BANGLADESH RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS JOURNAL

ISSN: 1998-2003, Volume: 6, Issue: 1, Page: 8 -11, September-October, 2011

PROCESS UPGRADING OF UREA SYNTHESIS: A CASE ON JAMUNA

FERTILIZER COMPANY
Md. Mamunur Rashid1 and Md. Abdul Mannaf2
Md. Mamunur Rashid and Md. Abdul Mannaf (2011). Process Upgrading of Urea Synthesis:
A Case on Jamuna Fertilizer Company. Bangladesh Res. Pub. J. 6(1): 8-11. Retrieve from
http://www.bdresearchpublications.com/admin/journal/upload/09255/09255.pdf

Abstract
High pressure is never expected in process or process flow system. Such
a problem is remaining in Jamuna fertilizer Company Limited (JFCL)
since 1991. All equipments of the process are damaged due to high
pressure, which are connected with the high pressure loop. Hence,
every year company losses about BDT 200 million due to maintenance,
breakdown and startup. Process and production will be same as before
after implementation this design and all employed equipments of high
pressure system will not be damaged. To implement this proposed
design maximum BDT. 40 million will be need. It can be easily
implemented proposal for the interest of the factory as well of
Bangladesh.
Key Words: Urea Synthesis; Loop pressure; Jamuna Fertilizer Company Limited;
and HP Ejector.
Introduction
In America and Japan, power supply is 110 volts all over the country; where
as in Bangladesh is 220 volts. Voltage is nothing, it is electrical pressure and more
pressure may cause damage or possibility to damage everything. Power
interruption can be caused of damage electrical equipment or possibility of any
accident. Hence, comparatively low voltage is safer than the high voltage.
Comparatively low pressure pumps are safer than the high pressure pumps. In
case of high pressure reciprocating pump, it can damage valve, springs, seats,
discs, packing, O-rings, gears, bearings, manifold, barrels and lines etc for several
times in urea plant of JFCL. Here three high-pressure ammonia pumps are having
the pressure about 240 kg/cm2, which is very high. Thus, the internal parts of the
pressure of pumps are usually damaged. Maintenance frequencies of the said
pumps are high. The design pressure of the pumps are 219 kg/cm2, the pumps
have to deliver ammonia under pressure 240 kg/cm2 due to process problem. In
this perspective, a study has been done and presented in the conference to
solve the JFCL urea plant’s crucial problem (Manaf, M. and Rashid, M. M. 2004).
Moreover few works have been done on Jamuna Fertilizer Company Limited
(JFCL) perspective for sustaining development of the factory (Rashid, M. M. 2011;
Rashid, M. M. and Manaf, M. 2011; Rashid, M.M. 2003).
The Description of JFCL
The Jamuna Fertilizer Company Limited (JFCL) has been established in 1991
to facilitate the agriculture growth of Bangladesh, through producing granular
urea. The plant and housing complex is located in an area of 135 acres of land.

Corresponding Author’s email: mamun87245@gmail.com

1 Bangladesh Institute of Management, 4, Sobhanbag, Mirpur Road, Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh.
2
Jamuna Fertilizer Company Limited (BCIC), Tarakandi, Jamalpur-2055, Bangladesh.
Process upgrading of urea synthesis 9

Another 59 acres of land on there for infrastructure facilities like heavy duty road,
diversion roads, connecting plant site, railway yard with the national railway, the
jetty and water intake facilities. Its urea production capacity is 1700 metric ton per
day (MTPD) designed by SNAPPROGETTI and ammonia is 1078 MTPD designed by
HALDORTOPSOE of Denmark and constructed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Limited of Japan. JFCL has power generation capacity of 20.85 MW (Installed)
and bagging capacity is 3,600 MTPD (Rashid, M. M. 2011). Main raw material for
production of urea is natural gas. Natural gas has been supplied from Titas gas
field through Brahmaputra gas Transmission and Distribution Project.
A Process on Urea Synthesis
Process upgrading can be developed through process system or operation
or process reaction or process parameter. In Jamuna Fertilizer Company Limited
(JFCL) (Rashid , M. M. 2011), high pressure of urea synthesis section from 240
kg/cm2 to 159 kg/cm2 can be reduced for the requirement synthesis of the urea
plant . Urea is produced by synthesis from liquid ammonia and gaseous carbon
dioxide. In urea reactor, ammonia and carbon dioxide react to form ammonium
carbamate, a portion of which dehydrates to urea and water. The reactions are
as follows:
2NH3 + CO2 = NH2COONH4
Ammonia Carbon dioxide Ammonium Carbamate
NH2COONH4 = NH2CONH2 + H2O
Ammonium Carbamate Urea Water

