Solids Fertilizer Summer InternshipIsaac Hardison

NCSU department of Civil Engineering

Who I Worked for:

• Al Hart - Production Engineer for Solids • David Harmon - Superintendent

SPA/Fertilizer

The Solids Fertilizer Deparment

Produces MAP and DAPMAP- Monoammonium Phosphate11-52-0DAP- Diammonium Phosphate18-46-0

Summer Projects

• Updated Solids Area PSI Files

• Operating and Quality Data Analysis

• Fertilizer Size (SGN & UI) Investigation

• Developed P&ID’s

Solids Area PSI Files

• Updated Solids Area PSI Files– Calculated the maximum intended ammonia inventory

for both the MAP3 and DAP2 plants – Organized critical equipment data for both the MAP3

and DAP2 plants

Maximum Ammonia Inventory

• Calculating Maximum Ammonia Inventory – Traced out the ammonia system in the field in both

the DAP2 and MAP3 plants– Obtained design drawings and information from the

central engineering department for the ammonia piping and for the ammonia vaporizers

– Verified piping distances and line sizes in the field– Obtained ammonia density and pipe size data– Calculated the maximum intended ammonia inventory

for each plant– The maximum intended inventories are 5420 lbs for

the DAP2 plant and 1290 lbs for the MAP3 plant

Example of Ammonia Calculations

Maximum Intended Inventory of Ammonia in the DAP 2 Plant.Section 1 - Liquid Ammonia from the Emergency Block valve to the West Vaporizer 245 ft of 3 in schedule 40 pipeLiquid NH3 supply pressure = 170 psigLiquid NH3 density = 36.86 lb/ft3

ID = 3.068 in = .25567 ft πr2 = .05133 ft2

Volume per foot of pipe length = .05133 ft3 245 ft * .05133 ft3/ ft = 12.5758 ft3

12.5758 ft3 * 36.86 lb/ft3 = 463.54 lbsSection 1 = 464 lbs NH3

Section 2 - West Vaporizer (Shell and Tubes – Part Liquid and Part Vapor)For vaporizer calculations, the following assumptions were made:1. The liquid NH3 level is the amount that just covers the vaporizer tube bank.2. The space above the bank is occupied by vapor ammonia3. The pressure inside the vaporizer is a constant 70 psig throughout.4. The total volume = Shell Volume – Tube bundle volume (94 tubes in all)Liquid NH3 supply Pressure = 70 psigLiquid NH3 Density = 39.11 lb/ft3

Vapor NH3 supply Pressure = 70 psigVapor NH3 Density = lb/3.44ft3

Shell volume = ID = 48’’ = 4’ Length = 96’’= 8’ Volume of shell = π*r2 * h = 12.5664 ft2 * 8Shell Volume = 100.53 ft3

Tube bundle volume = ID = .75 in = .061 ftLength (average per tube) = 106 in = 8.83 ftTube bundle Volume = π*r2 * h = .00301* 8.83Total tube bundle volume= .02664*94 = 2.504 ft3

Total volume = 100.53 ft3 - 2.504 ft3

= 98.026 ft3

Since the tubes are 20’’ high in the vaporizer, and the vaporizer is 48” tall, then the amount of liquid in the vaporizer is 20/48 or 41.666 % and the amount of vapor in the vaporizer is the remaining 58.33 %. 41.66% * 98.026 = 40.83 ft3 of liquid58.33% * 98.026 = 57.17 ft3 of vapor 40.83 ft3 * 39.11 lb/ft3 = 1596.86 lbs or 1597 lbs57.17 ft3 * lb/ 3.44 ft3= 16.619 lbs or 17 lbs 1597 + 17 = Section 2 = 1614 lbs of NH3

Section 3 - Vapor Ammonia from the West Vaporizer to the Reactor and Granulator

Part 1 - 8 inch diameter pipe from west vaporizer to connection with the 12 inch pipe to reactor 54 ft of 8 in schedule 40 pipeID= 7.98 in = .665 ftπr2 = .3471ft2

Volume per foot of pipe length = .3471 ft3 54 ft of pipe 54 ft * .3471ft3/ ft = 18.7434 ft3

18.7434 ft3 * lb/3.44ft3 = 5.45 lb 5 lbs NH3

Part 2 - 8 inch pipe from granulator to connection with the 12 inch pipe to Reactor 77 ft of 8 in schedule 40 pipeID = 7.98 in = .665 ft πr2 = .3471 ft2

Volume per foot of pipe length = .3471 ft3 77 ft * .3471 ft3/ ft = 26.7267 ft3

26.7267 ft3 * lb/3.44ft3 = 7.769 lb 8 lbs NH3

Ammonia Vaporizers

PSI Files - Equipment Data Sheets

• For every piece of critical equipment in the DAP2 and MAP3 plant there are data sheets which give design and operating information

• My job was to review the current information, collect additional data if needed, and improve the organization of this data in the files

• Searched through equipment files in both the operations and maintenance offices

• Took information found from both locations and joined information to create more efficient PSI files

