CHEMSYSTEMS PERP PROGRAM

Phosphoric Acid

08/09S2

April 2010

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This Report was prepared by Nexant, Inc (“Nexant”) and is part of the ChemSystems Online® suite. Except where specifically stated otherwise
in this Report, the information contained herein is prepared on the basis of information that is publicly available, and contains no confidential
third party technical information to the best knowledge of Nexant. Aforesaid information has not been independently verified or otherwise
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Contents
Section Page

1  Executive Summary ................................................................................................. 1 

1.1  ECONOMIC ANALYSIS ............................................................................. 2 
1.2  COMMERCIAL ANALYSIS ........................................................................ 5 
1.2.1  United States ...................................................................................... 5 
1.2.2  Western Europe .................................................................................. 6 
1.2.3  Asia Pacific ........................................................................................ 7 
2  Chemistry and Technology ..................................................................................... 8 
2.1  PHYSICAL PROPERTIES ........................................................................... 8 
2.2  SUPERPHOSPHORIC ACID ....................................................................... 12 
2.3  WET PROCESS OVERVIEW ...................................................................... 13 
2.3.1  Chemistry ........................................................................................... 13 
2.3.2  Feedstocks Used In the Wet Process ................................................. 19 
2.3.3  Byproducts Obtained In the Wet Process .......................................... 23 
2.3.4  Generic Wet Process Description ...................................................... 26 
2.3.5  Recrystallization Methods Utilized In the Wet Process .................... 33 
2.3.6  Purification Methods Utilized in the Wet Process ............................. 35 
2.3.7  Materials of Construction of Equipment Used In the Wet Process ... 41 
2.4  THERMAL PROCESS OVERVIEW............................................................ 41 
2.4.1  Chemistry ........................................................................................... 41 
2.4.2  Feedstocks Used in the Thermal Process ........................................... 42 
2.4.3  Byproducts Obtained in the Thermal Process .................................... 43 
2.4.4  Generic Thermal Process Description ............................................... 44 
3  Commercial Technologies ....................................................................................... 47 
3.1  TECHNIP ....................................................................................................... 47 
3.1.1  Technology Features .......................................................................... 48 
3.1.2  Process Description ............................................................................ 50 
3.2  PRAYON ....................................................................................................... 68 
3.2.1  Technology Features .......................................................................... 68 
3.2.2  Typical Process Description for the Mark IV Dihydrate Prayon
Process (DPP) .................................................................................... 77 

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Q210_00101.0009.4110
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3.3  JACOBS ENGINEERING............................................................................. 83 

3.3.1  Technology Features .......................................................................... 84 
3.3.2  Process Description ............................................................................ 84 
3.4  REVAMP OF PHOSPHORIC PLANTS ....................................................... 88 
4  Technology Developments ....................................................................................... 91 
4.1  INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................... 91 
4.2  SELECTED RECENT PATENTS ................................................................ 91 
4.3  THE IMPROVED HARD PROCESS/KILN PHOSPHORIC ACID
PROCESS ...................................................................................................... 96 
5  Economic Analysis ................................................................................................... 100 
5.1  BASIS ............................................................................................................ 100 
5.1.1  Pricing Basis ...................................................................................... 100 
5.1.2  Investment Basis ................................................................................ 100 
5.1.3  Cost of Production Basis .................................................................... 101 
5.2  PRODUCTION COST ESTIMATES............................................................ 102 
5.2.1  Phosphoric Acid Processes ................................................................ 102 
5.3  CONCLUSIONS............................................................................................ 106 
5.4  INTEGRATION OF SULFURIC AND PHOSPHORIC ACID PLANTS.... 108 
6  Commercial Analysis ............................................................................................... 109 
6.1  END-USE ANALYSIS .................................................................................. 109 
6.1.1  Introduction ........................................................................................ 109 
6.1.2  Phosphate Fertilizers .......................................................................... 112 
6.1.3  Industrial Phosphates ......................................................................... 115 
6.2  STORAGE, HANDLING, AND TRANSPORTATION............................... 119 
6.3  REGIONAL MARKET ANALYSIS ............................................................ 119 
6.3.1  United States ...................................................................................... 120 
6.3.2  Western Europe .................................................................................. 122 
6.3.3  Asia Pacific ........................................................................................ 124 
7  References ................................................................................................................. 128 
8  Glossary .................................................................................................................... 130 

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Phosphoric Acid - 08/09S2
Q210_00101.0009.4110
 Contents

Appendix Page

A  Phosphate Rock ........................................................................................................ A-1 

B  Elements of Nexant's ChemSystems Capital Cost Estimates................................ B-1 
C  PERP Program Title Index ..................................................................................... C-1 