In synthesis conditions of Jamuna fertilizer Co. Ltd (T=188°C, P=159 Kg/cm2) the first
section occurs rapidly and then the second reaction occurs slowly and determines the
reactor volume according to the Snamprogetti Urea Process. The Snamprogetti Urea
Process is basically total recycle stripping process using ammonia as self stripping driving
force. The Snamprogetti process used the surplus ammonia present in the urea solution
leaving the reactor to strip CO2 from urea solution in a falling film steam heated heat
exchanger operated at the urea reactor pressure. The separated CO2 and NH3 are
recombined as ammonium carbamate in the carbamate condensers, also operating at
urea reactor pressure and then returned to the reactor for conversion to urea. The overall
result of this scheme is that an internal recycle of both NH3 and CO2 in the urea reactor
system is established without having to pump either component, as in previous total
recycle process in which NH3 and CO2 were separated from the solution at lower pressure.
This substantially reduces the high pressure pumping requirements for both the NH3 and
ammonium carbamate solution, since in the Snamprogetti stripping process
approximately 80% of the CO2 fed is converted to urea within high pressure synthesis loop
and only about 20% of it must be pumped back to the reactor as ammonium carbamate
solution from lower pressure. In addition to the reducing pumping requirements, this
process permits a substantial saving in steam requirement, since the operating
temperature level of the ammonium carbamate condenser by utilizing the heat released
by the condensing vapor. The NH3 to CO2 ratio used in Snamprogetti process is 3.3-3.6:
1which combines with a temperature of 186-189º C and pressure of 155~159 Kg/cm2
approximately, permits a conversion yield in the reactor of 62 to 65% (Manaf, M. and
Rashid, M. M. 2004).

High Pressure Recovery System of JFCL

High pressure recovery system of JFCL occurs on the top of the HP
separator to medium pressure decomposer. In this case, from the top of the HP
separator the incondensable gases come out consisting of inert gases containing
a little quantity of NH3 and CO2 are not reacted in the condenser, which are sent
to the bottom of the medium pressure decomposer. In the HP recovery system,
the products and unconverted reactants leaving flow to steam heated falling film
stripper from where part of the unconverted carbamate decomposes to urea

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Rashid and Mannaf 10

and water by stripping action of ammonia. At the outlet of the stripper, the
conversion of the carbon dioxide to urea is 83% to 85%. The overheated gases
from the stripper and the recovered carbamate solution from medium pressure
absorber flow to the high pressure carbamate condenser, where the total mixture
except for a few inert is condensed and recycled to the reactor by means of the
carbamate ejector.
Existing Process System
As per flow diagram is shown following figure 1, the present condition
stated as, stream no.16 indicates high pressure liquid ammonia coming from HP
ammonia pump, which is used as a driving liquid for carbamate ejector to draw
carbamate from HP separator of pressure 147 kg/cm2 to become pressure 159
kg/cm2 due to process requirement of urea plant of JFCL (Manaf, M. and Rashid ,
M. M. 2004).
 

Figure 1. Present condition of urea Synthesis of JFCL (Manaf, M. and Rashid , M.

M. 2004)
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Process upgrading of urea synthesis 11

A Proposed Modified Design

The process needs 159 kg/cm2 pressure both liquid ammonia and
carbamate for urea reactor. It can be available liquid ammonia of pressure 159
kg/cm2 from HP ammonia pump easily. When carbamate ejector is omitted, then
carbamate pressure can be raised from 147 kg/cm2 to 159 kg/cm2 by installing a
booster pump at the point of stream no.18, which is shown in figure 1. In effects,
this will increase the carbamate pressure from 147 kg/cm2 to 159 kg/cm2 for the
requirement of the plant.
Conclusion
Generally, recycling carbamate solution back to urea-reactor is done
through high pressure liquid jet ejectors. Moreover, normally multistage steam jet
vacuum systems specifically designed to meet the requirements of urea
evaporation stages have been in use. Besides, in this proposed system HP ejector
function can be withdrawn through removing the internal parts of the ejector and
installing a booster pump at the point of stream no.18. In that case the
modification work will be become easy. Jamuna Fertilizer Company Limited will
be benefitted in financially and technically to implement this proposal. Therefore,
the urea plant of JFCL can gain more stable condition than previous design.
References
Rashid, M. M. (2011) Management Information System of Jamuna Fertilizer
Company Limited: A Case Study, International Business and Management,
3 (1):118-124, 2011
Manaf, M. and Rashid, M. M. (2004) A process upgrading of urea synthesis and
high pressure recovery section by reducing pressure from high pressure
loop, Proceedings of the national paper meeting on fertilizer sector, IEB,
Rangadia, Chittagong, Bangladesh, July 09, 2004, Paper No 1B, pp. 68-72
Rashid, M. M. and Islam M.A (2004), A Technical proposal on analyzing
Management Information Systems of the Jamuna Fertilizer Company
Limited: A case Study, Proceedings of the national paper meet on fertilizer
sector at IEB Rangadia, Chittagong, Bangladesh, July 09, 2004, Paper No
1A, pp. 73-79
Rashid, M.M. (2003) Innovation of Programming Keyboard in Jamuna Fertilizer
Company Limited, Proceedings of the Eighth Annual Paper Meeting and
the Third International Conference on Mechanical Engineering, March 20-
22, 2003, IEB, Ramna, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh; Abstract No.60.
Rashid, M. M. and Manaf, M. (2011) Woodward Governor’s Troubleshooting and
Rectification: A case on Jamuna Fertilizer Company Perspective,
Bangladesh Res. Pub. J. 5(4):381-386
Manaf, M. And Rashid, M. M. (2002) Technical Challenge about Woodward
Governor’s Trouble Shooting and Rectification in Jamuna Fertilizer
Company Limited. Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Paper Meeting and
the Second International Conference on Mechanical Engineering,
February15, 2002, IEB, Chittagong, Bangladesh, Paper No.26, pp. 206-211

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