Production of ammonia using coal as a source of hydrogen. Annual report

Technical Report · Fri Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1976

OSTI ID:7299866

Laukhuf, W L.S.

A study was performed to determine the economic feasibility of using a coal gasifier as the required hydrogen production step in an ammonia synthesis plant. If such a technique was found to be feasible, large quantities of natural gas (the normal hydrogen feedstock for ammonia synthesis) could be released for other uses. A thermodynamic equilibrium model was used to predict the amount of hydrogen produced from a high-sulfur Western Kentucky coal feedstock for several coal gasification schemes. The hydrogen produced was then used to synthesize 1200 tons of ammonia per day for economic comparison purposes. At the present, ammonia is selling for $200 per ton and upwards, based on a natural gas price of $1.00-$1.50 per million Btu. Assuming a coal cost of $20 per ton, it was estimated that several existing gasifiers could produce sufficient hydrogen so that ammonia processed in an integrated coal gasification-ammonia synthesis plant would cost less to produce than the current selling price. Costs to produce the ammonia were as low as $122 per ton. It was also found that other gasifiers, with only slight modifications in operating conditions, could also produce ammonia for less than $200 per ton. Problem areas requiring further study were identified for such an integrated plant. (GRA)

• Research Organization: Kentucky Univ., Lexington (USA). Inst. for Mining and Minerals Research; Louisville Univ., KY (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7299866
• Report Number(s): PB-259388; IMMR-12-PD10-76
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010400* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Processing
08 HYDROGEN
080100 -- Hydrogen-- Production
090300 -- Inorganic Hydrogen Compound Fuels-- (-1989)
10 SYNTHETIC FUELS
AMMONIA
COAL GASIFICATION
ECONOMICS
GASIFICATION
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN PRODUCTION
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN HYDRIDES
PRODUCTION
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES