Urea Production Process
Introduction
Urea, NH2CONH2, is a colorless crystal, which dissolves in water. It is a weak alkaline, which forms salts in combination with strong acids. Urea is largely used as a fertilizer and as a non-protein feed supplement for ruminants. It is also used in the manufacture of urea-formaldehyde resins, plastics, adhesives, coatings, textile agents and ion-exchange resins.
Chemical curve: Urea R.I. per Conc% b.w. at Ref. Temp. of 20˚C
Application
Urea can be produced by numerous methods but mainly it is commercially made by reacting carbon dioxide with ammonia at 200 ºC (392 ºF). After reacting, urea is evaporated and processed by prilling or granulating to produce a solid end product.
Typical end products of urea, NH₂CONH₂
- fertilizers
- non-protein feed supplement for ruminants
- urea-formaldehyde resins
- plastics
- adhesives
- coatings
- textile agents
- ion-exchange resins
Instrumentation and installation
Vaisala Polaris™ PR53GP Process Refractometer is used for quality control. It monitors the concentration of produced urea after the reactor. Typical measurement range is 65-75 % and the normal process temperature is about 80 ºC (176 ºF).
The PR53GP Process Refractometer is also used to measure the concentration of dissolved urea in water in the manufacture of medicinal insulin.
The refractometer is installed in the recirculation pipe. It is used to control and adjust the quality of the urea-to-water concentration. Typical refractive index range in this application is 1.380-1.395, at a process temperature of around 4 ºC (39 ºF).
Vaisala Polaris PR53GP Process Refractometer
Description
The Vaisala Polaris PR53GP Process Refractometer is a heavy-duty instrument with nonweld body construction for diverse applications. The PR53GP can be installed directly into a tank or large pipelines, using either a standard ANSI, DIN or JIS flange connection, or clamp connection.
User Interface
Vaisala Polaris process refractometers are compatible with the Indigo platform, offering plug-and-play connectivity, user-friendly interfaces and service and configuration tools. The Indigo520 transmitter adds a physical user interface, data logging, advanced diagnostics, automatic wash control, and access to measurement settings and parameters.
Measurement range
Refractive Index (nD) 1.3200 – 1.5300, corresponding to 0-100 % by weight.