Method for producing a fertilizer with micronutrients

1. A method of producing a phosphate fertilizer, comprising:

adding a solid micronutrient to phosphoric acid in a heated, stined reactor to dissolve the micronutrient and produce an enriched acid;

adding the enriched acid and liquid ammonia to a pipe cross reactor, the pipe cross reactor having inner and outer concentric pipes,

adding ammonia to the inner pipe;

adding phosphoric acid to the outer pipe;

and allowing the enriched acid and the ammonia to react to produce ammonium phosphate.

2. A method of producing a phosphate fertilizer, comprising:

adding a solid micronutrient to phosphoric acid in a heated, stirred reactor to dissolve the micronutrient and produce an enriched acid;

adding the enriched acid and liquid ammonia to a pipe cross reactor to form a first portion of the phosphate fertilizer;

allowing the enriched acid and the ammonia to react to produce ammonium phosphate

combining gaseous ammonia and phosphoric acid in a preneutralizer to produce a second portion of the phosphate;

supplying both the first portion of the phosphate fertilizer to a granulator;

supplying the second portion of the phosphate fertilizer to the granulator at a location downstream from a phosphate outlet of the pipe cross reactor; and

adding ammonia to the granulator to complete formation of the phosphate fertilizer.

3. A method of producing a phosphate fertilizer, comprising: producing a first portion of the phosphate in a pipe cross reactor; producing a second portion of the phosphate in a pre-neutralizer; supplying both the first and second portions of the phosphate to a granulator; and adding ammonia to the granulator to react with the first and second portions of the phosphate, wherein the first and second portions of the phosphate are produced by reacting ammonia with phosphoric acid, a target ratio of ammonia to phosphoric acid achieves a desired product, ammonia and phosphoric acid are supplied to the pre-neutralizer with an ammonia deficiency and an ammonia to phosphoric acid ratio less than the target ratio, and the ammonia added to the granulator compensates for the ammonia deficiency.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the second portion of the phosphate fertilizer is 22 wt. % to 38 wt. % of the phosphate fertilizer, with a remainder being produced in the pipe cross reactor and the granulator.

5. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the first portion of the phosphate fertilizer is 62 wt. % to 72 wt. % of the phosphate fertilizer, with a remainder being produced in the pipe cross reactor and the granulator.

6. The method according to claim 3 , wherein ammonia and phosphoric acid are supplied to the pipe cross reactor substantially at the target ratio.

7. The method according to claim 3 , the second portion of the phosphate fertilizer has a water solubility at a given temperature, which is greater than a water solubility of phosphate produced using the target ratio.

8. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the first portion of the phosphate fertilizer is produced by a process comprising: adding a micronutrient to phosphoric acid to produce an enriched acid; adding the enriched acid and ammonia to a pipe cross reactor; and allowing the enriched acid and the ammonia to react to produce the first portion of the phosphate fertilizer.

9. A method of producing a phosphate fertilizer, comprising:

producing a first portion of the phosphate fertilizer comprising adding a solid micronutrient to phosphoric acid in a heated, stirred reactor to dissolve the micronutrient and produce an enriched acid; adding the enriched acid and liquid ammonia to a pipe cross reactor; and allowing the enriched acid and the ammonia to react to produce ammonium phosphate;

producing a second portion of the phosphate fertilizer comprising combining ammonia and phosphoric acid in a pre-neutralizer to produce a second portion of the phosphate fertilizer; adding a micronutrient to the phosphoric acid before the phosphoric acid is combined with ammonia in the pre-neutralizer; and

supplying both the first and second portions of the phosphate fertilizer to a granulator.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein a plurality of micronutrients are added.

11. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the micronutrient is at least one element selected from the group consisting of zinc, manganese, iron, copper, molybdenum, boron, chlorine, cobalt and sodium.

12. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the micronutrient is added to phosphoric acid in a stirred reactor.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the stirred reactor is heated.

14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the micronutrient is added as a solid compound, which dissolves in the phosphoric acid.

15. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the micronutrient is zinc oxide.

16. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the phosphate fertilizer contains 0.1 wt. % to 5 wt. % micronutrient.

17. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the pipe cross reactor has an outlet with an inner diameter reduced to 10 to 50% of the inner diameter of the pipe cross reactor.

18. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the pipe cross reactor has inner and outer concentric pipes, ammonia is added to the inner pipe, and phosphoric acid is added to the outer pipe.

19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein steam is added to the inner pipe, and water is added to the outer pipe.

20. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the inner pipe extends 1 to 25% through the length of the outer pipe.

21. The method according to claim 9 , wherein a first portion of the phosphate fertilizer is produced in the pipe cross reactor, the method further comprises: combining gaseous ammonia and phosphoric acid in a preneutralizer to produce a second portion of the phosphate fertilizer; and supplying both the first and second portions of the phosphate fertilizer to a granulator.

22. The method according to claim 21 , wherein 33 to 99 wt. % of the phosphate fertilizer is produced in the pipe cross reactor.

23. The method according to claim 21 , wherein ammonia is added to the pipe cross reactor as a liquid, and ammonia is added to the preneutralizer as a gas.

24. The method according to claim 21 , wherein the ammonia and phosphoric acid in the preneutralizer have a contact time of 5 to 55 minutes.

25. The method according to claim 21 , wherein ammonia is added to the granulator to complete formation of the phosphate fertilizer.

26. The method according to claim 25 , wherein ammonia and phosphoric acid are supplied to the preneutralizer at an ammonia to phosphoric acid ratio, which is less than an ammonia to phosphoric acid ratio used for the pipe cross reactor, and the second portion of the phosphate fertilizer produced from the preneutralizer has a higher water solubility at a given temperature than the phosphate produced in the pipe cross reactor.

27. The method according to claim 25 , supplying the second portion of the phosphate fertilizer to the granulator at a location downstream from a phosphate outlet of the pipe cross reactor.

28. The method according to claim 27 , wherein a portion of the phosphate fertilizer leaving the granulator is recycled back to the granulator, and recycled phosphate fertilizer is introduced at a location upstream from the phosphate outlet of the pipe cross reactor and the location where the second portion of the phosphate fertilizer is fed to the granulator.

29. The method according to claim 25 , wherein granulated phosphate fertilizer exits the granulator, a portion of the granulated phosphate fertilizer exiting the granulator is recycled back to the granulator.

30. The method according to claim 29 , wherein granulated phosphate fertilizer exiting the granulator is dried and then separated according to particle size.

31. The method according to claim 30 , wherein undersized particles are recycled back to the granulator, and oversized particles are crushed and then recycled back to the granulator.