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Brief Description - Ammonia Storage Systems

The document summarizes the ammonia storage and handling system at a facility. It describes that ammonia is stored in two 5000 metric ton tanks at atmospheric pressure and -33°C. There are four screw compressors that compress ammonia vapor from the tanks and three pumps that transfer liquid ammonia from the tanks. The refrigeration system maintains the tanks at low temperature and pressure to keep ammonia in liquid form and prevent boil-off. Safety controls monitor tank pressure and level and can stop ammonia transfer or vent vapors if levels exceed set points.

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Vishal Thadani
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581 views3 pages

Brief Description - Ammonia Storage Systems

The document summarizes the ammonia storage and handling system at a facility. It describes that ammonia is stored in two 5000 metric ton tanks at atmospheric pressure and -33°C. There are four screw compressors that compress ammonia vapor from the tanks and three pumps that transfer liquid ammonia from the tanks. The refrigeration system maintains the tanks at low temperature and pressure to keep ammonia in liquid form and prevent boil-off. Safety controls monitor tank pressure and level and can stop ammonia transfer or vent vapors if levels exceed set points.

Uploaded by

Vishal Thadani
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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1.

Description of the Ammonia Storage & Handling System

Ammonia is stored in the two-nos. 5000T capacity tanks at atmospheric pressure


and at –330C. The tanks have double wall double integrity, cup-in-tank type
having `Puff’ insulation done in-situ to minimize heat input and the ammonia
boil off. Tanks have diameter 23.2 meters and height 17.5 meters. The facility has
arrangement to receive ammonia from road & rail tankers and also load and
dispatch through road & rail tankers. (currently not in use)

There are 4 nos. screw compressors, each having a capacity to compress


1280kg/hr ammonia vapour from atmospheric pressure to 18.5kg/cm 2. Each
compressor is capable of providing the required refrigeration to condense the
vapours generated while letting down 30 tph liquid ammonia into the ammonia
storage tanks and the ammonia boil-off due to heat gained by the refrigerated
storage tanks.

Three vertical multistage centrifugal ammonia pumps are provided for the
transfer of liquid ammonia from storage tank either to the urea plant or to the
rail filling station. Each pump is capable of handling ammonia @ 50m 3/hr from a
suction pressure of 1.05 kg/cm2a and –330C temperature to a delivery pressure of
29.03 kg/cm2.

When there is no ammonia import to the storage, the duty is termed ‘Holding’.
Heat gained by the refrigerated storage tank through the insulation causes boil
off of ammonia vapour. In order to maintain the tank contents at –330C it is
necessary to compress this vapour condense and return it to the tank.

When there is import of liquid ammonia to the storage tanks the operation is
termed as ‘Let Down Duty’. The refrigeration circuit ensures that ammonia
remains liquid at the near atmospheric storage pressure. The refrigeration circuit
takes suction from the tanks, compresses it to 17kg/cm2, cools the vapours by
cooling water to condense the same and then through stepping down to 3.5
kg/cm2 lets down to storage pressure.
The refrigeration circuit also maintains storage tank pressure to counter-act heat
absorbed through the insulation that may otherwise increase pressure.

Individual refrigeration compressor trips under the following process conditions:

 Low suction pressure


 High discharge temperature
 High discharge pressure
 Low differential pressure between the compressor discharge and lube oil
pressure
 Low cooling water flow to condenser
 Low cooling water flow to oil cooler
 High level in saturator

Additionally each compressor can be stopped from local control station, sub
station or central control room.

Tank is protected from over pressure by PSH and high level by LSH. Both the
switches interrupt the liquid ammonia input to the tank by closing tank inlet
valve and other valves to prevent tank high pressure/level. In case of Etra low
level in the tank LSL trips the ammonia pumps. Actions required to control the
tank pressure are as under:

Tank Pressure Control Unit Action required


(mm WC)

When pressure is rising

100 PSL All compressor stopped

400 Manual Start Compressor

750 PSH Stop tank loading

800 PSH RV to flare shall opens


1040 PSVs Open to atmosphere

When pressure is decreasing

1040 PSVs PSV Gets reset

800 PSH RV to flare closes

750 PSH Restart tank loading

300 PSL Compressor stops

- 50 PSVs (vacuum) Vacuum RV opens

To take care of emergency requirements a Flare Stack capable to pass through 4500
Nm3/hr cold vapour ammonia is installed to vent the ammonia released from the
tank. During cold venting the maximum GLC of ammonia is always <50 mg/m 3 and
GLR <1500 W/m2 while flaring at 100% capacity.

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