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THE ROLE AND OPPORTUNITIES OF FERTILIZER PRODUCTION FOR PHOSPHATE RECYCLING Kim ten Wolde ICL Fertilizers Europe
THE ROLE AND OPPORTUNITIES OF FERTILIZER
PRODUCTION FOR PHOSPHATE RECYCLING
Kim ten Wolde
ICL Fertilizers Europe
o Introduction
o ICL Fertilizers’ position
o Secondary phosphate sources
o Processing in fertilizer production
o Future perspective
Overview
o Future perspective
o Challenges and issues
o Conclusion
November 6th, 2013 2
The Nutrient Platform, ESPC’13
o Phosphorus cannot be replaced
o Possibility of recycling phosphate
• Accumulation at WWTP’s and animal rendering facilities:
now used as landfill
Introduction
o Managing phosphate flows: nutrient platforms
• Established on a national level in The Netherlands
• European platform launched at ESPC13
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o Used process suitable for secondary phosphates
• Internal research showed promising results with different
secondary phosphates
o Production plants in countries with phosphate surplus
o Logistically convenient location
ICL Fertilizers’ position
o Sustainability is key for ICL
November 6th, 2013 4
o Crystallisation product:
• Mg2+ + NH4+ + PO4
3+ + 6 H2O � MgNH4PO4.6H2O
o At WWTPs forced struvite crystallisation can save
operational costs
o Different processes, tested sources: Airprex and
Secondary phosphate sources:
Struvite
o Different processes, tested sources: Airprex and
Anphos
November 6th, 2013 5
Airprex schematic at WWTP (Stowa, 2012) Anphos pilot plant (Colsen, 2013)
Phosphate
contentConsistensy
Low heavy
metalsLow cadmium Low Fe/Al
Sewage Sludge Ash +/- -- -- + --
Secondary phosphate sources:
Ashes from mono-incineration
Meat- and Bone Meal Ash + + ++ ++ ++
Wood Ash -- - + ++ -
Rock Phosphate ++ ++ + - ++
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o Available P, Mg and NH4: direct value to production
o Moisture levels can be a problem for processing
o Odour emissions due to organic content
o Plant-scale test:
• PK 8-27+7MgO using SSP, KCl and struvite
Processing in mineral fertilizer production:
Struvite
• PK 8-27+7MgO using SSP, KCl and struvite
• Airprex-derived struvite from WWTP
• Lower fluorine and phosphate emissions to environment
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Airprex struvite crystals (Stowa, 2012) PK 8-27+7MgO with struvite
o Non-available P, acidulation necessary
o Metal compounds can ‘contaminate’ phosphate rock
on mixing; solo acidulation required
o Different acid ratio and additions necessary
o Pilot- and plant-scale tests show good acidulation
Processing in mineral fertilizer production:
Sewage sludge ash
o Pilot- and plant-scale tests show good acidulation
capabilities at Amsterdam
o Extensive pilot-scale testing shows good granulation
properties in a mixture with SSP and KCl
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o Non-available P, acidulation necessary
o Very similar to phosphate rock, high reactivity
o Mixed acidulation with phosphate rock successful
o Extensive pilot-scale tests show good availability and
granulation properties
Processing in mineral fertilizer production:
Meat- and bone meal ash
granulation properties
o Plant-scale test in December 2013
November 6th, 2013 9
o Better storage and dosing necessary to process more
• Silos and pneumatic transportation system
• Correct acidulation mixtures of components
o ICL Amsterdam is preparing a multi-million investment
Future perspective:
Processing mono-incineration ashes at ICL
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o Different processes are in development
o Main advantage: less contaminants in treated SSA
• Products from these processes could be used at ICL like
mono-incineration ashes
Future perspective:
Other processes in development
November 6th, 2013 11
Name Current
scale
Feed Product Method Developer
PASH Pilot SSA Calcium
Phosphate/Struvite
Acid
leaching
RWTH
Aachen
ASH DEC Pilot SSA Purified ash Thermal ASH DEC
Umwelt AG
SEPHOS Laboratory SSA Aluminium
phosphate /Calcium
Phosphate
Acid
leaching
TU
Darmstadt
Overview of some methods to recover phosphorus from SSA
o Contaminants
• Possibility of pharmaceuticals/hormones/pathogens in
struvite from WWTPs � Currently being researched
• Iron/Aluminium in SSA � More difficult processing
• Heavy metals � Guidelines necessary
Legislation
Challenges and issues
o Legislation
• EU WG3 proposed heavy metal limits, acidulated SSA meets
these limits
November 6th, 2013 12
ppm As Cd Cr Hg Ni Pb
Acidulated
SSA6,8 2,6 74,0 0,0 30,7 84,0
Limit WG3 60,00 3,00 100,00 2,00 90,00 140,00
o Market for secondary phosphate
• Supply of SSA/MBMA/struvite
• Competitive pricing
• Marketable products:
no contaminations possible
Nutrient platforms can play
Challenges and issues
o Nutrient platforms can play
an important role
November 6th, 2013 13
The Nutrient Platform, ESPC’13
o Goal: replace 15% phosphate rock with secondary
phosphates by 2015 in Amsterdam; up to 100% in
2025
o Processing in fertilizer production proved successful
during extensive testing at ICL for both struvite as
mono-incineration ashes
Conclusion
mono-incineration ashes
o Secondary phosphates should pose no threat to
environment and health
o Legislation greatest challenge
• Important role for national and EU nutrient platforms
November 6th, 2013 14
QUESTIONS?
