Fertilizers, Nitrogen, Interim, March 1980 Report

Fertilizers, Nitrogen, Interim, March 1980
PROCESS
ECONOMICS
PROGRAM
SRI INTERNATIONAL
Abstract
Menlo Park, California
94025
Process Economics Program Report No. 127Al

FERTILIZERS: NITROGEN (Interim Report)
(March 1980)
This interim report covers the manufacture of high density

(fertilizergrade) ammonium nitrate prills.
A process design and economic evaluation is presented for a process to manufacture high density prilled ammonium nitrate, based on
Stamicarbon technology. The Stamicarbonprocess is one of the most
widely used in commercial practice today.
Manufacturing techniquesare reviewed and a patent summary is
presented on most of the modern processes for manufacturinghigh den-
sity prilled ammonium nitrate.

An appendix contains the process design and economic evaluation of
a process to manufacture 60% nitric acid based on Uhde technology.
l
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PEP '78 JLC
Report No. 127A 1
FERTILIZERS:
NITROGEN
INTERIM
by JOHN L. CHADWICK
March 1980
A private report by the
PROCESS ECONOMICS PROGRAM
Menlo Park, California 94025
For detailed
marketing data and information,
the reader is
referred to one of the SRI programs specializingin marketing

research. The CHEMICAL ECONOMICS HANDBOOK Program covers
most major chemicals and chemical products produced in the
United States and the WORLD PETROCHEMICALSProgram covers
major hydrocarbons and their derivatives on a worldwide basis.
In addition, the SRI DIRECTORY OF CHEMICAL PRODUCERS services
provide detailed lists of chemical producers by company, product, and plant for the United States and Western Europe.
ii
CONTENTS
a
e
INTRODUCTION. ......................
SUMMARY .........................
INDUSTRY STATUS .....................
Ammonium Nitrate in
Ammonium Nitrate in
Ammonium Nitrate in
Ammonium Nitrate in
Ammonium Nitrate in
Ammonium Nitrate in
Ammonium Nitrate in
North America ............

Latin America ............
Western Europe ............
Eastern Europe, Including the USSR . .
Africa ................
Asia .................
Oceania ...............
8
13
14
15
16
17
18
CHEMISTRY ........................
19
REVIEW OF PROCESSES TO MAKE HIGH DENSITY

(AGRICULTURALGRADE) PRILLED AMMONIUM NITRATE ......
21
Comparison of Commercial Processes ............

Patent Summary ......................
23
30
HIGH DENSITY PRILLED AMMONIUM NITRATE

BASED ON STAMICARBONTECHNOLOGY .............
37
Process Description ...................

Process Discussion ....................
NeutralizationSection .................
ConcentrationSection .................
Prilling Section ....................
Corrosion .......................
Cost Estimates ......................
Capital Costs .....................
Production Costs and Product Value ...........
38
46
46
48
51
55
55
55
56
APPENDIX A
DESIGN AND COST BASIS
..............
APPENDIX B
PHYSICAL DATA ..................
67
APPENDIX C
ANALYSIS AND SPECIFICATION ............
73
APPENDIX D
SAFETY, HANDLING, AND POLLUTION .........
75
APPENDIX E
NITRIC ACID BY THE DUAL PRESSURE PROCESS,

(UHDE TECHNOLOGY) .................
79
65
CITED REFERENCES .......................
95
PATENT REFERENCES BY COMPANY .................
99
ix
ILLUSTRATIONS
5.1
StamicarbonAmmonium Nitrate Process (Pressure Reactor) . .
5.2
ICI Ammonium Nitrate Process................................ 25
25
5.3 UCB Ammonium Nitrate Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
26
5.4 Norsk Hydro Ammonium Nitrate Process (Pressure Reactor) . .
26
5.5 Mississippi Chemical Ammonium Nitrate Process . . . . . . .
28
5.6
Chemico Ammonium Nitrate Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
28
5.7
Sumitomo Ammonium Nitrate Process . . . . . . . . . . . . .
29
5.8 Espindesa Ammonium Nitrate Process . . . . . . . . . . . . .
29
6.1 High Density Ammonium Nitrate Prills

