EPA
 Group I, Phase II
      Development Document for
  Effluent Limitations Guidelines and
  New Source Performance Standards
               for the


       FORMULATED FERTILIZER

           Segment of the

   FERTILIZER MANUFACTURING

        Point Source Category
UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

              JANUARY 1975

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               DEVELOPMENT DOCUMENT

                        for

         EFFLUENT  LIMITATIONS GUIDELINES

                        and

         NEW SOURCE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

                      for the

          FORMULATED FERTILIZER SEGMENT
                       of the
             FERTILIZER MANUFACTURING
               POINT SOURCE CATEGORY
                  Russell E. Train
                   Administrator

                   James L. Agee
           Assistant Administrator  for
          Water  and Hazardous Materials
                    Allen Cywin
      Director,  Effluent Guidelines Division

                  Elwood E. Martin
                  Project Officer
                   January, 1975

           Effluent Guidelines Division
     Office of  Water and Hazardous Materials
       U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
              Washington, D.C.    20460
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402 • Price $1.40

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                          ABSTRACT
This document presents the findings of an in-depth technical
study (Phase II) conducted by Davy Powergas, Inc., on  those
fertilizer  processes not included in the original (Phase I)
study  under  Contract  Number  68-01-1508,  Mod.  #1.   The
purpose  was  to determine industry control practices, water
effluent treatment technologies, and cost  data  related  to
these  items  as  information from which meaningful effluent
guidelines could be developed to implement the Federal Water
Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972.

The  fertilizer  industry  has  seven  distinctly   separate
subcategories  which  have  different  pollutants,  effluent
treatment  technologies,  and  water  management   problems.
These  subcategories  are Phosphate, Ammonia, Urea, Ammonium
Nitrate, Nitric Acid, Ammonium Sulfate and Mixed  and  Blend
Fertilizers.   In this Phase II study, only ammonium sulfate
manufacture as  a  synthetic  and  a  coke  oven  by-product
material  and  the  mixed and blend fertilizer processes are
included.  The mixed and blend  fertilizers  in  combination
represent  by an overwhelming majority the largest number of
individual  process  plants  in   the   overall   fertilizer
category.

Functions  performed  in the survey included data gathering,
sample  collection  and  analysis,  and   visitations   with
responsible  plant  operating personnel to obtain verifiable
information on treatment technology in commercial use and in
development.

For the Phase  II  fertilizer  processes  of  interest,  the
effluent   treatment   technologies   consist   entirely  of
treatment technologies now in use in the better plants.  Use
of these technologies coupled  with  good  water  management
make  the  recommended  best  practicable control technology
currently available, best available technology  economically
achievable,  and  new source performance standards identical
and  capable  of  no  discharge  of  process   waste   water
pollutants to navigable waters.
                           iii

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                          CONTENTS


Section                                                  Page

I             CONCLUSIONS                                  1

II            RECOMMENDATIONS                              3

III           INTRODUCTION                                 5

IV            INDUSTRY CATEGORIZATION                     31

V             WASTE CHARACTERIZATION                      35

VI            SELECTION OF  POLLUTANT PARAMETERS           41

VII           CONTROL AND TREATMENT TECHNOLOGY            47

VIII          COST, ENERGY  AND NONWATER
                QUALITY ASPECTS                           53

IX            BEST PRACTICABLE CONTROL TECHNOLOGY
                CURRENTLY AVAILABLE,  GUIDELINES AND
                LIMITATIONS                               57

X             BEST AVAILABLE TECHNOLOGY ECONOMICALLY
                ACHIEVABLE, GUIDELINES AND LIMITATIONS    61

XI            NEW SOURCE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS AND
                PRETREATMENT STANDARDS                    63

XII           ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS                            65

XIII          REFERENCES                                   67

XIV           GLOSSARY                                     71

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                          FIGURES






                                                     Page



1     Ammonium Sulfate - Synthetic Plant Locations     15



2     Ammonium Sulfate - By-Product Plant Locations    16



3     Ammonium Sulfate Flow Sheet - Synthetic          19



4     Ammonium Sulfate Flow Sheet - Coke Ovens         20



5     Blend Fertilizer - Plant Locations               23



6     Mixed Fertilizer - Plant Locations               24



7     Mixed Fertilizer Flow Sheet                      29



8     Blend Fertilizer Flow Sheet                      30



9     Ammonium Sulfate Plant - Effluent control        49



10    Mixed Fertilizer Process - Effluent Control      51



11    Blend Plants - Airborne Solids Control           52
                             vi

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                           TABLES






Table                                                Page




1    Cost Summary Table                               54




2    Metric Units                                     72
                              vii

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                         SECTION I

                        CONCLUSIONS
The  fertilizer  industry  subcategories  established in the
original  "Development  Document  for  Effluent  Limitations
Guidelines  and Standards of Performance" document were also
utilized in this Phase II study namely, phosphate,  ammonia,
ammonium nitrate, urea, and nitric acid.

