SORAN UNIVERSITY

Faculty OF ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
Petrochemical industry

Fertilizer

Supervised by prepared by
-Mr. Ali Hosen -Halmat Bashir

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Introduction
Fertilizer is any organic or inorganic material of natural or synthetic origin that is added to a soil
to supply one or more plant nutrients essential to the growth of plants. Fertilizers are the protein
supplements for the plants. They are used to enrich the soil with nutrients that it does not
inherently have. They should be used strictly as a deficiencybuster. Inordinate use of different
types of fertilizers kill the naturally present ingredients in soil too. So, it is important to use them
carefully and only as per need. Fertilizers are manufactured commercial products which contain
one or more essential plant nutrients. For a material to be qualified as a fertilizer it should
contain nutrient in appreciable amount and in readily or potential usable form. Fertilizers are
used with the sole purpose of improving soil fertility so that it can support larger harvests. It
represents the most common currency used by farmers to deposit plant nutrient into their soil to
ensure that adequate nutrient are available to feed the crop. Plant roots absorb these fertilizer
granules as they come out of the bag or dung particles as they are in a manure heap.

Soil is the loose surface of the earth’s crust, which serves as a natural medium for plants to grow
and it must supply sufficient quantity of nutrients for the growth of plants. During most of our
existence on earth, hunting and gathering have procured food. As population grew, organized
agricultural systems were developed to ensure food security. Soil fertility is diminishing
gradually due to soil erosion, loss of nutrients, accumulation of salts and other toxic elements,
water logging and un-balanced nutrient

compensation. Organic wastes and bio-fertilizers are the alternate sources to meet the nutrient of
crops and to bridge the future gaps. Farming regions that emphasizing heavy chemical
application led to adverse environmental, agricultural and health consequences. Many efforts are
being exercised to combat the adverse consequences of chemical farming , The plants absorb
nutrients in specific ionic forms, which either a fertilizer furnishes, when it dissolves in soil
water or various chemical and biological agents. Fertilizers are therefore, essential to the future
welfare of our modem world where the population is increasing so rapidly that it is estimated that
one tenth people have too little to eat and secure good health.

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Fertilizers can be broadly classified as

1. Bio-fertilizer
2. Chemical fertilizer

Bio-Fertilizer

The name bio fertilizer itself is self-explanatory. The fertilizers that are used to improve the
fertility o f the land using biological wastes and biological forms are termed as bio-fertilizers;
further biological wastes do not contain any chemicals which are detrimental to the living soil.
They are extremely beneficial in enriching the soil with those micro-organisms, which produce
organic nutrients for the soil and help in combating diseases. The farm produce does not contain
traces of hazardous and poisonous materials.
Soil is a natural habitat o f variety o f agriculturally beneficial microorganisms. Certain soil
microorganisms have an ability to absorb and convert atmospheric nitrogen to the readily
available form to the plants whereas, certain soil microorganisms act as solubilizing part o f the

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bound phosphates o f the soil and thereby make them available to the plants. Both these
attributes make them important to be used as Bio-fertilizers.
a bio-fertilizer is a substance which contains living microorganism, when applied to seed, plant
surfaces, or soil, colonizes the rhizosphere or the interior o f the plant and promotes growth by
increasing the supply or availability of primary nutrients to the host plant. Bio-fertilizers add
nutrients to the soil through the natural processes o f nitrogen fixation and solubilizing
phosphorus and stimulating plant growth through the synthesis of growth-promoting substances.
Bio-fertilizer involves the preparation o f efficient strains of microorganisms capable o f
converting atmospheric nitrogen into nitrate or solubilizing phosphorus from the fixed form. Bio-
fertilizer is a boon for farmers because it helps in increasing the soil fertility. Through the use of
bio-fertilizers, healthy plants can be grown, while enhancing the sustainability and the health of
the soil. Sustainable agriculture, with the use biofertilizers instead of chemical ones, bears high
importance in overcoming the problems that have arisen from environmental pollution

Advantages of bio-fertilizers
Bio-fertilizer secretes certain growth promoting substances. Further, they are harmless, eco
friendly and low cost agro- input supplementary to chemical fertilizers. They increase the soil
fertility, improve soil structure, porosity and water holding capacity and also enhance seed
germination. Under certain conditions they exhibit antifungal activities and thereby protect the
plants from pathogenic fungi.

