the project

Technical Grade AdBlue Urea Project Overview

The Australian Fertilizer Corporation (AFC) is investigating the production of AdBlue-grade urea from the gasification of waste solid fuel, biomass, and tyres. This report outlines a scaled down production process using two gasifier units, designed to produce 200,000 metric tonnes per annum (tpa) of technical grade AdBlue urea. The gasifier will use a waste feedstock mixture of 50% Fort Coopers Middling’s solid fuel, 30% biomass, and 20% waste tyres with a nominal feed rate of 30tph suppling two gasifiers The project is to use a small-scale U-Gas gasifier, similar to those installed at the alumina refineries of the Aluminum Corporation of China (CHALCO). CHALCO uses the syngas from the gasifiers as a low-cost alternative to imported natural gas.

Production Process Summary

Gasification Feedstock:

Solid fuel (Fort Coopers Middling’s): 50%
Biomass: 30%
Waste Tyres: 20%
Gasification Rate: 30 tph feed unit (two gasifiers)
Syngas Production: Approx. 70 tph
Hydrogen Production: 2.5 tph (to ammonia plant)
Ammonia Production: 14 tph (110,000 tpa)
Urea Production: 25 tph (200,000 tpa)

Assuming around 8,000 hours of annual operation (approximately 91% plant availability), the facility is designed to produce around 200,000 tonnes of AdBlue-grade urea per annum.

AdBlue Grade Urea Production Technical Details

The IPCO Rotoform Pastillation system is designed to produce high-quality solid urea suitable for AdBlue applications. Here’s a detailed explanation of how this system works and delivers:

Pastillation Process:
Melted Urea Feed: The urea solution, after the synthesis and concentration, is melted to form a molten urea product.
Rotoform Drum: The molten urea is fed into a rotating drum where it is cooled and solidified. The Rotoform drum’s surface has a precise pattern of cavities where the molten urea is deposited.
Cooling and Solidification: As the drum rotates, the molten urea is continuously cooled by air or water. The cooling process causes the urea to solidify into granular pellets.
Screening and Classification: Once solidified, the urea granules are screened to remove any oversized or undersized particles, ensuring uniformity in the final product.
Granule Size Control: The IPCO Rotoform system allows for precise control over granule size, producing AdBlue-grade urea with the desired 1-2 mm diameter. The combination of the Stamicarbon process for urea synthesis and the IPCO Rotoform Pastillation system ensures the production of high-purity, solid AdBlue-grade urea. This urea meets stringent quality specifications required for automotive SCR systems, providing effective reduction of NOx emissions and compliance with environmental regulations.

To achieve solid AdBlue-grade urea, the following specifications and processes are applied:

Ammonia and CO2 Reaction: Ammonia (NH3) is reacted with carbon dioxide (CO2) to produce urea (CO(NH2)2) using the Snamprogetti process.
Urea Quality for AdBlue: To meet AdBlue specifications, the urea must be: o Purity: ≥ 99.5% urea content.
Granule Size: Typically, 1-2 mm in diameter to ensure solubility and optimal performance in SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) systems.
Moisture Content: Less than 0.5% to prevent caking and ensure stability.
Free Ammonia: Maximum 0.2% to ensure compliance with environmental regulations.
Biuret Content: Less than 0.5% to avoid adverse effects on SCR systems.

Simplified Flowsheet - Urea Production

Expected Solid AdBlue Urea Specifications

Nitrogen	% Weight	46.4
Biuret	% Weight	<0.5
Moisture	% Weight	0.3
Prill Size Avg Diameter	MM	2
Formaldehyde	% Weight	0
Crushing Strength	kgf	0.8 (on 2mm)