Process and apparatus for the production of ammonium carbonate

Claim 2

PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF AMMONIUM CARBONATE SOLUTION WHICH COMPRISES REACTING A FEED STREAM COMPRISING AMMONIA WITH A FIRST STREAM COMPRISING CARBON DIOXIDE IN AN AQUEOUS AMMONIUM CARBONATE SOLUTION, WHEREBY A GAS STREAM CONTAINING RESIDUAL UNABSORBED AMMONIA IS PRODUCED, WITHDRAWING A FIRST LIQUID STREAM OF SAID SOLUTION AS PRODUCT AMMONIUM CARBONATE SOLUTION, WITHDRAWING A SECOND LIQUID STREAM OF SAID SOLUTION, COOLING SAID SECOND LIQUID STREAM, SCRUBBING SAID GAS STREAM CONTAINING RESIDUAL UNABSORBED AMMONIA WITH SAID COOLED SECOND LIQUID STREAM, WHEREBY A MAJOR PORTION OF SAID RESIDUAL UNABSORBED AMMONIA IS ABSORBED INTO SAID SECOND LIQUID STREAM, COMBINING SAID SECOND LIQUID STREAM CONTAINING ABSORBED AMMONIA WITH SAID AQUEOUS AMMONIUM CARBONATE SOLUTION, ADDING A SECOND STREAM CONPRISING CARBON DIOXIDE TO THE RESIDUAL GAS STREAM FROM SAID SCRUBBBING STEP, COOLING AND REFLUXING THE MIXED STREAM, ADDING SUFFICIENT LIAUID WATER TO THE GAS STREAM DURING SAID REFLUXING STEP TO DISSOLVE RESIDUAL AMMONIA INTO THE LIQUID REFLUX PHASE AS AMMONIUM CARBONATE, AND REMOVING A RESIDUAL GAS STREAM CONTAINING CARBON DIOXIDE AND FREE OF AMMONIA FROM SAID REFLUXING STEP.

Claim 3

APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF AMMONIUM CARBONATE SOLUTION BY REACTION OF AMMONIA AND CARBON DIOXIDE WHICH COMPRISES A REACTION VESSEL, SAID VESSEL HAVING A LOWER RESERVOIR CHAMBER CONTAINING AQUEOUS AMMONIUM CARBONATE SOLUTION, MEANS FOR GAS-LIQUID CONTACT WITHIN SAID VESSEL ABOVE SAID RESERVOIR CHAMBER, A GAS REFLUX SECTION WITHIN SAID VESSEL ABOVE SAID MEANS FOR GAS-LIQUID CONTACT, SAID REFLUX SECTION BEING PROVIDED WITH BUBBLE CAP TRAYS AND MEANS FOR GAS COOLING, MEANS TO ADMIT AMMONIA AND A FIRST STREAM OF CARBON DIOXIDE INTO SAID RESERVOIR CHAMBER, MEANS TO WITHDRAW A FIRST STREAM OF PRODUCT AQUEOUS AMMONIUM CARBONATE SOLUTION FROM SAID RESERVOIR CHAMBER, A HEAT EXCHANGER EXTERNAL TO SAID REACTION VESSEL, MEANS TO PASS A SECOND STREAM OF AQUEOUS AMMONIUM CARBONATE SOLUTION FROM SAID RESERVOIR CHAMBER THROUGH SAID HEAT EXCHANGER, WHEREBY SAID SECOND STREAM OF AQUEOUS AMMONIUM CARBONATE SOLUTION IS COOLED, MEANS TO RETURN SAID COOLED AQUEOUS AMMONIUM CARBONATE SOLUTION INTO SAID REACTION VESSEL ABOVE SAID MEANS FOR GAS-LIQUID CONTACT, MEANS TO ADMIT A SECOND STREAM OF CARBON DIOXIDE INTO SAID REACTION VESSEL BETWEEN SAID MEANS FOR GAS-LIQUID CONTACT AND SAID GAS REFULX SECTION, MEANS TO ADMIT LIQUID WATER INTO SAID GAS REFLUX SECTION, AND MEANS ABOVE SAID GAS REFLUX SECTION TO REMOVE EXCESS GASEOUS CARBON DIOXIDE FREE OF AMMONIA.

Claim 4

APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF AMMONIUM CARBONATE SOLUTION BY REACTION OF AMMONIA AND CARBON DIOXIDE WHICH COMPRISES A REACTION VESSEL, SAID VESSEL HAVING A LOWER RESERVOIR CHAMBER CONTAINING AQUEOUS AMMONIUM CARBONATE SOLUTION, MEANS FOR GAS-LIQUID CONTACT WITHIN SAID VESSEL ABOVE SAID RESERVOIR CHAMBER, A GAS REFLUX SECTION WITHIN SAID VESSEL ABOVE SAID MEANS FOR GAS-LIQUID CONTACT, SAID REFLUX SECTION BEING PROVIDED WITH BUBBLE CAP TRAYS AND MEANS FOR GAS COOLING, MEANS TO ADMIT AMMONIA AND A FIRST STREAM OF CARBON DIOXIDE INTO SAID RESERVOIR CHAMBER, MEANS TO WITHDRAW A FIRST STREAM OF PRODUCT AQUEOUS AMMONIUM CARBONATE SOLUTION FROM SAID RESERVOIR CHAMBER, A HEAT EXCHANGER EXTERNAL TO SAID REACTION VESSEL, MEANS TO PASS A SECOND STREAM OF AQUEOUS AMMONIUM CARBONATE SOLUTION FROM SAID RESERVOIR CHAMBER THROUGH SAID HEAT EXCHANGER, WHEREBY SAID SECOND STREAM OF AQUEOUS AMMONIUM CARBONATE SOLUTION IS COOLED, MEANS TO RETURN SAID COOLED AQUEOUS AMMONIUM CARBONATE SOLUTION INTO SAID REACTION VESSEL ABOVE SAID MEANS FOR GAS-LIQUID CONTACT, MEANS TO ADMIT A SECOND STREAM OF CARBON DIOXIDE INTO SAID REACTION VESSEL BETWEEN SAID MEANS FOR GAS-LIQUID CONTACT AND SAID GAS REFULX SECTION, MEANS TO ADMIT LIQUID WATER INTO SAID GAS REFLUX SECTION, AND MEANS ABOVE SAID GAS REFLUX SECTION TO REMOVE EXCESS GASEOUS CARBON DIOXIDE FREE OF AMMONIA.