Page 190 - CW E-Magazine (15-7-2025)

Special Report Special Report

Energy effi ciency and productivity improvement adopted by all plants. The new plants- productivity of this sector is impacted uncovering hidden losses, such as leak-
adopted such features at the design by the availability and pricing of raw ages in steam systems, suboptimal per-
in Indian fertiliser plants stage itself. materials & intermediates in the inter- formance of equipment or over-design
national market. Dependency on import in pumping and compression systems.
Improvements in average energy often aff ects quality of raw materials Based on audit fi ndings, plants can im-
ndia stands at the second largest ensures that the plants meet increasing DR. SURESH KUMAR CHAUDHARI consumption and intermediates, which in turn aff ects- plement energy conservation measures
Target Your Market More Effectively
producer of nitrogenous and com- demand of fertilisers while optimising Director General The weighted average energy con- operations of complex fertiliser plants. that yield measurable improvements.
Iplex fertilisers in the world. The resources. Urea accounts for 95% of the The Fertiliser Association of India sumption of ammonia plants improved Energy management systems and certi-
IndiaChemTrade
ChemImpex
major fertilisers produced in India energy intensity in the fertiliser sector. E-mail: dg@faidelhi.org from 12.87 Gcal/tonne in 1987-88 Sulphuric acid, used for production fi cation schemes such as ISO 50001
include urea, diammoniumphosphate Ammonia synthesis phase, which forms to 7.76 Gcal/tonne ammonia in 2023-24. of phosphoric acid, is the powerhouse provide a structured approach to moni-
Free for subscribers of Chemical Weekly
For subscribers only
(DAP), NP/NPK Complex fertilisers the basis for urea and other nitrogen- switched over to natural gas under the The energy effi ciency of old plants has for complex fertiliser plants. The exo- toring, analysing, and improving energy
and single super phosphate (SSP). containing fertilisers, consumes about directive of pricing policy. improved signifi cantly. The weighted thermi cheat of sulphuric acid is uti- performance on a continuous basis.
IndiaChemTrade provides consolidated trade statistics
ChemImpex, the trade database, tracks, on a daily
80% of energy as its uses fossil re- average energy effi ciency of urea plants- lised to produce electricity, which helps Most major energy-intensive fertiliser
basis, exports and imports of chemicals and related
of India. The information provided here is based on the
Fertiliser manufacturing capacity sources as feedstock and fuel. Hence, Energy effi ciency gains improved from 8.87 Gcal/tonne to in replacing use of coal as a fuel for gene- plants have implemented energy man-
products through the major ports in India — a vital
annual trade data published by the Directorate General
Urea is the most produced fertiliser the foundational elements of energy The older plants reduced the energy 5.71 Gcal/tonne urea during the corres- ration of power; thus, reducing green- agement systems alongwith other envi-
of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics, Government
source of commercial intelligence. Find out on-line
and consumed in the country. During effi ciency in urea production is the effi ciency gap by retrofi t and revamp of ponding period. This also resulted in house gas (GHG) emissions. ronment management systems for
how international markets are moving; where your
quality, environment and safety.
2024-25, 30.64-mt of urea was produced optimisation of the ammonia produc- the plants from time-to-time with better reduction in generation of carbondioxide of India. The database can be searched by: Chemical
Name/Harmonised Code to obtain the consolidated
competitors are exporting and at what price; where
against a production of about 52.0-mt of tion process. catalysts, improved heat exchanger- emissions from ammonia plants from The productivity of phosphatic ferti-
imports are coming from and how
liser plants are determined by use-effi ciency
The eff orts of the industry resulted
total fertiliser products. During the year, designs, high-effi ciency burners in 3.6 tonne per tonne ammonia in 1987- their prices are trade (import or export) in that item; or by Country to
obtain the trade (import or export) in all chemicals and
moving. Download all this data, seamlessly, for a
production of DAP, NP/NPK complexes, Ammonia production process is a net reformer, use of low-level waste heat in 88 to 1.9 per tonne ammonia in 2023-24. of raw materials. Mostof the complex in a very high level of effi ciency com-
SSP and other fertilisers was 3.77-mt, generator of waste heat due to exothermic vapour absorption machines and retro- Considering the carbon dioxide used fertiliser plants as a result of process- parable to the best plants in the world.
small fee — online, anytime, with no hassles.