Figure Page

2.1 Phosphoric Acid-Water Solid-Liquid Phase Diagram ............................................... 9 

2.2 Phosphoric Acid-Water Liquid-Vapor Phase Diagram ............................................. 10 
2.3 Density of Phosphoric Acid as Function of Concentration and Temperature ........... 10 
2.4 Viscosity of Phosphoric Acid as Function of Concentration and Temperature......... 11 
2.5 Specific Heat of Phosphoric Acid as Function of Concentration and Temperature .. 12 
2.6 Correlation between Calcium Sulfate Hydrate Crystals and Temperature ................ 16 
2.7 Transitions for System CaSO4-H3PO4-H2O ............................................................... 17 
2.8 Flow Diagram of the Dihydrate Wet Phosphoric Acid Process ................................ 28 
2.9 Equipment Associated with a Phosphoric Acid Filter ............................................... 30 
2.10 Flow Diagram of the Hemihydrate Wet Phosphoric Acid Process............................ 34 
2.11 Flow Diagram of the Hemi-dihydrate Recrystallization
Process – Single Stage Filtration .............................................................................. 36 
2.12 Flow Diagram of the Hemi-dihydrate Recrystallization
Process – Double Stage Filtration .............................................................................. 37 
2.13 Flow Diagram of the Di-hemihydrate Recrystallization
Process – Double Stage Filtration .............................................................................. 38 
2.14 Flow Diagram of the Thermal Phosphoric Acid Prices ............................................. 45
3.1 Flow Scheme for the Production of Phosphoric Acid via Technip Process .............. 49
3.2 Technip Phosphoric Acid Process ............................................................................. 51 
3.3 Technip Single Tank .................................................................................................. 52 
3.4 Technip UCEGO Filter ............................................................................................ 56 
3.5 Technip Filtration Unit .............................................................................................. 59 
3.6 Technip Concentration Unit ....................................................................................... 63 
3.7 Mark IV Dihydrate Prayon Process (DPP) ............................................................... 71 

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3.8 Central – Prayon Process (CPP) ................................................................................ 72 

3.9 Prayon Hemihydrate One-crystal Process (PH1) ....................................................... 74 
3.10 Prayon Hemihydrate Two-crystal Process (PH2) ..................................................... 75 
3.11 Prayon Hemihydrate Three-crystal Process (PH3) .................................................... 76 
3.12 Flow Scheme of the Mark IV Dihydrate Prayon Process (DPP) ............................... 78 
3.13 Prayon Mark IV Reactor System ............................................................................... 79 
3.14 Jacobs Reactor System............................................................................................... 83 
3.15 Jacobs Phosphoric Acid Process ................................................................................ 85 
3.16 Jacobs Concentration Process .................................................................................... 87 
3.17 Prayon Technologies TDI Filter Cycle ...................................................................... 89 
4.1 Block Flow Diagram for the Production of Phosphoric Acid from HCl ................... 92 
4.2 Block Flow Diagram for the Production of Phosphoric Acid (U.S. 7 172 742 B2) .. 95 
4.3 JDC’s Unit Costs versus Volume Chart for IHP ....................................................... 97 
4.4 Block Flow Diagram for the Production of Phosphorus Pentoxide in a Kiln
Rotary Bed (U.S. 7 378 070 B2) ................................................................................ 98 
5.1 Phosphoric Acid Production Cost Summary ............................................................. 107 
6.1 Phosphate Fertilizer Block Flow Diagram ................................................................ 110 
6.2 Global Phosphoric Acid Demand by End-Use, 2008 ................................................ 120 
6.3 U.S. Phosphoric Acid Supply/Demand and Trade..................................................... 122 
6.4 West European Phosphoric Acid Supply/Demand and Trade ................................... 124 
6.5 Asia Pacific Phosphoric Acid Supply/Demand and Trade ........................................ 127 

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 Contents

Table Page

1.1 Phosphoric Acid Production Cost Summary ............................................................. 3 

1.2 U.S. Phosphoric Acid Supply/Demand and Trade..................................................... 6 
1.3 West European Phosphoric Acid Supply/Demand and Trade ................................... 7 
1.4 Asia Pacific Phosphoric Acid Supply/Demand and Trade ........................................ 7 
2.1 Typical Merchant Wet Phosphoric Acid Composition .............................................. 18 
2.2 Origin and Composition of Different Phosphate Rocks ............................................ 21 
2.3 Trace Elements of Different Phosphate Rocks .......................................................... 22 
2.4 Stacking Practices of Phosphogypsum in the World ................................................. 25 
2.5 Distribution of Fluoride in Production of Wet Phosphoric Acid ............................... 26 
2.6 Advantages and Disadvantages of the Dihydrate Process ......................................... 27 
2.7 Typical Thermal Phosphoric Acid Composition ....................................................... 42 
2.8 Typical Phosphorus Slag Composition ...................................................................... 44 

3.1 UCEGO Filter Sizes................................................................................................. 56 
3.2 Technip Typical Operating Data ................................................................................ 67 
3.3 Characteristics of Prayon’s Technologies .................................................................. 69 
3.4 Jacobs Phosphoric Acid Process Specification .......................................................... 84 
3.5 Jacobs Product Specifications .................................................................................... 86 
5.1 Price and Utilities Basis ............................................................................................. 100 
5.2 Phosphoric Acid Capital Cost Estimates ................................................................... 101 
5.3 Cost of Production Estimate for: Phosphoric Acid
Process: Dihydrate; Middle East Basis ...................................................................... 103 
5.4 Cost of Production Estimate for: Phosphoric Acid
Process: Hemihydrate; Middle East Basis ................................................................. 105 
5.5 Phosphoric Acid Production Cost Summary ............................................................. 106 
6.1 Compounds in Phosphate Fertilizer ........................................................................... 109 
6.2 Industrial Phosphate Derivatives Tree ....................................................................... 111 
6.3 Phosphorus Requirements of Poultry......................................................................... 118 
6.4 U.S. Phosphoric Acid Capacity, 2008 ....................................................................... 121 
6.5 U.S. Phosphoric Acid Supply/Demand and Trade..................................................... 122 
6.6 West European Phosphoric Acid Capacity, 2008 ...................................................... 123 

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Phosphoric Acid - 08/09S2
Q210_00101.0009.4110
 Contents

6.7 West European Phosphoric Acid Supply/Demand and Trade ................................... 124 
6.8 Asia Pacific Phosphoric Acid Capacity, 2008 ........................................................... 125 
6.9 Asia Pacific Phosphoric Acid Supply/Demand and Trade ........................................ 126 

CHEMSYSTEMS PERP PROGRAM vi

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Phosphoric Acid - 08/09S2
Q210_00101.0009.4110