Digitalisation is making a strong impact in the process industry and is providing an opportunity to have a positive impact on the production KPIs. Metso’s Metals & Chemical Processing Business reviews the impact of digitalisation in the sulphuric acid industry today and discusses the concept of a future pit-to-port system within a digital eco-structure.
The implementation of WSA technology to recover sulphur as sulphuric acid from lean sulphurous off-gases offers significant environmental benefits. These include waste reduction, resource efficiency and reduced overall CO2 e footprint, while also producing profitable sulphuric acid. By embracing such practices, industries can ensure improved or better consumption and production patterns and foster a more sustainable and responsible future. J. Feddersen and S. S. Johansson of Topsoe illustrate these benefits using three distinct industrial applications where WSA technology provides a smarter way to treat sulphurous off-gases. It is not only waste stream management in the three cases, but also reduced transportation of chemicals, reduced opex and reduced CO2 e footprint.
The phosphate industry, the dominant consumer of sulphuric acid worldwide, has grown to its present size on the back of fertilizer consumption. And while this has seen considerable growth over the past decades, especially in countries like China, India and Brazil, it has generally been fairly steady and – subject to the annual vagaries of weather and the commodity cycle – relatively predictable. However, the world economy is now in the throes of a major transformation towards less carbon intensive generation and use of energy, and that is disrupting many markets, including that for phosphates.
Mark Brouwer and Jo Eijkenboom of ureaknowhow.com examine the major shifts in global urea production. They also discuss the future of the urea industry and, in particular, how the sector is being affected by the increasing focus on low-carbon ammonia production.
We review potash mining and mineral processing methods. Advances in equipment technology and major project investments are highlighted.
The nickel market has been through a period of unprecedented change over the past few years due to demand for batteries for electric vehicles, with Indonesia becoming a centre for production via high pressure acid leaching.
KBR offers an end-to-end digitalisation solution specifically designed for green ammonia plants to balance the available renewable resources and consistently deliver the lowest levelised cost of green ammonia (LCOA). This article outlines some of the key modules of the KBR end-toend digitalisation solution developed to overcome the challenges in green ammonia operation and achieve best in class, safe and reliable plant operation.
OCI Global says that it has reached an agreement for the sale of 100% of its interest in its large-scale nitrogen fertilizer subsidiary the Iowa Fertilizer Company LLC, located in Wever, Iowa, to Koch Ag & Energy Solutions for $3.6 billion. Completion of the transaction remains subject to US anti-trust approval and other customary closing conditions. The transaction is expected to close in 2024. Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc is serving as financial advisor to OCI on the transaction. IFCO produced 1.2 million t/a of urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) in 2021 and 700,000 t/a of anhydrous ammonia, as well as 700,000 t/a of diesel exhaust fluid (DEF).
Brazil is a powerhouse agricultural economy, ranking as a top three global exporter of soybeans, corn and sugar. It is also the world’s number one producer and exporter of oranges and orange juice – as highlighted in our current issue (p18).
BHP has approved an investment of $4.9 billion (CAD 6.4 billion) in stage two of its Jansen potash project (Jansen Stage 2) in Saskatchewan, Canada.