A REPORT

ON

“AN INDUSTRIAL VISIT”

Date: 28/10/10

PGDM (2009-11)

SUBMITTED TO: DR. RAVI SHARMA

SUBMITTED BY: RAHUL MISHRA

INTRODUCTION

FERTILIZERS IN INDIA

Fertilizers have played a vital role in the success of India’s green revolution and consequent self-
reliance in food grains production. The increase in fertilizer consumption has contributed
significantly to sustainable production in food grains in the country. Fertilizer is generally
defined as “any material, organic or inorganic, one or more of the chemical elements required for
plant growth”

India is the third largest fertilizer producer in the world. Fertilizer is a crucial input contributing
to about 40 per cent of the productivity of the crop. With expanding agricultural production,
improvement in technology and growing awareness among farmer, the consumption of
agrochemicals has been on the upswing. The agrochemicals industry is made up of insecticides
(74%), herbicides (20%) and fungicides (6%). India is one among the most dynamic generic
pesticides manufacturing countries with a total market size of Rs 89 billion per annum. And yet,
India’s own average consumption of pesticides is very low at 480gms per hectare which results
in crops worth about Rs 120 billion being annually destroyed by pests. Crop protection has
assumed special importance since food grains demand in the country is supposed to reach an
estimated 343 million tons by 2020.

RAMA PHOSPHATE LTD.

Rama Phosphates Limited is one of the leading fertilizer manufacturing company in India. It is a
public limited company with stocks listed on stock exchanges. Rama Phosphates is in existence
for last 25 years and one of its units at Pune is in existence for last 40 years and pioneer in India.
RPL is listed public limited company in Bombay Stock Exchange, National Stock Exchange and
other stock exchanges in India.

RPL has two manufacturing wings viz., a) Fertilizer and b) Edible oil. The Company is engaged
in manufacturing phosphatic fertilizers viz. Single Super Phosphate (Powder as well as Granule),
Mixed fertilizers namely NPK and Chemicals like Sulphuric Acid, Oleum etc.
The total installed capacity of the Company is 4.63 lac Metric Tons of Single Super Phosphate
and 1.83 lac Metric Tons of Sulphuric Acid.

RPL is one of the largest manufacturers in India. The products of RPL are marketed in various
States in the country under brand name of “Girnar” and “Suryaphool”. Both the brands are
leading brands in the States of Maharashtra, M.P., Chhatisgarh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Haryana,
Gujarat, etc.

UDAIPUR PLANT:

This unit is situated in Jhamar Kothra which is on the head of Rock Phosphate mines. Thus the
availability of basic raw material, i.e. Rock Phosphate has made this unit as most strategic unit of
the company. The entire unit is fully integrated with in house facilities such as rock grinding,
finished goods storage including gruanules as also stand-by DG power sets.

The Company’s installed capacity is 1,32,000 MT of SSP.

MANUFACTURING PROCESS

The preferred and most advantageous parameters for the inventive procedure will now be
discussed:

I. PHOSPHATE ROCK

The inventive procedure is applicable to all available phosphate rock, the ultimate A.P.A. content
of the phosphate fertilizer being dependent on the grade of phosphate rock initially used.
Although the particle size of the crushed rock is not critical, the best results are obtained with
relatively small particle sizes. Tests have indicated that excellent results are obtained if about
90% of the crushed rock pass through a 200 mesh sieve, but other particle sizes are of course
also feasible.

Rock Phosphate

Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2

Hydroxyapatite (bones, teeth) “bone-meal” bones in acid soils?

Ca10(PO4)6F2 or Cl2 or OH2

Fluorapatite

27-41% P2O5

Total P in soils (90 to 2000 lb /acre, avg. of 800 in the surface horizon)
II. WATER

Good results are obtained if the weight ratio of rock: water is about 3:1-1:3. Phosphate rock such
as, for example, Fluor Apatite, when mined and prior to crushing, usually contains about 5-10%
of water. After crushing and water washing, the water content rises to about 15-20%. Since, in
accordance with the inventive procedure, the weight ratio between phosphate rock and water is,
preferably, between about 3:1-1:3, the water washed crushed rock need not be dried. This is of
considerable advantage if compared with prior art procedures wherein drying after the water
washing is usually required.

III. CATALYST

The catalysts are water-soluble metal salts of transition metals. Excellent results have been
obtained with metal salts of the following metals: Al, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn and Mo.
It will be noted that all these metals are between the atomic numbers 13 (Al) and 42 (Mo),
inclusive. The metals are used in soluble salt form and a mixture of several metal salts of the
same metal or salts of different metals may be used.

