Urea Production
Urea is the main source of the nitrogen fertilizer. It is produced from liquid ammonia and carbon dioxide gas which is also produced as a by-product
in during ammonia production in the ammonia plant. This means that ammonia plants provide the raw materials for the Urea Production.
The two Chemicals (liquid ammonia and compressed carbon dioxide are mixed in a fixed ratio and fed to urea synthesis loop in a urea plant, producing an intermediate product which is composed to give urea and unconverted ammonia and carbon dioxide gas (CO2). The unconverted ammonia and CO2 gas is seperated and recoverd in a recovery section of the plant and recycled to the urea synthesis reactor for reprocessing.
Liquid urea solution is concentrated under vacuum, and then sprayed from the top of a specialized prilling towers against an upward moving air stream to generate the commonly known spherical shape (Prilled Urea). Then, the urea is coated with a special material (HMT) to produce coated urea in order to prevent urea caking. Recently, instead of prodcing prilled urea, modern plants are equipped with granullation units instead of prilling towers to produce granualated urea.
SOC ownes 2 urea plants producing 2750 metric ton per day of Urea fertilizer. Mostly is exported as a bulk product or bagged in 50 kg. special double-envelope polyethylene urea bags.
Uses of Urea:
- As a fertelizer on its own.
- mixed with other types fertelizers to produce a mixed fertelizer, ie NPK Fertelizer.
- In the Production of certain resins when combined with other products such as formaledhyde (Urea formaledhydes).
- In the Production of a cattle feed.