related products between India and that country
11.34-mt, 5.24-mt and 1.01-mt, respecti- reactions. The key to enhance the fi ts of compressors, turbines & pumps. for making urea, the net emissions of optimisation and improved scrubbing The plants of all vintages have carried
ChemXchange
vely. There has been signifi cant- energy effi ciency is to eff ectively utilise The power supply and electrical system carbon dioxide from integrated ammonia systems are able to improve the nitro- out modifi cations to improve the
improvement in the fertiliser produc- the waste heat within the plant for pre- is also an important element of opera- and urea plants is estimated to be about gen recovery effi ciency and P O reco- effi ciency and productivity. The tech-
Open to all registered users — no subscription required
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tion over the years. heating of process streams, feedstock, tion. Modernisation and upgradation of 0.6 per tonne urea during 2023-24. very effi ciency from the level of 93-94% nology suppliers are also assessing
ChemXchange — the chemical exchange with a difference — is where you can identify your buyers and sup-
process air, boiler feedwater, etc. electrical equipment and systems pro- in 1990s to more than 99% at the plant performance and proposing
plyers on-line, any time. This unique platform is free to all advertisers in the print version of Chemical Weekly.
Capacity of urea plants increased vide fl exibility, reliability and safety Productivity gains in phosphatic and present. schemes to improve effi ciency of ferti-
from 0.02-mtpa in 1960s to 21.1-mtpa Feedstock usage of electrical networks. Furthermore, potassic (P&K) fertiliser plants liser plants. Industry is also explor-
For more information contact: 022-24044477. Fax: 022-24044450
in 2000. The plants under went series Ammonia and corresponding urea integration of process simulation and Phosphatic and potassic (P&K) fer- Energy audits ing such options to further improving
Email: corporate@chemicalweekly.com or log on to chemicalweekly.com
of revamp exercise from time-to-time production in India had a modest start real-time optimisation tools enabled- tiliser plants are highly dependent on Energy audit is an essential tool for effi ciency.
to increase the capacity. As a result of with small sized multi-stream plants plant operators to continually monitor import of raw materials and intermediates identify ingineffi ciencies and bench-
such debottlenecking exercise, urea and variety of feedstock like natural performance and optimise the plant ope- like rock phosphate, sulphur, ammonia, marking performance against best- [Indian Journal of Fertilisers, 21 (6):
capacity increased by 4.0-mtpa in the gas, naphtha, fuel oil and coal. As the ration and energy input. Conversion to sulphuric acid and phosphoric acid. The in-class standards. The audit helps in 506-507, June 2025].
last one-and-half decade. Post 2019, technology developed, capacity moved natural gas and energy conservation-
commissioning of six new urea plants to larger size, single-stream plants with eff orts resulted in improvement in energy
further augmented the production capa- in-built high-energy effi ciency features. effi ciency and reduction in emissions of
city by 7.6-mtpa to reach 31.3-mtpa in These plants were commissioned during carbon dioxide.
2023-24. However, there were some late 1980s and 1990s, having capacity
reductions in production due to closure of 1,350-tpd (tonnes per day) ammo- Energy effi ciency gains in ammo- Missed a copy !!!
of two plants in mid-2023. nia and 2,200-tpd urea. These plants nia plants refl ect directly in the urea
expanded theircapacities through energy consumption. Urea plants also For Digital Edition of this month’s issue & all other past issues
The DAP and NP/NPK product capa- debottlenecking to more than 2,000-tpd- made interventions to reduce steam
city is around 16.2-mtpa while that of ammonia and more than 3,000-tpd and power consumption needed to con- Visit www.hpicindia.com
SSP is 12.8-mtpa. In terms of P O , urea. The latest plants commissioned vert ammonia to urea. The prominent
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capacity is 7.5-mtpa in 2023-24 but after 2019 are having ammonia and measures such as increasing effi ciency
capacity utilisation was only 66.7%. urea capacity of 2,200-tpd and 3,850-tpd, of urea reactor by replacement of old PDF copies available for download
respectively. designed trays with better design high Register Now
Optimising ammonia production effi ciency trays, introduction of ad- Mrs. Usha S. - usha@hpicindia.com
Productivity refers to maximizing Two coal-based plants were closed ditional trays, additional stages for Contact: For Subscription : Mrs. Usha S. - usha@hpicindia.com
output while minimising resource in- down in 1998 and other ammonia-urea decomposition, concentration and pre- For Advertising : Mr. Vijay Raghavan - vijay@hpicindia.com
put and downtime. Higher productivity plants based on naphtha and fuel oil heating of ammonia were in variably
190 Chemical Weekly June 15, 2025 Chemical Weekly June 15, 2025 191
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