Production technology and process of potash fertilizer

Introduction

Potash fertilizer is one of the chemical fertilizers that participates in the growth process of a large number of crops, allowing them to develop smoothly and grow better, thereby increasing yields and improving quality. Because of its high potassium, low nitrogen, and low phosphorus characteristics, it is also called high potassium fertilizer, potash fertilizer, low nitrogen potash fertilizer, potassium chloride, etc. Potash fertilizer is widely used in agricultural production around the world, especially in developed countries in Europe and the United States, and has been developed more due to its quick response, quick effect, and good effect of immediate use.

1. Potash fertilizer production process

Raw material processing:

The main raw material of potash fertilizer is mineral potassium ore, and the ore itself is difficult to use directly. Therefore, in the production process of potash fertilizer, raw material processing is indispensable, and its purpose is to crush potassium ore into smaller powders or blocks to facilitate the subsequent production process. Usually, potassium ore is mechanically crushed or coarsely ground into materials of different particle sizes by a mill, and then further crushed or pulverized for addition, mixing and finished products.

Heat treatment:

Then, potassium ore is heat treated to turn it into a usable fertilizer product. In this process, harmful components such as rosin and resin in potassium ore must first be removed by heating steam or gas into a closed furnace where agents are added. Subsequently, potassium ore is calcined at high temperature, usually at a high temperature of more than 1500°C, so that potassium ore can be thoroughly calcined. In this way, compounds such as carbonates and hydrates in potassium ore undergo chemical reactions such as pyrolysis, decomposition, reduction and precipitation to convert into potassium monochloride, silicon dioxide, potassium hydroxide and other potassium fertilizer components.

Recrystallization:

During the production process of potash fertilizer, the raw material powder is not completely stable and will form pores and crystals with time and environmental changes. Therefore, recrystallization must be carried out to re-form the blocky potash fertilizer into fine powder, so that it has uniform quality and non-accumulation properties, and improves the storage and use performance of potash fertilizer. Usually, recrystallization equipment includes start-up cooling equipment, vacuum scraper condenser and circulation pump. The recrystallization process is divided into three parts: primary crystallization, main crystallization and post-wet crystallization, among which the main crystallization is the core part of recrystallization.

Drying:

After recrystallization, the potash fertilizer needs to be dried seriously. This process can be implemented abnormally by the fan of the heating duct or hot air dryer and other equipment. Usually at a temperature below 110°C, the moisture is blown away by the fan, and finally dried with low-temperature hot air, so that the potash fertilizer delivered to the factory does not contain moisture and meets the product requirements.

Packaging and storage:

The last step is to package and store the produced potash fertilizer. In this step, professional packaging machines are usually used for packaging and stored in different storage environments. For high-purity potash fertilizers, sealed packaging is used to maintain the stability of the properties of the potash fertilizer. At the same time, care should be taken to avoid high temperature and humidity during storage.

2. Potash fertilizer production technology

Based on the above process steps, the production technology of potash fertilizer also involves the following aspects:

1. Through scientific process control: The key considerations include the processing ratio of raw materials, heat treatment temperature and time, recrystallization control, drying process and thin layer stacking.
2. Through material addition control: This process usually adds some agents that promote separation, materials that prevent wall adhesion, materials that promote crystallization and increase residual chloride, etc.
3. Through the improvement of infrastructure: This part mainly includes process layout design, equipment selection, process automation control and operator skill training, and constantly updates technical knowledge and improves the efficiency and quality of the entire process.

3. Types and functions of potassium fertilizers

Potassium fertilizer alone or partial potassium fertilizer can be used as fertilizer in the cultivation of certain crops, and can also be used as a stimulant to produce renewal. In the cultivation of crops, the main functions of potassium fertilizer are:

1. Improve the soil quality of farmland and optimize the state of crop root development.
2. Greatly improve the root absorption capacity, so that sufficient nutrients can be supplied to crops;
3. Improve crop measurement, tolerance, and stress resistance;
4. Improve the ability of crops to bloom and bear fruit, so that crops grow more luxuriantly.

4. Challenges faced

Although the development of potash fertilizer production and manufacturing technology should not be underestimated, there are still many difficulties and challenges faced by potash fertilizer in actual use:

1. The rising trend of potash fertilizer has led to a continuous increase in prices;
2. The impact of potash fertilizer on the environment needs to be paid attention to. After all, in the manufacturing process, both input and output will form some harmful substances that are extremely difficult to reuse.
3. Another problem that needs to be solved in potash fertilizer production is technological innovation and the improvement of automation.

