Thought Leadership

KBR’s Ammonia Purifier™/ PurifierPlus™ process is the world’s most environmentally friendly, cost effective, energy efficient and reliable ammonia technology. KBR is the global No.1 with around 50% market share of global licensed ammonia capacity.  KBR’s Blue Ammonia technology is superior to SMR- or ATR-based processes offered by competitors and we also offer leading Green Ammonia (K-GreeN®), Blue Hydrogen for the energy transition, fertilizer, chemical and refining industries.

KBR’s proven Purifier/PuriferPlus process is superior because:

• It produces and emits less CO₂ per ton NH3 than any other technology and is lower in CAPEX per ton due to fewer and smaller equipment requirement.
• The OPEX is lower too, resulting in less energy consumption. It is a more reliable process with lower CO2 emissions and costs from shutdowns and start-ups.
• With no pure oxygen related hazards, it’s a proven process ensuring plant safety.
• The plot space requirement is smaller as well.

Here are three broad comparisons between the Purifier/PurifierPlus and ATR processes:

• The world’s largest ammonia plant with a single converter employs KBR’s Purifier ammonia process and is operating at over 3,000 MTPD. KBR has licensed single train 6,000 MTPD design as well and in principle, this process could be used for over 10,000 MTPD. Whereas some competitors have severe mechanical limitation in sizing SMR for capacities above ~2,700MTPD and are therefore promoting an O2-fired ATR as a solution for large capacity ammonia plants.
• In the KBR Purifier/PurifierPlus process there is lower natural gas requirement per ton of ammonia – the energy consumption of 6.6 - 6.7 Gcal/MT of ammonia is feasible in standalone KBR ammonia plants, whereas the O₂-fired ATR process has higher natural gas requirement, estimated to be about 12 % to 15% higher than KBR Purifier process.
• KBR Purifier plants are known for their longest continuous runs without a single trip and have high reliability, whereas the metallic gun in the ATR is exposed to very high temperature and requires frequent maintenance/replacement.

The O₂-fired ATRs produce more CO/CO₂, which is beneficial if the product requires carbon such as methanol, GTL fuels, but inefficient if product contains zero carbon such as hydrogen and ammonia, as more CO₂ is generated. Hence, zero operating ammonia plants have adopted this process.

Out of about 469 licensed ammonia plants in the world, KBR has licensed 248 plants.

To download a detailed brochure about comparison between KBR’s Purifier/PuriferPlus process and oxygen-fired ATR process, please provide the following details: