Simulation-Based Analysis of Key Operating Parameters in an Ammonia Synthesis Loop
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37375/ka4q3x27Keywords:
Ammonia synthesis; Aspen HYSYS; Haber–Bosch process; Loop pressure; Ammonia condensationAbstract
A steady-state simulation model of the ammonia synthesis loop at the Marsa El-Brega Ammonia Plant was developed using Aspen HYSYS V14 to investigate the effect of selected operating parameters on loop performance. The validated model was based on actual plant operating conditions and was subsequently used to evaluate two practical operating cases: loop pressure and cooling conditions before the high-pressure ammonia separator. The pressure study showed that increasing the loop pressure improved ammonia production, with the best simulated condition reaching 34.490 MT/h, corresponding to an increase of 1.230 MT/h (3.70%) relative to the actual plant-load base case. The cooling study demonstrated that improving cooling before V-501 enhanced ammonia condensation and recovery. Under the combined optimum cooling condition, ammonia production increased to 34.100 MT/h, representing an improvement of 0.840 MT/h (2.53%) over the base case. The results demonstrate that both reaction-side pressure and downstream cooling performance have significant effects on synthesis-loop operation and provide practical directions for improving ammonia production under the current plant operating conditions.
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