IFA Technical Conference

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA 1-4 October 2000

International Fertilizer Industry Association - Secretariat: 28 rue Marbeuf - 75008 Paris - France Tel. +33 1 53 93 05 00 - Fax +33 1 53 93 05 45/47 - ifa@fertilizer.org - www.fertilizer.org

The Role of Coatings and Additives in Improving the Performance of Fertilizer Products of The Nufarm Group
Victor Granquist, CFPI Nufarm and Lobeco Products Inc, USA Fertilizer Characteristics Demanded by the Market Narrow size distribution Shape: roundness and surface smoothness Hardness: high crush strength, resistance to attrition Free from excessive dust and caking Low moisture content Resistance to moisture absorption Criteria for Quality Fertilizer To deliver a high-quality product, the manufacturer must: - Produce a high-quality granule (the role of process and process additives) - Preserve the quality during storage, handling and shipping (the role of coatings and conditioning agents) The Role of Fertilizer Coatings Coatings can preserve quality by: - reducing caking tendency - delaying or preventing moisture pickup - minimization of dust generation - reduction of attrition during handling - improving flowability Key item: prevent caking and moisture pickup Prevention of Caking Shape and smoothness of surface Narrow particle size distribution Hardness (avoid plastic deformation) Termination of crystal growth and modification of crystals formed (prevent crystal bridging) Low moisture absorption tendency Good Lubricity The Development of Coatings For crystal termination and modification, the technology has evolved over the years: 1. Particulates (talc, clay, DE or keiselguhr) 2. Water-soluble surfactant technology 3. Coating oils 4. Complex formulations with oil-soluble surfactants in oil and wax base 5. Improved anti-caking and hydrophobic performance
___________________________________________________________________________________________________ E-mail : vgranquist@lobecoproducts.com

Hydrophobic Performance Patent EP 692468 Galoryl WR Product Range

100

Moisture pickup Tendency Index

95 90 85 80 75 70 65 60 55 50

UNCOATED

COMPETITORS

GALORYL ATH

GALORYL WR

Anti-caking vs Hydrophobic Performance There is a compromise between optimum hydrophobic performance and anti-caking performance CFPI was able to find a good compromise, but only after developing new formulation technology, patented under: EP 702999 Anti-caking vs. Hydrophobic Performance Compromise Patent EP 702999
100 90 80 100

90 85 80 75 70 65 60 55 50 UNCOATED
1 2 3 GALORYL ATH 4 GALORYL WR 5 GALORYL ATH-H

70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 COMPETITORS

Fertilizer Problems that Coatings Cannot Solve Problems specific to the granule itself cannot be solved by coatings, such as: - Poor hardness - Bad size distribution

moisture pickup tendency index

95

caking tendency index

3 - Irregular shape, rough surface - Poor plant efficiency or yield - High moisture content The Role of Process Additives Process additives can often help to improve physical characteristics or yield Where a process additive is successful, often several parameters can be improved at the same time Older plants can improve the process without capital expenditure Process additives are very specific to a particular process Examples of Current Additives Formaldehyde (UF85) for urea hardening Inorganics in ammonium nitrate (AN) - Magnesium nitrate - Ammonium or Aluminum sulfate - Permalene - Clays Lignosulfonate used as a binder and granulation aid in DAP production Examples of Current Additives 2 Nufarms Galoryl AT for industrial-grade AN (Kaltenbach-Thuring process) Nufarms Galoryl GR for fluidized-bed granulation and fattening Clay for use in granulation of fines (AJ Sackett patent no) Drum Granulation of HDAN A new Nufarm Galoryl GR product is in commercial use for drum granulation of high-density ammonium nitrate Benefits include: - Improved hardness - Greatly reduced recycle, better size distribution - Much more spherical and smooth granules - Lower moisture content

HDAN Prill, Size distribution, Permalene vs. Galoryl GR 210

50

45

40

35

30 w/ Permalene w/ GR-210

25

Percent Retained

20

15

10

0 12 14 Screen size, Tyler 16 20 Fines

10

___________________________________________________________________________________________________ E-mail : vgranquist@lobecoproducts.com

Galoryl GR Additives for High-Density Ammonium Nitrate

Results from production of granular HDAN using Galoryl GR

No GR 57 68 4 78 0.09 No GR 3.6 5.8 With GR 6.4 0.0 6.5 88 0.06 80 25

Parameter (Plant no. 1 production) Size on +8 mesh, % (see note 1) Impact hardness test, % breakage Hardness, crush test, lb Sphericity test, % (see note 2) Product moisture, %

With GR

Parameter (from plant trial, Plant no. 2) Average hardness, crush test, lb Impact hardness test, % breakage

Results from production of prilled HDAN

Parameter (Plant 3 trial)

Friability index, % (5% max.) Fines, %

With Permalene 3.5 0.2

With GR 210 2.5 0.03

PUG-MILL GRANULATION OF CAN

75 70 65 60 55 50 68

WITH GALORYL GR

WITHOUT GALORYL GR

70

60

50 44 45

45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0,1 0 < 1,4 1,4-2 2-3,15 3,15-4 >4 1,6 1,2 29,1

40

30

Sizes of granules
20 10 0,6 0 < 1,4 1,4-2 8,4

2-3,15

3,15-4

>4

Hardness Size 2-4mm 4,22 kgf

3,69 kgf

Caking results 11 kgf good 15,3 kgf less

Sphricity

Process Additive Implementation

Process additives are very specific and can be difficult to implement: - The producer should have good, experienced technical assistance from the supplier - Supplier and producer must work together as partners, with careful consideration - Initial application cannot be done haphazardly, as this could break granulation

Future Developments
The Nufarm Group will continue granulation additives development. Anticipated future applications include: - Shape modifiers for DAP and MAP - Granulation aids for NPK - Hardeners and shape modifiers for urea - Granulation additive for industrial-grade AN