Method for increasing the yield and the production potential of urea reactors

A method for producing urea and simultaneously increasing production potential of the reactor, the urea being synthesized in an internal space of the reactor from ammonia and carbon dioxide at high pressure and temperature in a concurrent upward flow of a liquid phase and a gas phase, the reactor being divided into compartments for avoiding excessive mixing of the liquid phase and to intermittently redistribute the gas phase in bubbles of a size suitable for increasing heat and mass transfer between the phases, the method comprising the step of flowing the liquid phase and gas phase through mutually separate routes between compartments of the reactor, wherein the flowing step comprises:

• separating the liquid phase from the gas phase;
• flowing predominantly the liquid phase through a plurality of first openings in a separating means defining the compartments of the reactor, the first openings have a first predetermined size;
• and
• flowing predominantly the gas phase through a plurality of second openings in the separating means, the second openings having a second predetermined size,
• the first openings favoring flow therethrough of the liquid phase and the second openings favoring flow therethrough of the gas phase, whereby each of the liquid phase and the gas phase are distributed through the reactor in a substantially even, continuous and permanent flow, the liquid phase being separated from the gas phase below said separating means.