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Lecture 37 PDF
Lecture 37 PDF
Lecture 37 PDF
Dr. N. K. Patel
Lecture: 37 Urea
Module: 9
Lecture: 37
UREA
INTRODUCTION
Urea was first discovered in urine in 1727 by Herman Boerhaave, though this
discovery is often credited to Hilaire Rouelle.
Urea has the highest nitrogen content ava*ilable in a solid fertilizer (46%). It is
easy to produce as prills or granules and easily transported in bulk or bags with no
explosive hazard. It dissolves readily in water. It leaves no salt residue after use on
crops and can often be used for foliar feeding.
Urea is an acceptable fertilizer for rice and preferable to nitrates for flooded
rice because of the reduction of nitrates to N2O and/or nitrogen (in anaerobic
conditions) which is lost to the atmosphere. Also, rice can utilize the ammonium form
of nitrogen efficiently. Hydrolysis and nitrification (in aerobic conditions) are rapid in
tropical, sub-tropical and warm climates
Urea can be sprayed on leaves and can also be mixed with insecticides or
herbicides for soil application. A urea ammonium nitrate mixture with herbicide is
also used for weed control.
Disadvantages
When applied to a bare soil surface, urea hydrolyzes rapidly result into loss of
significant quantity of ammonia by volatilization. Such losses vary from soil to
soil and are greater for urea in a pellet form rather than in solution form.
NPTEL 239
Module: 9
Dr. N. K. Patel
Lecture: 37 Urea
It is phytotoxic due to rapid hydrolysis of urea in soils can cause injury to the
seedlings by ammonia,
The fertilizer grade urea may contain toxic biuret which is formed during urea
manufacture by an excessive temperature rise. Above 2% concentration of
biuret in urea is harmful to plants.
Feed grade urea is sometimes referred to by the number 262 which is the
product of its nitrogen content (42%) multiplied by 6.25, the latter being the factor
used by chemists to convert nitrogen to its protein equivalent.
MANUFACTURE
Raw materials
Basis: 1000kg prilled urea
Reaction
Manufacture
Block diagram of manufacturing process
Animation
NPTEL 240
Module: 9
Dr. N. K. Patel
Lecture: 37 Urea
To Vaccum
Evaporator
Molten Mass
Evaporator
Liquid
Ammonia Prilling
Distillation
Tower
Tower
Synthesis
tower
(reaction chamber)
Pump
Inner Cup
Compressor
Condensate
Steam Air
CO2 Conveyor
Urea
Condensate
Tank for the
Condensate molten mass
NPTEL 241
Module: 9
Dr. N. K. Patel
Lecture: 37 Urea
The raw material and utilities requirement for different processes for synthesis
and purification of urea are tabulated as earlier.
b) TEC-ACES process
This is typically CO2 stripping process employing higher ratio (4:1) of NH3 to
CO2, and higher synthesis pressure leading to high conversion efficiencies as
compare to total recycle process. Stripping is carried out in a two stage stripper
constructed of special steel. The upper part of the stripper is a tray column for the
removal of excess ammonia whereas the lower part is a falling film exchanger for
the stripping action.
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Module: 9
Dr. N. K. Patel
Lecture: 37 Urea
separator which extend the urea formation reaction. The operating conditions are
same as traditional ones. The new secondary section added to the synthesis loop
can be prefabricated on skid mounted units and can be erected at site without any
modification on the layout of the existing synthesis section.
Granulation
Now a day, granular urea has gained importance since it minimize air
pollution and granules has higher strength larger sizes and is more compatible with
other granular fertilizers.
Autoclave variables
The objective of autoclave reaction is to produce the optimum economic
yield. The conditions which affects rate of reactions are temperature, pressure,
NH3/CO2 ratio and feed rate. The urea production rate can be varied as follows
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Module: 9
Dr. N. K. Patel
Lecture: 37 Urea
exceeds 1-2 seconds to avoid biuret formation. Use of millisecond contact time in a
flash evaporator allows 1400C operating temperatures in the high recycle design.
Corrosion
It can be minimized by use of the corrosion resistant metals and maintaining
the proper reaction conditions. High cost silver or tantalum liners are used in the
autoclaves with titanium, stainless (321SS) and aluminum alloys used in other parts of
the plant. Minimum temperature and pressure with excess NH3 are desirable to
reduce the severe corrosion rates.
PROPERTIES
It is highly soluble in water and practically non-toxic (LD50 is 15 gm/kg for rat).
Dissolved in water, it is neither acidic nor alkaline. As soon as urea dissolves in the soil,
it forms around it a zoning layer of high pH and ammonia concentration turning the
soil to be acidic and toxic at the same level. Urea is high moisture absorbent
therefore it should be stored in sealed and well enclosed bags.
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Module: 9
Dr. N. K. Patel
Lecture: 37 Urea
USES
As a fertilizer
As a protein food supplements for ruminant
As an ingredient in the manufacture of resins, plastics, adhesive, coatings
Textiles anti-shrink agents and ion exchange resins
In melamine production
It is an intermediate in the manufacture of ammonium sulfamate, sulfamic
acid and pthalocyanines.
NPTEL 245