Process for producing ammonia synthesis gas with high temperature shift and low steam-to-carbon ratio

1. A process for producing ammonia synthesis gas from a hydrocarbon-containing feedstock in a front-end, the process comprising the steps of:

steam reforming of said feedstock, obtaining a synthesis gas comprising hydrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide;

a treatment of said synthesis gas including shift of carbon monoxide and subsequent removal of carbon dioxide,

wherein:

the shift of the synthesis gas includes a step of high-temperature shift at a temperature greater than 300° C. with an iron-based catalyst;

the global steam-to-carbon molar ratio of the front end is 2.6 or less; and wherein said steam reforming comprises:

a first reforming step including a primary steam reforming and optionally including a pre-reforming before said primary steam reforming, thus obtaining a first reformed gas;

a second reforming step with a stream of an oxidant, thus obtaining a synthesis gas comprising hydrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide;

said steps of first and second reforming being performed in series,

said second reforming step being carried out by using oxygen or enriched air comprising at least 50% oxygen, as the oxidant stream.

2. The process according to claim 1 , said global steam-to-carbon molar ratio being in the range 1.5 to 2.6.

3. The process according to claim 1 , said first reforming step including a pre-reforming step, the feed of said pre-reforming step being the hydrocarbon feedstock mixed with steam, said feed having a steam-to-carbon molar ratio equal to said global molar ratio, and no further steam being added during the process.

4. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the synthesis gas obtained after said second reforming step being then mixed with steam, prior to its feeding to the high-temperature shift, in order to raise the global steam-to-carbon molar ratio of the front end.

5. The process according to claim 4 , wherein said first reforming step includes a pre-reforming step, and where the pre-reforming and the primary steam reforming are carried out with a low steam-to-carbon molar ratio which is lower than said global molar ratio.

6. The process according to claim 5 , wherein said low molar ratio is less than 2.

7. The process according to claim 4 , wherein the primary steam reforming is carried out with a steam-to-carbon molar ratio which is greater than said global molar ratio, and an amount of fresh hydrocarbon feedstock is mixed with the effluent of the primary steam reforming, prior to said second reforming step.

8. The process according to claim 7 , the steam-to-carbon molar ratio of the primary steam reforming being in the range 2.7 to 3.

9. The process according to claim 4 , wherein said first reforming step includes a pre-reforming and a primary steam reforming, the pre-reforming is carried out with a first steam-to-carbon molar ratio and the primary steam reforming is carried out with a second steam-to-carbon molar ratio which is equal to or greater than said first molar ratio, while both said first and second molar ratio are lower than the global molar ratio.

10. The process according to claim 9 , said first molar ratio being in the range 0.5 to 2, and said second molar ratio being around 1.5-2.

11. The process according to claim 9 , wherein the effluent of the primary steam reforming step is mixed with an amount of fresh hydrocarbon.

12. The process according to claim 9 , wherein an amount of the pre-reformed gas leaving said pre-reforming step is mixed with the effluent of the primary steam reforming, thus bypassing said primary reforming.

13. The process according to claim 1 , wherein said global steam-to-carbon molar ratio is in the range 2.2 to 2.4.

14. The process according to claim 1 , including also a low-temperature shift which is carried out after the high-temperature shift and at around 200° C., a carbon dioxide removal section and optionally a methanation section.

15. The process according to claim 1 , said hydrocarbon feedstock being desulphurized natural gas.

16. The process according to claim 1 , said temperature of the high-temperature shift being in the range 320 to 500° C.

17. The process according to claim 5 , wherein said low molar ratio is around 1.5.

18. The process according to claim 6 , wherein said low molar ratio is around 1.5.

19. A method of revamping a front-end of an ammonia plant, said front-end producing ammonia synthesis gas by steam reforming of a hydrocarbon-containing feedstock,

wherein said front-end comprises a primary reforming stage and an air-fired secondary reforming stage, and also comprises a high-temperature shift converter with an iron based catalyst, and

wherein the original front-end operates with a global steam-to-carbon molar ratio of 2.6 or greater, wherein:

the amount of the hydrocarbon feedstock and the amount of steam fed to the front-end are regulated in such a way that the global steam-to-carbon molar ratio of the revamped front-end is 2.6 or less; and

said secondary reforming stage is modified to operate with oxygen or enriched air with at least 50% oxygen as oxidant stream, instead of air.

20. The method according to claim 19 , including the installation of a steam line (PS) for the addition a predetermined amount of steam to the synthesis gas leaving the secondary reforming stage prior to admission into the high-temperature shift converter.

21. The method according to claim 19 , including the provision of a hydrocarbon feedstock bypass line, arranged in such a way that a portion of the feedstock bypasses said first reforming stage and is sent directly to the second reforming stage.

22. The method according to claim 19 , wherein the primary reforming stage includes a pre-reformer, and the method including the provision of a bypass line of the primary reformer for a portion of the effluent of said pre-reformer, so that said portion is sent directly to the second reforming stage.

23. The method according to claim 19 , comprising the installation of an autothermal reformer (ATR) in parallel with the existing primary and secondary reformers, said autothermal reformer being fed with a portion of the natural gas feed and steam, the method also comprising the routing of the effluent from said newly installed autothermal reformer to the high-temperature shift converter, and mixing of the effluent from said autothermal reformer with the effluent from the existing primary and secondary reformers.