PROCESS AND PLANT FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A UREA SOLUTION FOR USE IN SCR PROCESS FOR REDUCTION OF NOX
A process and a plant for the preparation of an acqueous solution of urea suitable for use in a SCR process for nitrogen oxides removal, wherein the urea solution from the recovery section of a urea plant is subject to at least one step of evaporation, separating a vapour stream containing water and ammonia, and obtaining a concentrated and substantially ammonia-free solution, and said concentrated solution is diluted to the concentration of urea suitable for use in the SCR process.
1 . A process for the preparation of an aqueous solution of urea suitable for use in a SCR process for nitrogen oxides removal, comprising the steps of:
obtaining an aqueous stream containing urea in the recovery section of a urea production plant;
subjecting said acqueous stream to at least one process step of evaporation, separating a vapour stream containing water and ammonia, and obtaining a concentrated and substantially ammonia-free solution; and
then diluting said concentrated solution to obtain a solution with a concentration of urea suitable for use in the SCR process.
2 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein the evaporation comprises a heating step and a subsequent separation under vacuum, where the vapour stream containing water and ammonia and the concentrated solution are separated,
3 . The process according to claim 2 , wherein said separation under vacuum is carried out at a pressure of 0.2 to 0.4 bar.
4 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein said acqueous stream from the recovery section is subject to a first evaporation step, obtaining a vapour phase containing water and ammonia and a concentrated urea solution in liquid phase; at least a portion of said concentrated urea solution is then subject to a second evaporation step, separating a vapour phase containing water and ammonia and obtaining a further concentrated and substantially ammonia-free urea solution; said further concentrated urea solution is then diluted with water to a predetermined concentration of urea.
5 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein evaporation is carried out in shell-and-tube indirect heat exchanger(s), where the urea solution is fed to the tube side.
6 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein concentration of the solution after the dilution with water is 30 to 35 wt % urea.
7 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein the NH 3 content of the diluted solution is less than 2000 ppm and preferably less than 200 ppm.
8 . A plant for the production of aqueous solution of urea suitable for use in a SCR process for nitrogen oxides removal, the plant comprising at least:
a synthesis section converting ammonia and carbon dioxide into a first aqueous stream containing urea, ammonium carbamate and unreacted free ammonia;
a recovery section adapted to dissociate the carbamate and recycle ammonia and carbon dioxide to the synthesis section, and producing a second aqueous stream substantially containing urea, water and residual ammonia, the plant comprising a further section adapted to convert at least a part of said second stream into a solution with a lower urea concentration for use in a SCR process, said further section comprising:
at least one evaporation unit , adapted to obtain a concentrated and substantially ammonia-free urea solution,
a mixing device adapted to dilute said concentrated solution with water.
9 . The plant according to claim 8 , wherein said further section comprises at least a first evaporation unit and a second evaporation unit operating in series.
10 . The plant according to claim 9 , wherein said further section comprises a first evaporation unit obtaining a vapour phase containing water and ammonia and a concentrated urea solution in liquid phase, and a second evaporation unit, said second unit being fed with at least a portion of said concentrated urea solution from the first unit, and obtaining a further concentrated and substantially ammonia-free urea solution, to be diluted for the production of the solution for use in SCR process.
11 . The plant according to claim 10 , wherein the first evaporation unit comprises an evaporator and a flash vessel, and the second evaporation unit comprises an evaporator and a vacuum separator.
12 . A method for modifying an existing urea production plant, to make it adapted to produce a urea solution suitable for use in a SCR process, the plant comprising:
a synthesis section; a recovery section; and
a concentration section,
the recovery section obtaining an aqueous stream substantially containing urea, water and residual ammonia, fed to the concentration section for the production of high-purity urea, the method comprising the provision of at least a further section adapted to convert at least a part of said aqueous stream into a solution with a lower concentration of urea, for use in a SCR process, said further section comprising at least one evaporation unit, adapted to obtain a concentrated and substantially ammonia-free urea solution, and a mixing device adapted to dilute said concentrated solution with water.