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Chemical Fertilizer

A chemical fertilizer is defined as any inorganic material of wholly or partially synthetic origin
that is added to the soil to sustain plant growth. Chemical fertilizers are produced synthetically
from inorganic materials. Since they are prepared from inorganic materials artificially, they may
have some harmful acids, which stunt the growth of microorganisms found in the soil. They are
rich in three essential nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium which are needed for plant
growth. Some examples of
chemical fertilizers are ammonium sulphate, ammonium phosphate, ammonium nitrate, urea and
ammonium chloride. After the introduction o f chemical fertilizers in the last century, farmers
were happy o f getting increased yield in agriculture in the beginning. But slowly chemical
fertilizers started displaying their ill-effects such as leaching out, and polluting water basins,
destroying micro-organisms and fiiendly insects, making the crop more susceptible to the attack
o f diseases, reducing the soil fertility and thus causing irreparable damage to the overall system.

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Types of Chemical Fertilizer:

(1) Nitrogenous Fertilizer:

This fertilizer is used to meet the deficiency of nitrogen in the land. For the plant this is the most
useful fertilizer. It will provide nutrients to both land and plants. There are mainly two types of
nitrogen fertilizer viz. in organic fertilizer and organic fertilizer. The in organic nitrogenous
fertilizer divided into sub parts. They are nitrate containing ammonia and mixed nitrate and
ammonia contrition. The nitrate containing fertilizer includes nitrate of soda, nitrate of potash
and calcium nitrate. The ammonia containing nitrogenous fertilizer includes ammonium
sulphate, ammonium phosphate aqueous chloride mixed nitrate and ammonia containing
fertilizer includes ammonium nitrate calcium ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulphate nitrate.
The organic nitrogenous fertilizer is also divided into sub group viz. animal and vegetables
source and synthetic or amide constrains. The animal and vegetable sores included dried blood,
meat, meal, horn and hoof slaughter house waste bone meal and oil cakes while synthetic or
amide containing fertilizer includes calcium cyanide and urea. Liquid Ammonia contains highest
nutrients 82.3% Aqueous Ammonia contains 16.5 to 20.5%nutrients Ammonium nitrate contains
32 to 35% nutrients. Ammonium sulphate contains 19.9 to 21% nutrients sodium nitrate contains
15 to16% nutrients calcium nitrate contains the least nutrients and it is 13 to15% urea contains
46 to 46.5% nutrients and urea formula derail contains 33 to 42% nutrients. Though all
nitrogenous fertilizer have nutrients in different proportions, they all are useful for the better
productivity and production.

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Elements of Nitrogenous Fertilizer:
(A) The effectiveness of ammonium sulphate is somewhat more than urea due to its wastage at
the primary level.
(B) Nitric Nitrogen fertilizer is found to be more effective when applied as top dressing during
the commencement of reproductive phase of paddy pant.
(C) The paddy plat can absorb 30-35% of total nitrogen when the land is ploughed after
application of ammonium nitrogen. But the nutrient becomes more available when the fertilizers
are applied at a depth of 5.10 cm.
(D) In acid soil or calcium deficient soil continuous of ammonium sulphate urea ammonium
chloride and ammonium sulphate nitrate should be avoided as they are acid forming fertilizers or
lime should be applied at least 15 days before the sowing at the crop to reclaim the acidity of the
soil.
(E) The nitrogenous fertilizer is easily soluble in water and move rapidly in all directions from
the place of its application. The nitrogenous fertilizer should be applied as per the demand of the
crop.
(F) All nitrogenous fertilizers are equally effective in rainy season. The nitrogenous fertilizers
should be selected on the basis of cost availability and easier in application.
(G) The nitrogen should be applied in more quantity as TOP dressing in long duration variety of
proudly.

Nitrogen fertilizers represent a major industry worldwide accounting for nearly 100 million tons
of various products per year. Nitrogen fertilizers include many types of liquid and solid products,
among which the most common ones are ammonia, ammonium nitrate, and urea.

Ammonia is produced by reacting nitrogen from the air with hydrogen from natural gas at high
pressure and temperature using the Haber process (200-300 bars and around 450°C). Anhydrous
ammonia is stored as a liquid under pressure or refrigerated. For ease of handling, it is often
converted to other types of fertilizers (see the following flow chart 1.1).

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 Flow chart 1.1

As a first step, nitric acid is produced by mixing ammonia and air in a tank followed by the
absorption of the nitric oxide gas in water. Concentrated nitric acid (50 to 70 %) and ammonia
gas are then mixed together in a tank and a neutralization reaction occurs at 100-180°C,
producing ammonium nitrate.

Another important nitrogen-based fertilizer is the urea, which is produced by a reaction of

ammonia with carbon dioxide at high pressure. Both ammonium nitrate and urea can be further
concentrated and converted into a solid form (prills or granules). Another process step can
combine urea with ammonium nitrate solution to make liquid urea ammonium nitrate or UAN.

Equipment failure because of nitric acid corrosion can be avoided by the use of austenitic
stainless steel.