5. Innovation and development of potash fertilizer production technology

With the development of modern agriculture, the demand for potash fertilizer is also growing. At the same time, potash fertilizer production technology is also constantly innovating and developing. The following are some of the current innovations and developments in potash fertilizer production technology:

Environmentally friendly production technology:

• A large amount of waste gas and waste water will be generated during the production of potash fertilizers, causing environmental pollution. Traditional potash fertilizer production methods are mainly processes such as thermal burning and recrystallization. The chemicals used and the by-products produced contain a large amount of harmful substances, which are harmful to the environment and human health. Therefore, it is imperative to develop environmentally friendly production technology.
• In modern potash fertilizer production processes, raw material loss and energy waste are minimized as much as possible. In production links such as raw material processing, heat treatment, recrystallization, drying and thin layer stacking, fossil energy such as electricity, coal and gasoline are stopped; at the same time, measures such as optimizing production facilities and process layout, improving the treatment and recycling of waste gas and wastewater are also widely used. Therefore, environmental protection technology has become one of the new directions of potash fertilizer production.

Scientific and technological production technology:

In modern potash fertilizer production, safe and intelligent production management methods are further popularized to ensure production safety and quality. At the same time, the application of new technologies has also brought greater improvements to potash fertilizer production, including advanced artificial intelligence, simulation technology, automation control technology, energy saving and consumption reduction technology, etc.

Fertilizer expert team:

The innovation and development of potash fertilizer production technology is inseparable from the continuous promotion of the development of the education system and vocational training system, vigorously strengthening the construction of the talent team, and cultivating multi-level and comprehensive fertilizer experts. Potash fertilizer production enterprises need to establish a comprehensive and professional technical team, work together, combine personal wisdom with corporate wisdom, give full play to potential, and promote education and training.

Innovative processes and equipment:

Potash fertilizer production technology continues to create innovative processes and equipment in the process of modernization. Creating environmentally friendly, intelligent and efficient, full-process automatic control production process equipment is a new direction for potash fertilizer production. At present, innovative processes and equipment represented by electronics and automatic control have become the core of the entire potash fertilizer production process, greatly improving the efficiency and quality of potash fertilizer production.

6. Challenges and solutions faced by potash fertilizer production technology

Although potash fertilizer production technology has been improved and enhanced a lot, it still faces many challenges in actual production and application.

• Limited supply of potash resources:
  Potash is the main raw material for potash fertilizer. Today, the global potash reserves are extremely limited. China’s potash resources are insufficient and rely heavily on imports. Therefore, the research and development of new potash fertilizer raw materials is one of the important directions.
• Potash fertilizer production links need to be further optimized:
  Potash fertilizer production involves multiple links such as raw material processing, heat treatment, recrystallization, and drying. The process control needs to be strict, and the links must also be coordinated with each other to ensure product quality and environmental safety. Therefore, it is necessary to continuously improve and optimize the potash fertilizer production process.
• Production efficiency needs to be improved:
  With the continuous advancement of globalization, the market competition in the potash fertilizer industry is becoming more and more fierce. Therefore, improving the efficiency of potash fertilizer production and reducing costs are important directions for development. It is necessary to use various modern technologies to improve production efficiency and quality and reduce environmental pollution.
• Environmental protection issues must be paid attention to:
  Like many industrial manufacturing industries, potash fertilizer production will also cause pollution to the environment. We should pay more attention to environmental protection, popularize environmental awareness, and adopt environmentally friendly production technologies to reduce pollution and reduce the impact on the environment.

Conclusion:

Potash fertilizer is a kind of chemical fertilizer that must be used in agricultural production. It can provide enough potassium for crops, stimulate crop growth, increase yield and improve quality. However, in the production process of potash fertilizer, each link needs to be strictly controlled to ensure stable product quality and environmental safety. Effective use of advanced production technology, scientific process control, added material control and other means, strengthening talent team building, improving infrastructure, and promoting science and technology will help improve the efficiency and quality of potash fertilizer production and promote the healthy development of the potash fertilizer industry. At the same time, it must be noted that there are still certain environmental problems in potash fertilizer production. It is necessary to further strengthen environmental awareness and promote the continuous innovation and development of potash fertilizer production technology to meet the needs of different regions, different agricultural environments and various crops.