The Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore Ltd

(FACT)

Udyogamandal, Kochi, Kerala

Welcome

National Workshop organised by

Knowledge Exchange Platform, BEE 07.11.2016 – 08.11.2016

Online Fuel and Feed Stock Changeover

from Naphtha to RLNG

in FACT Ammonia Plant

T.K. Unnikrishna Prasad, Energy Manager

Incorporated in 1943, Public Sector Undertaking in 1962,

ISO 9001 & ISO 14001 Company

Started Production of Ammonium Sulphate of 10000 MT of nitrogen per Annum in 1947

1966 : 99000 TPA Ammonium Phosphate

1972 : 49500 TPA Ammonium Phosphate

1976 : 528000 TPA Ammonium Phosphate

1990 : 50000 TPA Caprolactam & 225000 TPA Ammonium Sulphate Plants

1998 : 990 TPD Ammonia Plant with Naphtha

2013 : Fuel & feed changeover to RLNG in 990 TPD Ammonia Plant

Major Products : Ammonium Phosphate , Ammonium Sulphate. Caprolactam

Intermediate Products : Ammonia, Sulphuric Acid, Phosphoric Acid

About FACT

SULPHURIC ACID

PHOSPHORIC ACID

AMMONIA

FACTAMPHOS

20:20

ROCK

PHOSPHATE

SULPHUR

NAPHTHA

Or RLNG

FACTAMFOS 20:20 Design Capacity 6,76,500 MT per Year

SULPHURIC ACID

AMMONIA

AMMONIUM

SULPHATE

SULPHUR

NAPHTHA

Or RLNG

AMMONIUM SULPHATE-DN Route Design Capacity 2,25,000 MT per Year

FACT

Udyogamandal Complex

FACT

Cochin Division

FACT Engineering

& Design Organisation

FEDO

FACT Engineering

Works

FEW

FACT R&D

Divisions of FACT

FACT Ammonia Plants - Evolution

1947

Wood Gasification Process 40 MTPD

1962

Texaco Gasification Process 80 MTPD

1966

Texaco Gasification Process 140 MTPD

1972

Steam Reforming Process 120 MTPD

1973

ICI Steam Reforming Process 600 MTPD

1998

Steam Reforming Process of Naphtha 990 TPD

2013 Feed & fuel change over to RLNG

FACT Ammonia Complex

Commissioned in 1998

Project Cost Rs.638 Cr

Installed Capacity-990 TPD

Process Licensor - Haldor Topsoe, Denmark

CPP - 6 MW Turbo Generator with 2X60 TPH Boilers

( BHEL / BHPV make)

RLNG Conversion in Oct 2013 with

project cost Rs.47 Cr

Standalone Ammonia Plant included in

PAT from its cycle I period

Plant Boundary Scheme

CPP

AMMONIA PLANT

Ammonia

Re-gasified LNG (A)

Grid Electricity (B)

Steam Power

Ammonia Plant - Boundary

Modified Process Layout after Conversion

HT Shift Converter

Methanator

Methanator

Final Desulphurization

NH3 Synthesis

Section

CO2 Removal

Purge Recovery

Refrigerant

Primary Reforming

(Indirect heating by Firing)

Secondary Reforming

(Direct heating)

Reforming

CO Conversion HT Shift

Converter LT Shift

Converter

MDEA for Regeneration

Inert Gas as fuel

H2

MDEA

Purge

H2

Product Ammonia

RLNG Process Air

Steam

Flow Meter Arrangement

Background for conversion

Implementation of Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) for Phosphatic and Potassic (P&K) fertilisers w.e.f 1.4.2010 to follow fixed subsidy and floating MRP

Direction from Government of India (GoI) for captive ammonia units to convert from naphtha to NG/LNG.

Availability of LNG in Kochi through Petronet Terminal

Operation with LNG was envisaged in the initial design of the Ammonia Plant with minimum plant modifications and investment

LNG DISTRIBUTION NET WORK

Petronet LNG Ltd Terminal, Kochi, JV by Govt of India, Promoted by ONGC, IOC & BPCL

Storage in 2 Cryogenic tanks of 1,55,000 m3 and Gasification process in the Terminal

Gas Pigging Station in Eloor at a pipeline distance of 17km from Terminal

Gas Receiving / Metering station in

FACT battery limit

Distribution to Plants

Unique features of the changeover

All Construction activities were carried out concurrently while the plant was running

Changeover completed without any unsafe incidents or operational threats

Detailed Standard Operating Procedure(SOP) was developed with in house Operating/Design expertise with active support of process licensor

Savings in start up energy and cost savings above Rs.3Cr due to online changeover

FIRST ONLINE CHANGE OVER BY THE PROCESS LICENSOR IN INDIA

MAJOR PLANT MODIFICATONS FOR THE CHANGEOVER SCHEME

New Gas Receiving Station in FACT premises

Addition of RLNG preheater H206 for superheating RLNG

Addition of Sulphur Absorber

R 202 A before the existing unit

MAJOR PLANT MODIFICATONS FOR THE CHANGEOVER SCHEME

Addition of LNG Fuel Preheater E 207

New water dosing unit with its electrics before FDS reactor to prevent hydro cracking reactions

New Dimethyl Disulfide(DMDS)unit with its electrics to maintain minimum sulphur

Online upgradation/addition of hardware & software in DCS, development of control & shutdown schemes

GAS Receiving Station

RLNG Heater H206

Under Construction

Fuel Preheater E207

RLNG Heater H206

Under construction

Sulphur Absorber R 202A

Under construction

RLNG Heater H206

Operation Stage

FDS after Conversion

CPP Boiler

Conversion

MAJOR PLANT MODIFICATONS FOR THE CHANGEOVER SCHEME IN CPP

CPP

2X60 TPH Boilers &

6 MW Turbo Generator

Online fuel conversion from

FO to RLNG

Dual mode operational philosophy

Savings in internal steam

consumption by 3MT/hr/boiler

Investment

Rs. 13 Cr

Savings in steam required for Steam Coil Air Preheater (SCAP),FO heating,

soot blow & fuel atomization

MAJOR CHALLENGES DURING THE ONLINE CHANGEOVER PROCESS

During initial admission of gas in Fuel system for checking of valves, vent valve got stuck up in its closed condition

RLNG heater tripped after its initial lighting up on low Fuel gas Pressure

( Fuel Strainers were blocked due to dust carry over)

During the Online Change Over, Naphtha feed was reduced by 10% per day with increase of gas flow by 10 %. Since molecular weight measurement by Vortex Flow meter had problems, manual inputs were used for Controls

CHALLENGES DURING THE ONLINE CHANGEOVER PROCESS

Ultra filters at the gas receiving station was getting blocked by dust carry over and filter cleaning was required frequently.

On feeding of second consignment of gas, specific gravity along with methane content changed due to varied gas composition. Corrective measures in Controls were required at this instant

Sulphur content in the gas was varying on wide ranges which required close monitoring

Equipments Eliminated during conversion

Pre Desulphurization Section (PDS)

Naphtha Pre Heater E 216 & Naphtha Super Heater H205 in Final Desulphurization Section(FDS)

CHALLENGES AFTER THE CONVERSION PROCESS

Allocation of Natural Gas for Fertliser Sectors to be addressed

Any further reduction in Specific Energy Consumption (SEC) requires huge investment

ADVANTAGES OF NG USAGE IN FERTILSER SECTOR

Utilization of Energy value attribute as well as Chemical Value attribute unlike other sectors

Clean Fuel and Feed available for Fertilser Production

MAJOR IMPACT OF RLNG CONVERSION (75% PLANT LOAD)

Reduction of steam intake to Reformer by 28%

( Due to low Steam Carbon ratio for RLNG)

Reduction of Carbon Dioxide Emission by 28%

Reduction of Power Consumption by

300 Units /Hr ( Due to stoppage of PDS Section )

Reduction of Fire Load in the plant by 20%

( RLNG is much safer than naphtha in handling)

Over all reduction in steam intake to plant by

7 MT/Hr

RLNG Conversion - Summary

Online Conversion

1.67% savings in

SEC

Capital Investment – Rs. 47 Cr

Project Duration – 28 months

Changeover process –

5 days

FACT

Ceremonial Pumping of Gas to FACT 28 August, 2013

Sri. K. Jayachandran, Sri. K.S. Harikumar, Sri. Mathew P.J. Sri. Babu Jose, Sri. K.P. Reji, Sri. Faizal Latheef K.A., Smt. Emin .P. Mathew