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Properties of nitrogenous fertilizers:

 It contains 24% sulphur. Store well. It is applied at planting. Nitrogen will be released
slowly. Takes about a month for all NH4 to convert to NO3. The SO4 radical combines
with Ca and forms CaSO4 radical combines with Ca and forms CaSO4 which is soluble
and hence Ca is removed & soil becomes acidic.

 It is Hygroscopic. So fertilizer bag should not be kept open for long time, it is most
suitable for foliar spraying (1 to 5%). It undergoes hydrolysis, converted to Ammonium
carbonate. Then to NH4 and NO3. It is also used as food in small quantities for animals.

 Highly hygroscopic, highly explosive thus all begs are tightly sealed until ready to use.
Keep all bags indoor in a dry place. Pile the stacks not higher than 6 bags.

 When it is allowed to be in stores it seeks into hard cake which requires to be broken up.

 It is more hygroscopic than Urea and ammonium nitrate. It is not suitable for paddy.

 Stable salt, stores well.

 Toxic to plants before it is converted into available form. Non leach able. It is a synthetic
organic fertilizer.

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Phosphate Fertilizer:

Phosphate fertilizer is an essential fertilizer for the land. The need of this fertilizer is low in
comparison to nitrogenous fertilizer. In the early age of plant this fertilizer is used for the health
of green plants. There are three sub types of phosphate fertilizer viz: Water Soubise Phosphoric
Acid, Citric Acid Soluble Phosphoric Acid and Insoluble in Water or Citric Acid. Super
phosphate is the main example of water soubise phosphates acid. Di-calcium phosphate is the
main example of citric acid soluble phosphoric acid. The main examples of insoluble phosphoric
fertilizer in water are rock phosphate raw Bone meal, steamed bone meal and by product of basic
slag.

Characteristics of Phosphate Fertilizer:

(A) Jointly use of nitrogenous and phosphate fertilizer increases the uptake capacity of the plant.
(B) Rock phosphate basic slag phosphates fertilizer is most suitable for application in acidic
soils.
(C) Low paddy shorts considerable less response to phosphate fertilizers.
(D) The phosphate fertilizer like as super phosphate should be applied near the roo + zone of the
crop or in soil layer.
(E) The phosphate fertilizer namely super phosphate should be used in neutral to alkaline soil.
(F) The phosphate fertilizer should be placed deep with deep cultivator in fruit trees like guava,
citrus, apple etc.

Potassic Fertilizer:
Potassium Sulphate is a potassic fertilizer. It is very essential for the healthy development of
plants. With the help of potassium preparation of carbohydrate in the plants is possible. It
increases resistance power of green plants. Classification of Potassic fertilizer is divided in two
way viz, pouts and chloride from and potash in non-chloride from. Marinate of potash is the best
example of potash in chloride from and sulphate of potash is the only example of potash in non-
chloride nature.

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Main Elements
Potassium chloride M 50% to 62% KCL Mix potassium salt 30% to 42% KCL + NaCL Sulfuric
of Potash 48% to 52% K2SO4 It is seen from the above table that out of all potassic fertilizer
potassium chloride contains the highest nutrients and it is 50% to 62%mix potassium salt, the
least nutrients and it is 30% to 42 % sulphate of potash contains 48% to 52% nutrients.

Characteristics of Potassic Fertilizer:

1- It can be used for all crops and for all types of soils.
2- In potassic fertilizer named potassium sulphate is better than nitrate of potash for crops like
tobacco, potatoes, fruit trees etc.
3- Now a days the application of potassic fertilizer namely potassium chloride or nitrate of
potash as top creasing is considered good as nitrogenous fertilizer.
4- The potassic fertilizer are water soluble but not hydroscopic in nature and potassium is readily
available to plant.
5- On application of potassic fertilizer it dissociates to Kt irons and get absorbed in the soil and
absorbed by growing plant.

Mixed Fertilizer:

In mix fertilizer nitrogen potash and phosphorus are included. All types of mixed fertilizer:

(1) Open Formula Fertilizer Mixture.

(2) Closed Formula Fertilizer Mixture.

(1) Open Formula Fertilizer Mixture:

The ingredients mixed in this type of fertilizer mixture in forms of kinds and quantity is
disclosed by the manufactures. This will be helpful for the cultivators to know the ingredients of
fertilizer for the use of the same in particular crop in satiable amounts.

