Sustainability
Increasing nitrogen uptake efficiency is one of the main ways in which fertilizer use can be made more sustainable.
The “triple-P” approach and Best Available Technologies
Stamicarbon believes that improvements accelerate when considerations regarding People, Planet and Profit go hand in hand (the “triple-P” approach). As an innovative provider of urea technology, it disseminates Best Available Technologies for urea production, including:
- For large-scale production of new formulations of urea-based fertilizers, Stamicarbon’s philosophy is that the production of enhanced-efficiency fertilizers should be “right the first time”. Manufacturing standard urea granules and prills first, and then reprocessing them into enhanced urea fertilizers or granulated products, would result in additional processing and handling costs. Stamicarbon’s expertise in designing urea plants provides the capacity to integrate conventional and new production processes, so as to produce enhanced-efficiency urea at low cost and with consistent quality. One example is the integration of pastillizing units in urea plants (for which Stamicarbon has joined with Sandvik Process Systems), leading to trials in existing plants that produce various formulations of fertilizers. Pastillizing units can also contribute considerably to reducing ammonia and dust emissions in urea plants.
- Stamicarbon recently started a feasibility study to produce large urea super granules (several grams each) that are suitable as slow release fertilizer for rice paddies. These large urea granules allow for improved urea efficiency and higher crop yield thanks to less leaching and volatilization of urea. This project was originally initiated by the IFDC to help Bengali farmers increase their income by reducing expenditure on fertilizer and improved rice yields.
CNOOC Plant, China
Small scale production of urea super granules can be turned into more efficient large scale production. Better availability of super granules will reduce a farmer’s expenditure on fertilizers and save government’s spending on subsidies for urea. A case study showed that the entire value chain would benefit.
www.ifdc.org/Expertise/Fertilizer/Fertilizer_Deep_Placement_(UDP)
- Continuing innovations in its fluid-bed granulation process, Stamicarbon is engaging in fertilizer formulation technology. Besides the often highlighted economical advantages, plant owners have demonstrated and reported that the granulation process produces highly spherical and smooth-surfaced granules. The granules have minimum asperities on the particle surface and therefore are excellent for coating. Thanks to the smoother particle surface fewer faults in the coating appear, less coating material is needed and better nutrient release is ensured. Stamicarbon is engaged in R&D on coatings with several parties.
Other aspects that Stamicarbon is focusing include:
- Zero ammonia and dust emission, for instance in conjunction with alternative formulations of urea-based fertilizer as describer here above.
- Minimizing carbon leakage from natural resources to the environment, i.e. renewable hydrocarbon feed stock for urea plants.
- Feasible concepts of urea production in developing countries.
As a technology provider, Stamicarbon would like to work with fertilizer producers and other parties involved in the fertilizer and food value chain to pursue sustainable food security and fertilizer production in a true triple-P spirit.
New Stamicarbon Avancore process