• This will allow people to more easily locate equipment data when needed

Examples of Equipment Data

Data Analysis

• Operating and Quality Data Analysis– Documented scrubber operating history to develop

DAQ CAM environmental limits

Example of CAM DataDAP2 Scrubbers

Dryer Venturi Scrubber DP

5% ALARM SETTINGS: 11.0 19.5 Average Daily Values MACT Days Alarm

Month Avg Min Max Run Days of Alarm Days (%)Jan-11 13.4 11.0 17.7 24 0 0.0%Feb-11 16.1 12.4 18.2 22 0 0.0%Mar-11 15.1 11.8 17.4 26 0 0.0%Apr-11 14.5 11.6 17.5 29 0 0.0%May-11 15.2 12.3 18.0 31 0 0.0%Jun-11 14.8 11.7 17.3 25 0 0.0%Jul-11 14.4 11.4 16.9 30 0 0.0%Aug-11 14.6 11.8 17.3 23 0 0.0%Sep-11 15.1 11.7 17.6 21 0 0.0%Oct-11 14.2 11.2 16.7 29 0 0.0%Nov-11 14.9 11.4 17.4 27 0 0.0%Dec-11 14.2 11.9 17.1 28 0 0.0%Jan-12 13.7 11.1 16.4 26 0 0.0%Feb-12 14.2 11.3 17.4 25 0 0.0%Mar-12 13.9 11.3 17.2 26 0 0.0%Apr-12 15.0 11.9 19.1 25 0 0.0%

May-12 13.6 11.2 16.1   24 0 0.0%Overall Avg:  14.5 441 0 0.0%

DAP2 ScrubbersDryer Venturi Scrubber Flow

5% ALARM SETTINGS: 529 761 Average Daily Values MACT Days Alarm

Month Avg Min Max Run Days of Alarm Days (%)Jan-11 662 602 716 24 0 0.0%Feb-11 663 535 757 22 0 0.0%Mar-11 683 608 759 26 0 0.0%Apr-11 684 620 733 29 0 0.0%May-11 700 594 745 31 0 0.0%Jun-11 683 621 727 25 0 0.0%Jul-11 670 648 730 30 0 0.0%Aug-11 650 598 720 23 0 0.0%Sep-11 693 618 743 21 0 0.0%Oct-11 671 583 742 29 0 0.0%Nov-11 688 614 746 27 0 0.0%Dec-11 707 639 752 28 0 0.0%Jan-12 704 638 749 26 0 0.0%Feb-12 679 620 740 25 0 0.0%Mar-12 717 641 757 26 0 0.0%Apr-12 665 587 740 25 0 0.0%May-12 659 590 700   24 0 0.0%

Overall Avg:  681 441 0 0.0%

Data Analysis

• Operating and Quality Data Analysis– Documented the color difference in the final MAP

product due to acid blend changes

These are the different piles of MAP with different levels of DI’s in the blend

Data Analysis

• Operating and Quality Data Analysis– Tracked the TPA and APA values for MAP produced in

the #2 plant.– Developed baseline operating information for ammonia

and acid usage when producing MAP in the #2 plant– Tracked quality information for barge and rail

shipments in the Solids area– Documented daily MACT environmental data for Solids

Fertilizer Size Quality Data

• Fertilizer Size (SGN & UI) Investigation– SGN = Size Guide Number– UI = Uniformity Index– Analyzed historical data to determine if differences exist in

SGN testing results between the DAP2 plant and the lab– We did find differences ranging from 9 to 15 points which

sometimes can lead to quality warnings for product – This lead us to perform “round-robin” size testing on

fertilizer samples in each of the fertilizer plants, the rail yard scale house, and the tech services lab

Round Robin Testing

• Testing samples– All samples were taken from #2 plant– Total of ten samples taken: four MAP and six DAP– Testing of the each sample was carried out at each

location in the fertilizer area and at the lab.– Lab tests were done using the CPA and test screens– Analysis of results

Conclusions of Tests, and Suggestions for More Consistent Results

• Conclusions– SGN test data from the DAP2 plant is higher than the either the

Lab CPA or the Lab screens. This difference is more pronounced at higher SGN values

– The MAP3 test screens and the Lab screens were very close– There is a difference between the Lab CPA values and the Lab

screen values

• Suggestions– Order new test screens for the DAP2 plant and check the results– Possibly check the correlation curve in the Lab CPA– The Lab and Fertilizer areas should continue work to resolve

any differences in testing

Solids Area P&ID’s

• P&ID’s– Created a P&ID for the Urea unloading and storage

system– 150# steam supply to the DAP2 plant– DPW water and #2 Pond Water to the DAP2 plant

What I learned

• Safety hazards and PPE usage• PSI requirements for a chemical plant• Gained knowledge of how an industrial

manufacturing site functions• Learned the process of making solid fertilizer• Equipment design and operation• P&ID’s and AutoCAD

Special Thanks

• Al Hart• David Harmon• Alex Hunt• Bill McClung• Eric Askew• Chris Toppin• Julie Potter• Mark Johnson• Steve Beckel

QUESTIONS?