Ammonium phosphate is the salt of ammonia and phosphoric

acid ((NH4)3PO4), which is difficult to produce because of the inherent

instability:
NH43PO4→NH42HPO4+NH3
In contrast to the unstable nature of the triammonium salt, diammonium
phosphate ((NH4)2HPO4) is a valuable material that finds major use in
the fertilizer industry.
The phosphate fertilizer industry is divided into three segments:
(i) Phosphoric acid and super phosphoric acid,
(ii) Normal superphosphate and triple superphosphate,
(iii) Granular ammonium phosphate.

The focus of this subsection is on normal superphosphate, triple

superphosphate, and ammonium phosphate.
The term normal superphosphate (normal superphosphate) refers to
fertilizer material containing 15%–21% (w/w) phosphorous as
phosphorous pentoxide (P2O5). By further definition, superphosphate
contains a large percentage of phosphate, but by definition, normal
superphosphate contains not more than 22% (w/w) of available
phosphorous pentoxide.

Ammonium phosphate (NH4H2PO4) is produced by reacting phosphoric

acid (H3PO4) with anhydrous ammonia (NH3):
NH3+H3PO4→NH4H2PO4
On the other hand, ammoniated superphosphates are produced by adding
normal superphosphate or triple superphosphate to the mixture.
The production of liquid ammonium phosphate and ammoniated
superphosphates in fertilizer mixing plants is considered a separate
process.
Normal superphosphates are prepared by reacting ground phosphate
rock with 65%–75% sulfuric acid; an important factor in the production
of normal superphosphate derivatives is the amount of iron and
aluminum in the phosphate rock. Aluminum (as aluminum oxide or
alumina, Al2O3) and iron (as ferric oxide, Fe2O3) amounts in excess of
5% (w/w) impart an extreme stickiness to the superphosphate, which
makes the superphosphate difficult to handle.
The two general types of sulfuric acid used in superphosphate
manufacture are unused acid (often referred to as virgin acid) and spent
acid. Virgin acid is produced from elemental sulfur, pyrites, and
industrial gases and is relatively pure, while spent acid is a recycled
waste product from various industries that use large quantities of sulfuric
acid. Problems encountered with using spent acid include unusual color,
unfamiliar odor, and toxicity.
In the process, ground phosphate rock and acid are mixed in a reaction
vessel, held in an enclosed area for approximately 30 min until the
reaction is partially completed, and then transferred, using an enclosed
conveyer known as the den, to a storage pile for curing (the completion
of the reaction). Following curing, the product is most often used as a
high-phosphate additive for the production of granular fertilizers. It can
also be granulated for sale as granulated superphosphate or granular
mixed fertilizer.
To produce granulated normal superphosphate, cured superphosphate is
fed through a clod breaker (lump breaker and lump crusher) and sent to a
rotary drum granulator where steam, water, and acid may be added to
aid in the granulation process. Rotating drum granulators are open-
ended, slightly inclined rotary cylinders with a cutter mounted inside. A
bed of dry material is maintained in the unit, while slurry is introduced
through pipes under the bed. The product is then processed through a
rotary drum granulator, a rotary dryer, a rotary cooler, and is then
screened to specification and, finally, stored in bagged or bulk form
prior to being sold.
Two processes have been used to produce triple superphosphate:
 Run-of-the-pile triple superphosphate (ROP-TSP)
 Granular tri-superphosphate (GTSP).
The concept of TSP production is relatively simple. Manufacturers
make non-granular TSP typically by reacting finely ground
phosphate rock with liquid phosphoric acid in a cone-type
mixer. The ROP-TSP material is produced in a manner similar to
normal superphosphate and appears as a pulverized product of variable
particle size produced. In the process, wet-process phosphoric acid
(50%–55% (w/w) phosphorus pentoxide) is reacted with ground
phosphate rock in a cone mixer after which the resultant slurry begins to
solidify on a slow-moving conveyer en route to the curing area. At the
point of discharge from the den, the material passes through a rotary
mechanical cutter that breaks up the solid mass. The coarse ROP-TSP
product is sent to a storage pile and cured for 3–5 weeks. The product is
then mined from the storage pile to be crushed, screened, and shipped in
bulk.
Granular tri-superphosphate (GTSP): Granular TSP is made similarly,
but the resulting slurry is sprayed as a coating onto small particles
to build granules of the desired size. The product from both
production methods then cures for several weeks as the chemical
reactions are slowly completed. The chemistry and process of the
reaction will vary somewhat depending on the properties of the
phosphate rock.Granular triple superphosphate yields larger, more
uniform particles with improved storage and handling properties.
Granular Triple Superphosphate (GTSP) has key benefits for
crops: highly efficient fertilizer because the water-soluble
phosphate it contains is very quickly and easily absorbed by
plants. available in both granular for direct application on farm or
in production of granular compound fertilizers.
TSP has several agronomic advantages that made it such a popular P source for many
years. It has the highest P content of dry fertilizers that don’t contain nitrogen (N). Over
90 percent of the total P in TSP is water soluble, so it becomes rapidly available for
plant uptake. As soil moisture dissolves the granule, the concentrated soil solution
becomes acidic. TSP also contains 15 percent calcium (Ca), providing an additional
plant nutrient.

A major use of TSP is in situations where several solid fertilizers are blended together
for broadcasting on the soil surface or for application in a concentrated band beneath
the surface. It’s also desirable for fertilization of leguminous crops, such as alfalfa or
beans, where no additional N fertilization is needed to supplement biological N fixation.
Non-agricultural uses

Monocalcium phosphate is an important ingredient in baking powder. The acidic

monocalcium phosphate reacts with an alkaline component to produce carbon dioxide,
the leavening for many baked products. Monocalcium phosphate is commonly added to
animal diets as an important mineral supplement of both P and Ca.