Achieve maximum productivity of the high-pressure stripper The Challenge The high-pressure (HP) stripper in Stamicarbon CO 2 stripping plants is a vertical falling film evaporator wherein a urea synthesis stream is brought in contact with a counter-current stream of CO 2 gas flowing upwards in the heat exchanger tubes. The liquid film is created by installing ferrules on top of all vertical heat exchanger tubes, consisting of a liquid divider and a gas tube. They ensure the equal distribution of the …

A timely replacement of the right spare part   The Challenge  Active corrosion of stainless steels caused by ammonium carbamate is a major challenge urea plant operators face every day. Even a small part of the equipment, when exposed to corrosion, could disrupt the seamless operations of your plant, requiring a quick repair or replacement of the damaged item.  But what if you could eliminate or significantly reduce the risk of corrosion in the high-pressure synthesis section of the urea plant?        The …

Extending the lifetime of your urea reactor at a minimal cost The Challenge Urea reactors in many plants remain in operation for over 20 years. Yet, with time the protective liner on the reactor wall becomes thinner, making the vessel more vulnerable to corrosion caused by ammonium carbamate. Does that mean you need to replace the whole vessel once corrosion is detected? Not necessarily. Often a partial relining can provide a safe, reliable, and cost-effective way to extend the lifetime of your urea …

Monitor leaks to ensure plant safety   Having a state-of-the-art leak detection system (LDS) in urea plants is not an option; it is a necessity.  Severe conditions in the synthesis section of the plant constantly affect the protective liners that cover the carbon steel high-pressure equipment . Over time, these liners become thinner, potentially causing ammonium carbamate to leak and leading to corrosion. In case of a leak, a hazardous situation can happen, placing in danger your staff, equipment, and the …

Achieve better control of the process with high-pressure valves    The Challenge Valves are essential to a plant's control, shutdown and isolation philosophy. Control and ON/OFF valves in a urea plant's high-pressure (HP) synthesis section are subjected to the highly corrosive carbamate process medium and severe operating conditions like two-phase flow. Flashing can cause problems and lead to damage to the valve components.  Under these conditions, if a valve is not performing optimally, it can negatively …

Ensuring reliability and long lifetime of the most critical equipment The Challenge Reliable and durable high-pressure (HP) equipment is critical for successful urea production. However, being exposed to highly corrosive ammonium carbamate at high temperatures and pressure puts stress on your HP equipment. As a result, equipment failures can severely interrupt plant operations and even cause serious safety risks and fatal accidents.  These risks, however, can be prevented with a proper inspection program …

For maximum lifetime and optimal performance The high-pressure (HP) stripper is a vertical two-phase falling-film heat exchanger and is the key piece of equipment in Stamicarbon’s urea stripping process. From the reactor , urea solution is sent to the stripper, where carbamate from the urea solution is broken down into ammonia and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), increasing urea concentration.  The urea solution flows by gravity to the bottom of the stripper via heat exchanger tubes and comes in contact with CO 2 …

A turnkey service to ensure the safety and reliability of your ammonia tank The Challenge To ensure the safety and reliability of your refrigerated ammonia storage tank, regular inspection is a must. Regular inspections also include internal inspections, which pose a significant challenge to many plant owners due to a lack of experience with decommissioning and re-commissioning of such storage tanks and the associated risks.  Stamicarbon strongly advises opening the tank for internal inspection at the …