For economy reasons it is, of course, desirable to keep the amount of metal salt catalyst as low as
possible. Generally, very good results are obtained if the amount of metal ion is about 0.1 to 3%
calculated on the amount of phosphate rock.

IV. PH

As stated here in above, the pH of the mixture should be adjusted to an alkaline value, the most
desirable results being obtained if the pH is between about 7.5 to 9. Unless the pH of the mixture
is inherently within the indicated range, proper adjustment can be made by adding small amounts
of sodium hydroxide solution, potassium hydroxide solution or the like alkaline substance. Due
to the alkaline pH, the metal is rendered colloidal and is homogeneously distributed throughout
the mixture.
V. TEMPERATURE

While the hydrolytic degradation proceeds at room temperature, it will be appreciated that room
temperature conversion is relatively slow. Accordingly, it is recommended that the reaction be
carried out at slightly elevated temperature up to about 80°C. Temperatures above 80°C are not
recommended unless the operator is prepared to invest in special equipment. The hydrolytic
degradation, of course, proceeds at higher temperatures as well.

VI. TIME

At temperatures between 50°-80°C the conversion is usually completed within 2-5 hours
dependent on various factors such as the mesh size of the crushed rock, the equipment in which
the conversion takes place, the nature and amount of catalyst and the like.

As will be appreciated from the above, the inventive hydrolysis is catalyzed by the metal ions of
the indicated kind.

Whereas hydrolytic degradation of phosphate rock at a neutral pH and at ambient temperature, to

wit, room temperature, is practically zero, the degradation significantly increases with increasing
temperature and with a pH within the alkaline range.

As stated, due to the alkaline pH value of the mixture the metal salts are converted into colloidal
systems of metal oxides or other metal compounds, which are thus formed in situ in the system
during the hydrolytic degradation.

Although any of the indicated metal ions may be used for the inventive purposes, from a
practical and economical point of view iron and/or aluminum salts are particularly suitable.
These may be used in combination with bivalent captions such as cobalt or nickel.

A suitable catalyst for the inventive procedure is thus, for example, iron sulfate. The iron sulfate
or for that matter any other metal salt may be used in technical grade purity.
A cumulative effect is obtained by increasing the temperature up to 80°C and by using suitable
combinations of captions. As stated, the metal ions are used in relatively small quantities of
about 0.1 to 3%. At the end phosphate is manufactured and it is packed in polybags. These
polybags are distributed to different companies. And it is used in manufacturing fertilizers.

SAFETY AND HEALTH

The importance of safety at work place can't be over exemplified. It is mostly felt in factories
where the labors are exposed to sustained risk in their daily operations. Adaptation of safety
measures not only ensures safety of the life of the workers but also of their family dependents.

1. Dangerous part of every machinery should be securely fanced.

2. Examination of the machinery every fortnightly by the senior engineer.
3. Employment of young employees on dangerous machines.
4. Equipments like eyeglass, helmets, gloves, shoes should be provided by the management to
the employees and should be mandatory for all to use while working.
EFFECTS ON ENVIRONMENT:

White phosphorus

White phosphorus enters the environment when industries use it to make other chemicals and
when the army uses it as ammunition. Through discharge of wastewater white phosphorus ends
up in surface waters near the factories that use it.

White phosphorus is not likely to spread, because it reacts with oxygen fairly quickly. When
phosphorus ends up in air through exhausts it will usually react with oxygen right away to be
converted into less harmful particles. However, when phosphorus particles are in air they may
have a protective coating that prevents chemical reactions.

In water, white phosphorus is not reacting with other particles that quickly and as a result it will
accumulate in the bodies of aquatic organisms. In soil phosphorus will remain for several days
before it is converted into less harmful substances. But in deep soils and the bottom of rivers and
lakes phosphorus may remain for a thousand years or so.
 Life on earth which such ecosystem

Phosphates

Phosphates have many effects upon organisms. The effects are mainly consequences of
emissions of large quantities of phosphate into the environment due to mining and cultivating.
During water purification phosphates are often not removed properly, so that they can spread
over large distances when found in surface waters.

Due to the constant addition of phosphates by humans and the exceeding of the natural
concentrations, the phosphor cycle is strongly disrupted.

The increasing phosphor concentrations in surface waters raise the growth of phosphate-
dependent organisms, such as algae and duckweed. These organisms use great amounts of
oxygen and prevent sunlight from entering the water. This makes the water fairly unlivable for
other organisms. This phenomenon is commonly known as eutrophication.