ENV-00-171 Predict Methanol and Mmonia in Hydrogen-Plant Process Condensate and Deaerator-Vent Emissions

Description:

Here is a tool to estimate maximum concentrations of contaminants in hydrogen-plant process condensate and the resulting atmospheric emissions from the steam-system deaerator vent when condensate is reused as boiler feed water make-up. The technique presented is the outcome of a case study to compare predicted values with previously unreported field measurements at a number of the company’s hydrogen-plant locations. Quantitative discussion focuses on the steam-methane reforming (SMR) process for hydrogen manufacturing and, in particular, the option employing pressure-swing-adsorption (PSA) for hydrogen product separation. Ammonia, created in the reformer, and methanol from the high temperature shift (HTS) are explored in greatest detail. This paper is of particular significance at this time as deaerator-vent emissions are already coming under regulatory scrutiny in California, and now elsewhere in the U.S. under EPA’s Refinery MACT Rule.