UREA PRODUCT QUALITY

DUST GENERATION MECHANISM

The dust generation can be takes place due to following reasons.

1. INTERNAL CAUSES. 2. CONTROLLING CAUSES.

INERNAL CAUSES-

1. Such as decomposition of urea of Prilling impact and attrition.

2. High temperature of urea melt i.e.,>1360C and low partial pressure cause urea to
decompose cynic acid.

NH2CONH2 = NH3 + HCNO

It is observe that under normal condition the dust contain isocynic acid (HNCO).

CONTROLLING CAUSES

• Excess temperature of bucket i.e.,>1360C

• Partially choked holes of the bucket.

• Irregular holes of the bucket.

• Overloading of plant.

• Choking of louvers.

• Leakage of steam/condensate to melt line.

• Prilling bucket overflowing due to holes chocked or less rpm of the bucket.

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 • Inadequate vacuum, leading to high moisture contents.

• Excessive pressure exerted by scrapper.

• Dissolving of dirty urea.

Following parameters should be maintain to produce good urea quality.

• Temperature of the Prilling bucket should be maintain 134-1350C

• Vacuum of the both stage should be maintain as designed.

• Urea tank solution should be consumed immediately otherwise biuret content will be
high.

• Louvers opening should be maintain according as ambient condition.

• RPM of the bucket should be maintain according to size, i.e.,on the wall speed &overflow
speed.

1. Visual checking of product quality on continuous basis.

2. Thorough cleaning of Prilling bucket before installation.
3. Maintaining proper vacuum in both the streams.
4. Adjusting Prilling Bucket speed based on visual.
5. Regular cleaning of scrapper floor and top louvers.
6. Flushing of vacuum condensers twice a shift for maintaining proper vacuum.
7. Flushing of vacuum separators on alternate days.
8. Regular cleaning of Urea recovery pump strainers and ensuring no bypassing in
them

• FACTORS AFFECTING PRILLS QUALITY

Factors EFFECTS

Vacuum High free NH3

High moisture
Less crushing strength

Free NH3 Dust formation

Irregular shape
Moisture Caking tendency
Content Less crushing strength
Dust formation

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Prill Dust formation
Temperature Caking tendency
Draft High prill Temperature
Dust formation
Bucket Irregular Particle
Condition Dust Formation
Melt High biuret content
Temperature Formation of isocynic acid
High free NH3
Attrition Effect Dust Formation

EFFECT OF MOISTURE,TEMPERATURE ON PRILLS

• MAXIMUM STRENGTH 930 Gram/prill at 0.1777% Moisture.

• Below 0.12% Moisture strength reduced 698 gram/prill.

• Above 0.3% moisture strength=640 g/prill.

• At 400C Maximum strength 850 g/prill

• Below 340C the strength reduced 640 g/p.

• Above 660C the strength reduced 640 g/p.

OBSERVE THE ABOVE RESULT PRILLS STRENGTH IS MAXIMUM AT TEMPERATURE

400C & MOISTURE 0.1777%

PRILL STRENGTH

• CRUSHING STRENGTH.

• ABRASION STRENGTH.

• IMPACT RESISTANCE.

These parameters give useful information to the manufacturer as well as to the users regarding
stability of a fertilizer to withstand normal handling without fracturing and tendency to form
the dust due to abrasion and impact during course of its manufacture

CRUSHING STRENGTH -

Hardness test usually measure only one of these types of strength , however, in most cases good
resistance to one type of mechanical action reasonable indication of good overall acceptability.

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ABRASION RESISTANCE

This test meant to determine degradation and dust formation due to abrasion between prills
during handling of urea within the plant and outside.( handling like conveyors, scrapper)

IMPACT RESISTANCE-

Impact resistance is of interest mainly in connection with the impact imparted by fan type
fertilizer spreader. In our country mechanical spreaders are not used in agricultural operation.

SIZE DISTRIBUTION

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According to ambient condition different prill size bucket to be used to maintained urea prills
quality for low temperature summer bucket are used and hole dia of prilling bucket is 1.1 mm
and mean prill dia is 1.5-1.6 mm. Summer bucket gives 65-70 % of prill size between 1.0 to 1.7
mm and in winter non summer bucket to be used. The non-summer bucket hole dia between
1.75 mm to 1.87 mm and gives 70-75 % prill size between .1.7-2.4 mm.

Prem Baboo

National Fertilizers Ltd, Vijaipur, India