the form of high pressure extraction steam is used three times. The steam consumption is reduced by about 35% and cooling water consumption by about 16%, compared to other present-day urea plant designs. The design requires only two high pressure synthesis equipment (reactor and stripper). Aside from bringing significant reductions in the operational costs of urea plants, this technology offers major environmental benefits, because it reduces both energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
The Ultra-Low Energy Design is not only suitable for new plants, it can also be used as a powerful revamp tool for both CO2 stripping and conventional urea plants. This innovative design has already been awarded for three grass-roots urea plants. We are sure this reactor is the first of many of its kind.