(StamicarbonTechnology)
Flow Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
101
6.2 The Effect of Ammonia Content on pH of Ammonium Nitrate

Solutions (Melts) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
49
6.3 Vapor Pressure of Ammonium Nitrate Solutions . . . . . . . .
50
6.4 Hygroscopicityof Ammonia Nitrate Without AnticakingAgent .
54
HIGH DENSITY AMMONIUM NITRATE PRILLS

(STAMICARBONTECHNOLOGY)
6.5 Effect of Raw Material Cost on Product Value . . . . . . . .
62
6.6 Effect of Operating Level and Plant Capacity on

Production Cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
63
Xi
ILLUSTRATIONS
B.l Changes in Ammonium Nitrate Crystal Structure . . . . . .

B.2
68
Specific Gravity of Various Ammonium Nitrate Solutions

Between Their Boiling Points and Freezing Points . . . .
70
E.l Nitric Acid (60 wt%) by the Dual Pressure Process

(UHDE Technology)
Flow Diagram
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
105
E.2 Heat Exchange Train for NOx Gas

Flow Diagram
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
107
E.3 Nitric Acid (60 wt%) by the Dual Pressure Process

(UHDE Technology)
Effect of Operating Level and Plant Capacity on
Production Cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
93
xii
TABLES
2.1
Summary of Economics of ManufacturingPrilled

Ammonium Nitrate by the CC2 Stripping Process
(StamicarbonTechnology) .................
Summary of Economics of Manufacturing60 Wt% Nitric

Acid by the Dual Pressure Process (UHDE Technology) ...
3.1
World Capacity for Making Ammonium Nitrates by Region ...
3.2
Primary Producers of Ammonium Nitrate

in the United States ...................
2.2
3.3
U.S. Productionof Ammonium Nitrate ............
11
3.4
Average Spring Prices Paid by U.S. Farmers for

Ammonium Nitrate. ....................
12
Average Unit Values for Ammonium Nitrate and

Its Raw MaterIal. .....................
12
3.6
Ammonium Nitrate Capacity, Latin America .........
14
3.7
Ammonium Nitrate Capacity, Western Europe .........
15
3.8
Ammonium Nitrate Capacity, Eastern Europe .........
16
3.9
Ammonium Nitrate Capacity, Africa .............
16
3.5
3.10 Ammonium Nitrate Capacity, Asia ..............

5.1
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Patent Summary ......................
17
31
HIGH DENSITY AMMONIUM NITRATE PRILLS

(STAMICARBONTECHNOLOGY)
6.1
Major Equipment and Utilities Summary ...........
42
6.2
Stream Flows .......................
45
6.3
Capital Investment ....................
58
6.4
ProductionCosts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
60
Xiii
TABLES
B.l
Solubility of Ammonium Nitrate . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
69
B.2
Specific Gravity of Weak Solutions of Ammonium Nitrate . .
71
B.3
Boiling Points of Weak Solutions of Ammonium Nitrate . . .
71
B.4
Vapor Pressure of Ammonium Nitrate ............
72
c.1
Ammonium Nitrate, Specifications .............
73
D.l
Approximate Size Distributionof Fume Particles from

Ammonium Nitrate (High Density) Prilling Towers . . . . .
77
NITRIC ACID (60 WT%) BY THE DUAL PRESSURE PROCESS

(UHDE TECHNOLOGY)
E.l
Major Equipment and Utilities Summary . . . . . . . . . . .
84
E.2
Stream Flows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
86
E.3
Total Capital Investment .................
91
E.4
Production Costs .....................
92
xiv

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Fertilizers, Nitrogen, Interim, March 1980

Menlo Park, California

Process Economics Program Report No. 127Al

This interim report covers the manufacture of high density

sity prilled ammonium nitrate.