Case Studies · Hydrocarbon & Chemical

Ammonia Reformer Throat High Emissivity Coating: Refractory Abrasion Eliminated at Yara

Ammonia reformer throat (high-alumina brick and balls)·Yara, Saskatchewan, Canada

High-velocity hydrogen/nitrogen gas streams (4 to 23 m/s at 1,000 to 1,300°C) were abrading the high-alumina refractory in the throat of Yara's ammonia reformer, and the shed material contaminated the downstream catalyst bed. The refractory brick and balls were coated with Emisshield ST-series products to seal the surface. Since coating, no abrasion has occurred and the catalyst bed has not been contaminated.

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Abrasion eliminated
: Catalyst contamination prevented
: Suitable to 1,300°C and extreme gas velocity

The Challenge

Abraded refractory contaminated the catalyst bed, causing extended shutdowns and costly catalyst replacement.

What Was Applied

Emisshield ST-series on the refractory brick and ceramic balls in the throat section, to seal the surface and lower the refractory surface temperature.

Why It Worked

The sealed, high emissivity surface resists particle shedding under high-velocity gas while re-radiating energy so the refractory surface runs cooler. See Products.

Summary of Results

Metric	Before	After
Refractory abrasion	Ongoing	None since coating
Catalyst-bed contamination	Recurring	Prevented
Exterior shell temperature	Baseline	Reduced
Applicability		Extended to other refractory bricks and ceramic balls for the client

Next step

Operating the Same Asset?

Losing refractory to gas velocity? Send us the geometry, gas data, and temperatures. We project the result from comparable documented installations.

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