Integrated process for urea and melamine production

1. An integrated process for urea and melamine production, wherein urea is produced in a urea plant of the so-called CO 2 or ammonia stripping type comprising a high pressure urea synthesis section operated at about 130-170 bar and comprising at least one urea synthesis reactor, stripper and carbamate condenser, connected one to the other so as to form a substantially isobaric loop, and a urea recovery section for separating urea from a carbamate aqueous solution, and wherein melamine is produced in a melamine plant wherein off-gases resulting as by-products of the melamine synthesis are discharged therefrom at a pressure between 2 and 30 bar and recycled to said high pressure urea synthesis section, the process comprising the steps of:

feeding said off-gases coming from said melamine plant to an off-gas condensation section operated at a pressure substantially equal to the pressure of said off-gases;

feeding said carbamate aqueous solution coming from said urea recovery section to said off-gas condensation section;

condensing said off-gases with said carbamate aqueous solution in said off-gas condensation section obtaining a concentrated carbamate aqueous solution; and

feeding the so obtained concentrated carbamate aqueous solution to said high pressure urea synthesis section.

2. Process according to claim 1 , wherein said carbamate aqueous solution coming from said urea recovery section is directly fed to said off-gas condensation section.

3. Process according to claim 1 , wherein it further comprises the step of: compressing said carbamate aqueous solution coming from said urea recovery section to a pressure substantially corresponding to the operating pressure of said off-gas condensation section, previous to feeding it in such a section.

4. Process according to claim 1 , wherein said concentrated carbamate aqueous solution is directly fed to said high pressure urea synthesis section.

5. Process according to claim 1 , wherein it further comprises the step of: compressing said concentrated carbamate aqueous solution coming from said off-gas condensation section to a pressure substantially corresponding to the operating pressure of said high pressure urea synthesis section, previous to feeding it in such a section.

6. An integrated plant for urea and melamine production, comprising:

a urea production plant of the so-called CO 2 or ammonia stripping type comprising a high pressure urea synthesis section comprising at least one urea synthesis reactor, stripper and carbamate condenser, connected one to the other so as to form a substantially isobaric loop, and a urea recovery section for separating urea from a carbamate aqueous solution;

a melamine production plant comprising a melamine synthesis section wherein off-gases resulting as by-products of the melamine synthesis are discharged therefrom at a pressure of between 2 and 30 bar and recycled to said high pressure urea synthesis section;

an off-gas condensation section arranged between said melamine production plant and said urea production plant and in fluid communication with said melamine synthesis section, said urea recovery section and said high pressure synthesis section;

connecting means for feeding said off gases coming from said melamine synthesis section to said off-gas condensation section;

connecting means for feeding said carbamate aqueous solution coming from said urea recovery section to said off-gas condensation section, wherein said off-gases are condensed with said carbamate aqueous solution obtaining a concentrated carbamate aqueous solution; and

connecting means for feeding the so obtained concentrated carbamate aqueous solution to said high pressure urea synthesis section.

7. Plant according to claim 6 , wherein it further comprises a first compressor section, arranged between and in fluid communication with said urea recovery section and said off-gas condensation section for compressing said carbamate aqueous solution coming from said urea recovery section to a pressure substantially corresponding to the operating pressure of said off-gas condensation section.

8. Plant according to claim 6 , wherein it further comprises a second compression section, arranged between and in fluid communication with said off-gas condensation section and said high pressure urea synthesis section for compressing said concentrated carbamate aqueous solution coming from said off-gas condensation section to a pressure substantially corresponding to the operating pressure of said high pressure urea synthesis section.