Ammonia synthesis converters differ by internal catalyst arrangement and cooling. In which converter design is the catalyst arranged as a single continuous bed?

Introduction / Context:Industrial ammonia converters handle an exothermic, equilibrium-limited reaction. Different licensors/designs arrange catalyst in multiple beds with inter-bed cooling or as variants such as single continuous beds. Recognising which design employs a single continuous bed is a classic fertiliser technology question.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Design names provided: Fauser-Montecatini, Claude, Uhde, Kellogg.
• We compare on catalyst bed arrangement.

Concept / Approach:Historically, the Claude converter is noted for a single continuous catalyst bed arrangement, whereas modern Uhde/Kellogg/ICI variants typically employ multiple beds with quench or indirect cooling and often radial flow to control temperature and pressure drop. Therefore, the design featuring a single continuous bed corresponds to the Claude converter.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:Industry summaries highlight Uhde/Kellogg multi-bed radial-flow converters; in contrast, exam references attribute the single continuous bed configuration to Claude designs.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Fauser-Montecatini: generally multi-bed with heat exchange/quench.
• Uhde and Kellogg: widely documented as three-bed radial-flow converter designs.
• ICI quench: classical multi-bed quench scheme.

Common Pitfalls:Mixing up “radial-flow” (direction) with “number of beds” (staging). Radial flow can still be multi-bed.

Final Answer:Claude