A new process for argon recovery from hydrogen depleted ammonia plant purge gas

✍ Scribed by R. Krishnamurthy; Steven L. Lerner; Donald L. MacLean

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1987
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 868 KB
• Volume: 1
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0950-4214
• DOI: 10.1016/0950-4214(87)80004-x

✦ Synopsis

A number of ammonia plants employ membranes or cryogenic hydrogen recovery units to separate hydrogen contained in the purge gas for recycle to the ammonia synthesis loop. The resulting hydrogen depleted purge gas, which is usually used for fuel, is an attractive source of argon. This paper presents the novel features of a process which employs a combination of pressure swing adsorption (PSA) and cryogenic technology to separate the argon from this hydrogen depleted purge gas stream. This new proprietary Hybrid Argon Recovery Process ( HARPTM) plant+ is an effective alternative to a conventional all-cryogenic plant.