NITROGENOUS FERTILIZERS
Nitrogenous fertilizers are used as sources of nitrogen in agriculture. It is one of the vital ingredients for crop growth and soil health. The most common form of nitrogenous fertilizers are nitrogen solutions (i.e. UAN), anhydrous ammonia, and solid urea. Urea had the most dramatic gain in recent market share as ammonium nitrate steadily decreased over the last five decades. With the recent low cost shale gas, the United States experienced a surge in new plants for ammonia and urea production. The urea granulation process discharges particulate matter (PM) and ammonia in the off-gases with ever stringent emission requirements.
Kimre supplied SXF™ Semi-Cross Flow granulation and cooler scrubbers to the largest North American producers and has recently met the lowest ever emissions in urea granulation in the world. The Kimre™ Technology provides stage-wise separation and removal of contaminants while recovering valuable products to the process thus utilizing minimum amount of fresh water.
While providing the lowest emission levels, Kimre technology also offers other significant advantages to other technologies such as joy-type and tray-type scrubbers, including:
- Less Susceptibility to fouling
- Easy to Clean
- Able to be retrofitted and modified to meet ever-changing emission standards
In addition to urea granulation, Kimre has many other successful installations for the nitrogenous fertilizer market, including:
- Urea prill
- Ammonium nitrate granulation and prill
- Calcium ammonium nitrate
Let Kimre’s experienced engineering staff and industry specialists review your process application and allow us to custom design the most optimal, cost-effective separation solution based upon your needs, limitations, and requirements.
Use Case for Nitrogenous Fertilizers
Background
- Nitrogenous Fertilizer Production
- Importance: Nitrogenous fertilizers are crucial for enhancing soil fertility, increasing crop yields, and supporting global food security.
Production Methods:- Ammonia Synthesis: Utilizes the Haber-Bosch process to convert atmospheric nitrogen and hydrogen into ammonia.
- Urea Production: Ammonia is further processed with carbon dioxide to produce urea.
- Ammonium Nitrate Production: Involves neutralizing nitric acid with ammonia to form ammonium nitrate.
- Other Techniques: Includes variations and improvements in traditional methods for efficiency.
Key Products- Ammonia (NH₃): The base product for other nitrogenous fertilizers.
- Urea (CO(NH₂)₂): A highly efficient nitrogen source used in various applications.
- Ammonium Nitrate (NH₄NO₃): A widely used nitrogen fertilizer.
- Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN): A compound fertilizer combining calcium and ammonium nitrate.
Challenges
- Pollutants
- Ammonia Emissions: Ammonia vapors released during production can contribute to air pollution.
- Nitrogen Oxides (NOx): Byproducts from high-temperature synthesis processes.
- Particulate Matter: Dust and fine particles generated during the handling and production of the granular fertilizers.
- Process Water Contaminants: Residual chemicals and byproducts in wastewater.
- Regulatory Compliance
- Emissions Control: Meeting stringent environmental regulations for air quality and emissions.
- Waste and Water Management: Addressing new regulations for waste treatment and water discharge.
- Process Efficiency
- Optimization Needs: Enhancing reaction efficiency and reducing energy consumption.
- Waste Minimization: Reducing byproducts and optimizing resource use.
Solutions
- Emission Control Systems
- Scrubbing Systems and Mist Eliminators: Used to capture and remove ammonia vapors and particulates from gas streams.
- Fiber Bed Filters: High-efficiency filters designed to capture fine particulates and aerosols, ensuring cleaner emissions.
- Dust and Particulate Management
- High-Efficiency Dust Collectors: Capture airborne particulates from production processes.
- Electrostatic Precipitators: Remove fine dust particles from emissions.
- Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) Control
- Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR): Utilizes catalysts to reduce NOx emissions by converting them into nitrogen and water.
- Low NOx Burners: Advanced burners designed to minimize NOx formation during combustion.
Process Optimization- Reaction Efficiency: Technologies to enhance the efficiency of chemical reactions and increase yield.
- Energy Reduction: Systems designed to lower energy consumption and operational costs through improved process management.
Benefits
- Compliance
- Ensures adherence to environmental regulations, reducing legal and financial risks.
- Efficiency
- Enhances overall process efficiency, leading to cost savings and improved productivity.
- Protection
- Extends the lifespan of equipment by mitigating the effects of pollutants and corrosive substances.
- Environmental Impact
- Minimizes the environmental footprint through effective management of emissions, dust, and waste.
Implementation
- Recommended Products
- Wet Scrubbers with Mist Eliminator Filters: Advanced mesh-type media designed for efficient removal of ammonia and particulate matter.
- Fiber Bed Filters: Specialized filters for capturing fine particulates and improving air quality.
- Custom Solutions
- Tailored Systems: Custom-designed to address specific emission profiles and process needs of nitrogenous fertilizer facilities.
- Integration
- Seamless Integration: Incorporate solutions into existing systems with minimal disruption to production.
- Operational Continuity: Ensure that new systems enhance efficiency and environmental compliance without causing operational delays.
This use case history outlines the critical aspects of emission control and process efficiency in the production of nitrogenous fertilizers, providing a comprehensive approach to addressing challenges and implementing effective solutions.
