Catalyst Catastrophes in Syngas Production - I
The Hazards
Review incidents by reactor
Purification….
Through the various unit operations to
Ammonia synthesis
Nickel Carbonyl
Pre-reduced catalysts
Discharging catalysts
Conclusion
2. The Hazards
Review incidents by reactor
◦ Purification….
◦ Through the various unit operations to
◦ Ammonia synthesis
Nickel Carbonyl
Pre-reduced catalysts
Discharging catalysts
Conclusion
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3. Catalysts are pretty reactive! They are designed
to be so!
Under normal conditions they get on and do the
job they were designed to do
However if we give them the opportunity they will
also perform other reactions
◦ many of which generate large amounts of heat
◦ others produce toxic materials
◦ or other dangers to life/equipment
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4. Hydrodesulfurization (CoMo NiMo)
◦ can hydro-crack higher hydrocarbons - exothermic
◦ can form carbon from CO2 via reverse shift to CO and
carbon via the Boudourd reaction
Ultra-purification
◦ similar hazards to other copper catalysts
exothermic reduction
exothermic oxidation (both Cu and CuS)
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5. Hydrogen plant with two low sulfur feeds:
◦ high hydrogen content
◦ butane
HDS heated to 350°C(662°F) with hydrogen feed
50°C(90°F) exotherm observed – reduction?
Then butane was commissioned
Exotherm developed, went off-scale
◦ ruined catalyst, covered with carbon
◦ could have reached 700°C(1292°F)
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6. Avoid high partial pressures of hydrogen on
unsulfided HDS catalysts above 200-300°C(392-
572°F)
Recognize the potential for hydrocracking of higher
hydrocarbons with hydrogen
◦ particularly if HDS catalysts are reduced
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7. Nickel carbonyl
Oxidation – exothermic
Can break up when wetted causing high pressure
drop
◦ Note potential damage from rapid drying
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9. Significant loss of tubes on start-up
◦ happens every year
Invariably firing > heat removal
Usually deviation from normal start-up procedures
◦ e.g quick recovery from trip condition
Low flow means tube temperature measurements
are unreliable
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11. Be super vigilant during start-ups
Have a look (carefully)
‘Stop and Think’ if you deviate from established
procedures
Establish steam flow before flue-gas temperatures
reach 500°C(932°F) to provide heat-sink and
improved temperature indication
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12. Above 500°C (932°F) the Boudouard reaction will
go quickly!
2CO → C + CO2
Do not allow steam ratio below 2.5/1.5
Whisker carbon can form within the pores and
cause the outer layer of catalyst to break off -
similar to metal dusting but much faster
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13. Lesson
◦ do not run with low S/C ratio trip bypassed
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14. Wetting is unusual - although some older plants
loaded catalyst into tubes full of water
Rapid drying is a problem for all catalysts as
steam pressure generated within the pellet can
break it apart
Also if one can break reforming catalysts this way
then all other catalysts are more susceptible
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15. A plant underestimated the extent of condensation
in the early part of their start-up and then continued
as normal assuming normal rates of heating would
dry the catalyst
The net effect was a pressure drop build up due to
broken catalyst - particularly in the bottom of the
tubes where catalyst had been flooded with
condensate
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17. If you get catalyst wet - dry it carefully
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18. In addition to the obvious explosion hazard - Air
addition without combustion can lead to vessel
damage from exotherms in high/low temperature
shift
◦ Air oxidation of HTS catalysts can generate temperatures
of 800°C(1472°F)
Lessons
◦ Prevent air feed until secondary temperature is above the
auto-ignition temperature around 650°C(1202°F)
◦ Review quality of air isolation
most secure philosophy - double block with high pressure
steam between the valves
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22. Caused by dehydration - usually due to extended
nitrogen circulation during plant commissioning
Lesson
◦ If you hold fresh HTS under dry nitrogen for an extended
period (days) introduce steam gradually
1st Steam
Introduced
0 20 40 60 80 100
250
300
350
400
450
500
600
700
800
Time, minutes
Temperature(°C)
Temperature(°F)
Inlet
Top
Mid
Bot
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23. Lesson
◦ if you have a severe boiler leak dry the catalyst carefully
before going back on line
HTS TEMPERATURE PROFILE BEFORE/AFTER
WETTING
360
380
400
420
440
0.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 100.0
% BED DEPTH
TEMPERATURE,°C
Dec-02
Jan-03
Pressure drop after = same as before
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25. N2 carrier - temperature rise 30°C(54°F) per %
hydrogen
NG carrier - temperature rise 20°C(36°F) per %
hydrogen
NG carrier - additional hazard from catalytic
oxidation of natural gas
Lessons
◦ Closely monitor temperature/hydrogen concentration
◦ With NG carrier keep temperatures below 230°C(450°F)
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26. Has the potential to generate temperatures over
900°C(1652°F)
Lesson
◦ Ensure process air cannot reach LTS
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27. Some catalysts will break up on contact with water
Water will also wash chlorides down the bed
shortening catalyst lives
Lessons
◦ Ensure quench systems working properly
◦ Ensure secure isolation from process gas during
start-up when LTS is cold
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28. Nickel carbonyl (see later)
Overheating
◦ temperature rise 74°C(133°F)/ %CO, 60°C(108°F)/
%CO2
◦ around 4% carbon oxides will raise temperature to vessel
limit
◦ First line of protection is LTS and CO2 removal
LTS failure is probably OK if HTS working
CO2 removal failure can quickly generate temperatures over
700°C(1292°F)
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29. ◦ Final protection is the high temperature trip
note thermocouple must be set in relation to exotherm
if thermocouple too near inlet or catalyst deactivated may not
respond
if too far down the bed may respond too late
Lesson
◦ Ensure CO2 removal and methanator trips are working
and the trip thermocouple is in the correct position
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30. Hydrogen plant tripped - due to cat in switch-
house
Cause was clearly identified, quickly remedied
Priority is to get the plant back on line
All reactors are still hot so should be able to turn
all back on and recover quickly
OK?
