Real-time process optimization in the fertilizers production
Real-time process optimization in the fertilizers production
Lyncis has extensive experience providing industrial online LIBS analyzers to producers of Phosphate, Potash and NPK fertilizers, helping them reduce production costs and ensure final product quality in accordance with contract specifications.
Depending on the type of fertilizer, our analyzers can be successfully used for multi-elemental analysis (for example, MgO, Fe₂O₃, Al₂O₃, CaO, P₂O₅, BPL, etc. in phosphates and KCl, NaCl, CaO, MgO and insolubles in potash and polyhalite) at various stages of production (ore feed, beneficiation, final product both in flotation and halurgycal technologies). We can analyze fertilizers both on the conveyor belts and in the slurry in pipes.
Continuous impurity control and early removal are of great importance in the processing of phosphate and potash minerals, as they lead to cost-effective production with significantly reduced consumption of water, energy, and reagents.
Our expertise in potash and phosphate applications will enable us to provide you with a cost-effective, reliable solution for safe, accurate online measurements.
Installation examples
Potash production
Lyncis online analyzers are installed on production conveyors for feedforward control to monitor potash quality.
We have experience with installations in both flotation and hot leaching and crystallization (halurgy) processes at potash plants.
The mineral concentration data in real-time mode is sent to SCADA system and production personnel can promptly adjust water supply levels required for stable and targeted product quality.
In addition, an online analyzer is used to divert potash of different grades to separate storage facilities. No production is wasted and different grades can be sold at an appropriate price.
Keep the concentration of NaCl at exactly 1.15% to avoid having an excess of NaCl impurity and losing valuable KCl mineral. Before analyzer installation, the customer kept NaCl 0,85% to guarantee stable quality of the final product (98% KCl) and sold high-grade potash at a low price of 95% grade.
Phospate fertilizers
Technological Task
Discard batches of Phosphate (Apatite) ore with dolomite, quartzite and clay impurities
Particle size > 8 mm, conveyor speed 3 m/s.
Elements of interest
P₂O₅, MgO, Fe, Al, Bone Phosphate Lime (BPL), Insoluble phase and Metal Impurity Ratio (MER) were analyzed in real time. 2% of MgO was selected as a decision point for an off-grade ore.
Financial benefits
- Improved P₂O₅ recovery
- Higher profits for higher grade products
- Reduced consumption of water, energy and flotation reagents
- Cost effective production due to real-time analysis of material streams on conveyor belts or in pipes without any radioactive sources
- Reduced penalties due to strong conformity with the contract
- Eliminated human errors and reduced costs for laboratory analysis
Polyhalite production
Polyhalite is a complex potassium fertilizer - K₂Ca₂Mg(SO₄)₄·2H₂O
Our analyzer is installed at a unique polyhalite deposit directly above an underground mine in an extremely dusty environment.
Analysis of K, Na, Ca, Mg, and S concentrations provides our client with information on the crushed, 50 mm-sized mined ore.
This information helps stabilize the final product quality.
An additional important installation site is at the seaport, where polyhalite, potash (KCl), and salt (NaCl) are loaded onto the vessel.
