Energy efficient fertilizer production with the pipe-cross reactor: Executive briefing report, Technology transfer

Technical Report · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1982

OSTI ID:7129223

A new technology that consumes less energy, produces a superior product, provides increased operating flexibility, and improves a production efficiency is available to manufacturers of granular NPKS fertilizers. The pipe-cross reactor, developed by the Tennessee Valley Authority in a project sponsored by the US Department of Energy, can save $1 to $2 per ton in production costs as a result of energy savings for steam and drying. This annual energy savings ranges from $50.00 to $100.00 per year for each plant, depending on annual production and operating conditions. The estimated installed cost of the pipe-cross reactor for most plants is about $70.00. A conservative estimate of the payback period is approximately 1 year. Additional benefits make the pipe-cross reactor even more appealing. The unit allows use of less expensive raw materials and easier-to- handle liquid raw materials, increases productivity, reduces pollution, reduces nitrogen losses, and produces a superior product. The pipe-cross reactor, which fits into the granular drum of a conventional ammoniation-granulation system, is a chamber where water, ammonia, and acids react forming a hot melt. The hot melt is sprayed onto a bed of solids in the granulator: pressure is reduced, and the moisture contained in the melt flashes off as steam. Pellets are formed in the same manner as in the conventional process, except that little or no steam is added and a drier product is produced greatly reducing or eliminating the need for dying. Plants operating with a conventional ammoniation-granulation system with or without the preneutralizer process can be retrofitted with a pipe-cross reactor. Twenty-two US fertilizer producers already have installed the units and have reported recovery of their investment.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 7129223
• Report Number(s): DOE/NBM-1003; ON: DE88015214
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Paper copy only, copy does not permit microfiche production
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
CHEMICAL REACTORS
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
FERTILIZERS
PRODUCTION
AMMONIA
COST
DRYING
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
FERTILIZER INDUSTRY
GRANULAR MATERIALS
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
ECONOMICS
EFFICIENCY
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INDUSTRY
MATERIALS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN HYDRIDES
320300* - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Industrial & Agricultural Processes
290200 - Energy Planning & Policy- Economics & Sociology