Is this a familiar or unfamiliar task?
What happens next?
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31. Methanator temperature goes off-scale
Vessel ruptures, catalyst pouring out of the hole
Cause believed to be delay is establishing liquid
hold-up in CO2 absorber
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32. Oxidation can generate temperatures above
1600°C(2900°F) - see later
During shutdowns loop boilers can be at higher
pressures and leak into the loop
◦ Water/oxygen deactivates these catalysts
Lesson
◦ During shutdowns isolate and drain loop equipment
containing water
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33. Odorless, colorless, OEL/PEL 0.001ppm
Will form on any Nickel catalyst in the presence of
CO at low temperature
Key rule - never expose nickel catalysts to CO
below 200°C(392°F)
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34. A CO plant was shut down, the reformer
depressurized and a CO containing feed isolated
The reformer pressure was seen to rise
◦ passing isolation valve
When the pressure was vented to flare the flame
went black
Fortunately those involved realised that Nickel
Carbonyl was a likely cause
This was confirmed and led to a costly
decontamination process
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35. Early days of ammonia manufacture in Europe 6
men were injured by Nickel carbonyl
The plant was forced to shut down due to a severe
leak in the waste heat boiler after the secondary
◦ the HTS stopped reacting (too cold) so the process gas
was blown off and methanator isolated under N2
It then became necessary to fit a slip plate into the
methanator exit line
◦ So the N2 purge was stopped
◦ temperature is now 25°C(77°F)
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36. While work was progressing it is believed that process
gas entered the methanator via a passing isolation valve
and formed carbonyl
The 6 men injured were working on the joint or in the
immediate vicinity
One analysis showed a carbonyl concentration of
5800ppm - 5 million times the OEL
Lesson
◦ consider using breathing apparatus when breaking into
lines close to the methanator
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37. The stabilization of pre-reduced catalysts is only
retained at low temperatures.
For transport drum sizes are limited
◦ natural heat losses help limit accumulation of heat
◦ drums also limit availability of oxygen
Reactors are very large drums!
◦ heat can accumulate
◦ we should limit the access to oxygen
◦ also moisture can destabilize pre-reduced catalysts
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38. Ammonia converter, just loaded and under nitrogen
needed some welding on the exit pipe work
With the exit and the top manway open a chimney
effect allowed fresh air into the vessel
Self heating started - creating temperatures over
700°C(1292°F)
Lesson
◦ keep pre-reduced catalysts under nitrogen when loaded
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39. Catalysts can remove oxygen from air -
asphyxiation risk
Contact with water can generate hydrogen
Carbon and sulfides can self ignite
Absorbed gases can be evolved
In-situ oxidation/ passivation can generate very
high local temperatures
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40. This requires high gas flow to quench hot spots that
develop
◦ otherwise local hotspots suck oxygen from the
surroundings
Particularly risky if there has been an
upset/mechanical problem damaging the catalyst
and affecting the flow
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41. An ammonia converter catalyst was oxidized in-
situ before discharge
There was no indication of high temperatures
during this process
But local areas had got hotter than
1600°C(2912°F)
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42. Lesson
◦ must achieve good flow distribution for in-situ oxidation
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43. Most of these incidents occurred during a ‘non-
routine’ or ‘unfamiliar’ activity
A short ‘Stop and Think’ can save lives, equipment
and business
I have used an ‘Unfamiliar Tasks Procedure’ with a
one page form to encourage a ‘Stop and Think’
when anyone got into unfamiliar territory
My personal experience plus the fact that this
procedure is still in use today suggests that it is
worthwhile
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