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(2) Closed Formula Fertilizer Mixture:
The ingredients or straight fertilizer used in these fertilizer mixtures are not disclosed. It is called
as a trade secret of the industry. So it is not possible for farmers to know the type and quantity of
ingredients used in this fertilizer mixture. The farmer cannot select a correct mixture for their use
in production of crops.
Table no 1.1
Nutrient Consumption

Nutriend n p k Total N:P:K

consumption (desired
4:2:1)
1995-96 9.82 2.90 1.16 13.88 8.47:2.50:1
2009-10 15.58 7.27 8.63 26.18 4.29:2:1
2010-11 16.89 8 3.39 28.28 4.98:2.36:1
Source: working Group Report on Fertilizer Industry for Twelfth Five-Year Plan

By annualizing of table no. 1.1 it is seen that the proportion of nutrients and main elements of
mixed chemical fertilizer. The elements like nitrogen phosphorus and potash are the main
chemical elements of mixed fertilizer and land receives most of nutrients from it and it is also
seen that proportion of nitrogen is relatively higher than other chemical in the fertilizer. Only
mixed fertilizer which does not consists nitrogen is magnesium ammonium phosphate. Phosphate
is available in all mixed chemical fertilizer except potassium nitrate proportion of phosphate is
reactively less than nitrogen. Potash is not available in mixed chemical fertilizer proportion of
potash is as the proportion of nitrogen and phosphorus in some mixed fertilizer. The mixed
fertilizer like Ammonium, Potassium Phosphate, Ammonium Potassium Nitrate, Urea Potassium
Phosphate consist nitrogen phosphorous and Potash in equal proportion. Chemical fertilizer as
like Ammoniated Super Phosphate, Ammonium Phosphate, Di- Ammonium Phosphate and
Ammonium Phosphate Nitrate did not contain Potash.

Natural Fertilizers:
In this manure no chemicals are added. It is consists of waste product of human being and
animal. In natural fertilizer substance are less fertile than artificial fertilizers. Natural fertilizers
can be used in abundant quality. This fertilizers increase fertility and physical condition of land.

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The natural fertilizers divided into two sub division viz organic fertilizers and inorganic
fertilizers.The explanation of various types of natural fertilizers and its subparts are as under:

1. Organic Fertilizers:
It is homemade fertilizers. The use of this fertilizer does not affect the structure of land. This
fertilizers needs in excess quantity and it takes five to mix with land. This fertilizer induces all
types of organic elements which hold the fertility of the land for longer period of time. This
fertilizer also called the complete fertilizer. This fertilizer includes cow dung, manure of human
being urine, manure of various types of cake, fish manure bone, mill manure and bio-fertilizer.

2. Inorganic Fertilizer:
The fertilizer which obtains as a mineral from the land and which obtains from the wooden ash is
called as in organic fertilizer. It is insoluble in water. So it can be used directly into the land. The
main benefit of this fertilizer is that, after using this fertilizers there is no need of giving water to
land so it is used extensively an Gujarat and other States of India where there is always in
irrigation problem. This fertilizer includes Chile squat pitter rock phosphate manure of wooden
ash and potassium squat.

Importance of Fertilizer
Fertilizer is a substance to soil to improve plants’ growth and yield. First used by ancient farmers
fertilizer technology developed significantly as the chemical needs of growing plants were
discovered. Modern synthetic fertilizers are composed mainly of nitrogen, phosphorous and
potassium compounds us the secondary nutrients added. The use of synthetic fertilizers has
significantly improved the quality and quantity at the food available today but their long term use
is debated by environmentalists.

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CONCLUSIONS

Fertilizer is the important factor to increase agricultural productivity. Thus it is necessary to

reach the population of the country by becoming self- reliant, which will make economy
stronger. It is necessary to study the financial condition of the fertilizer companies, to boost up
the agricultural progress. If the position of fertilizer companies is sound, in future the demand of
fertilizer can be met and the production can be done according to the requirements. The study
will also throw light on the new positive scheme of fertilizers, which may be implemented in
future.

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Reference :

1. The Fertilizer Industry's Manufacturing Processes and Environmental Issues

2. Harvey M. Wagner, Principles of Operations Research with Special Reference to fertilizer

Manufactures, Inventories, NBER, 1950.

3. Botha, A.D.P.. 1982. Report on a study tour of the United States of America. Institute of Soil,
Water and Climate, South Africa. (Unpublished mimeograph).

4. Chen, H.T. 1995. Field organic fertilizer test of lettuce. Annual Report, Taichung - District
Agricultural Improvement Station. Taiwan ROC. (In Chinese)

5. Porter M. C. in Microfiltration in Bungay et al. (eds), Synthetic Membrane : Science,

Engineering and
publication, Reidel, Dordrecht, 225(1986).

6. . Impact Assessment of Fertilizer Industry Waste on Environment by R.P. Prajapati*and

Rashmi Singhai , Journal of Environmental Science, Computer Science and Engineering &
Technology

7. Best Available Techniques for Pollution Prevention and Control in the European Fertilizer
Industry Booklet No. 6 of 8: Production Of Ammonium Nitrate And Calcium Ammonium
Nitrate, 2000 EFMA (European Fertilizer Manufacturers’ Association).

8. Hanson A. H., Managerial Problems in Public fertilizer Enterprises, Bombay, 1962.

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