METHOD FOR INCREASING THE CAPACITY OF AN EXISTING UREA PROCESS

Method for increasing the capacity of an existing urea process, the existi ng urea process comprising a reactor (R), a pressure-reduction section (SC) and a urea-recovery section (U), characterized in that (i) a stripping column (S) is added, in which ammonium carbamate from the reaction mixture is stripped with carbon dioxide or is thermally strippe d at almost the same elevated pressure, resulting in a gaseous mixture (G1) an d a liquid mixture (M4), which liquid mixture (M4) is fed to the pressure- reduction section (SC), (ii) a condenser (C) is added, which is fed with the gaseous mixture (G1), ammonia and optionally carbon dioxide, in which the gaseous mixture (G 1) is condensed at almost the same elevated reactor pressure (P) and at least 3 0% of the equilibrium amount of urea obtainable under the condensation conditio ns is furthermore formed, in which a liquid mixture containing urea, water and ammonium carbamate (M5) is formed, which mixture is fed to the bottom of the existing reactor (R), and a gaseous mixture (G2), and (iii) a scrubber (SCR) is added, in which the gaseous mixture (G2) is brought into contact with the aqueous ammoniacal ammonium carbamate solution (M3), in which a liquid (M6) mixture is obtained, which is fed to the condenser (C), and a scrubbed gaseous mixture (G3).