Ferralium 255 provides superior performance in fertiliser production
Feeding a growing global population presents a significant challenge , with the world ’ s population expected to climb from 7.9 billion people currently to around 9.7 billion people by 2050 , according to the United Nations . Ensuring food security in the face of limited land availability , climate change , and water scarcity make the problem more challenging . Fertilisers have an important role to play , helping to increase crop yields , soil fertility and crop resilience .
By Rodney Rice , Langley Alloys up to 110 ° C / 230 ° F , to increase the productivity of the process steps .
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Uniform corrosion from sulphuric and phosphoric acid . Sulphuric acid is commonly used during the early process stages before phosphoric acid is subsequently formed and concentrations between 20-50 % are common .
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Uniform corrosion from impurities ( HF , H2SiF6 etc .).
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Localised corrosion due to chlorides . The presence of impurities will depend upon the source of the
Inorganic fertilisers are manufactured via a number of different means , such as processing natural mineral deposits to make potassium-containing fertilisers , or synthesising nitrogen-based fertilisers from ammonia using natural gas as a source of hydrogen along with atmospheric nitrogen . For phosphorusbased fertilisers , the process relies upon the production of phosphoric acid from naturally occurring phosphate rock , which is subsequently reacted with ammonia to form various compounds . Equipment used during fertiliser production processes needs to operate continuously despite the aggressive conditions . Those found during the manufacture of phosphorus-based fertilisers include the combination of :
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Erosion corrosion from solid particles . For the phosphorusbased fertilisers , abrasive conditions exist in the “ attack tanks ” as the phosphate rock is broken down in the presence of an acid such as sulphuric acid . Components such as agitators and mixing tanks need to withstand the physical erosion that occurs due to the high velocities of this particulate matter . This can lead to far quicker corrosion than if the metal was exposed to the acid solution alone – as the protective ‘ passive layer ’ can be damaged and removed by the highly abrasive conditions found when the phosphate rock is broken down in larger tanks employing agitators .
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Effects of elevated temperature . Processes are operated at elevated temperatures , typically
Four-way connectors fabricated entirely from Ferralium super duplex plate .
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