Phase  II  includes  ammonium  sulfate  produced  as  both a
synthetic and as a coke oven  by-product  material  and  the
mixed fertilizer and blend fertilizer materials.

In  both  of the subcategories the treatment technologies do
exist and are commercially practiced to  meet  the  proposed
best  practical control technology currently available, best
available technology economically achievable, and which will
allow new  plants  to  also  meet  the  proposed  guidelines
without changes in process design or equipment.

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                         SECTION II

                      RECOMMENDATIONS


          Ammonium Sulfate Production Subcategory

The  proposed effluent limitation representing the degree of
effluent reduction attainable  through  application  of  the
best  practicable  control  technology  currently available,
best available technology economically achievable  and  best
demonstrated   control   technology  in  the  production  of
ammonium sulfate - both synthetic and coke oven by-product -
is  no  discharge  of  process  waste  water  pollutants  to
navigable waters.

     Mixed and Blend Fertilizer Production Subcateggry

The  proposed effluent limitation representing the degree of
effluent reduction attainable  through  application  of  the
best  practicable  control technologies currently available,
best available technology economically achievable  and  best
demonstrated   control   technology   from  both  the  mixed
fertilizer  and  blend  fertilizer  process  plants  is   no
discharge  of  process  waste  water pollutants to navigable
waters.

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                        SECTION III

                        INTRODUCTION
Section 301 (b)  of the Act requires the  achievement  by  not
later  than  July 1, 1977, of effluent limitations for point
sources, other than publicly owned  treatment  works,  which
are based on the application of the best practicable control
technology   currently   available   as   defined   by   the
Administrator  pursuant  to  Section  304(b)  of  the   Act.
Section  301(b)  also  requires the achievement by not later
than  July  1,   1983,  of  effluent  limitations  for  point
sources,  other  than publicly owned treatment works.  These
are to be based on the application  of  the  best  available
technology  economically  achievable  which  will  result in
reasonable further progress  toward  the  national  goal  of
eliminating  the  discharge of all pollutants, as determined
in accordance with regulations issued by  the  Administrator
pursuant  to  Section 304(b) of the Act.  Section 306 of the
Act requires the achievement by new  sources  of  a  Federal
standard  of  performance  providing  for the control of the
discharge of pollutants which reflects the  greatest  degree
of  effluent reduction which the Administrator determines to
be achievable through the application of the best  available
demonstrated   control   technology,   processes,  operating
methods,   or   other   alternatives,    including,    where
practicable,   a   standard   permitting   no  discharge  of
pollutants.

Section 304 (b)  of the  Act  requires  the  Administrator  to
publish within one year of enactment of the Act, regulations
providing  guidelines for effluent limitations setting forth
the degree of  effluent  reduction  attainable  through  the
application  of  the  best  practicable  control  technology
currently available and the  degree  of  effluent  reduction
attainable  through  the  application  of  the  best control
measures  and  practices  achievable   including   treatment
techniques,  process  and  procedure  innovations, operation
methods and other alternatives.   The  regulations  proposed
herein set forth effluent limitations guidelines pursuant to
Section  304 (b)  of the Act for the fertilizer manufacturing
category of point sources.

Section 306 of the Act requires  the  Administrator,  within
one  year  after a category of sources is included in a list
published pursuant to Section 306 (b)  (1) (a) of the Act,  to
propose   regulations   establishing  Federal  Standards  of
performances for new sources within  such  categories.   The
Administrator  published  in the Federal Register of January

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16, 1973 (38 F.R. 1624), a list  of  27  source  categories.
Publication  of  the  list  constituted  announcement of the
Administrator's intention  of  establishing,  under  Section
306,  standards  of  performance  applicable  to new sources
within  the  fertilizer  manufacturing  category  of   point
sources,  which  was  included  within  the  list  published
January 16, 1973.

The effluent limitations guidelines and standards of perfor-
mance presented in this report were developed from operating
data, samples, and information gathered  from  some  fifteen
(15)  plants.   The  methods  and  procedures  used  in  the
accumulation of that overall information  are  described  in
the following paragraphs.

Summary,  of  Methods  Used  for  Development of the gffluent
Limitations Guidelines and Standards of Performance

The  effluent  limitations  guidelines  and   standards   of
performance presented herein were developed in the following
manner.  The point source category was first studied for the
purpose  of  determining  whether  separate  limitations and
standards are appropriate for different segments within  the
category.  This analysis included a determination of whether
differences   in   raw   material  used,  product  produced,
manufacturing  process  employed,  age,  size,  waste  water
constituents,  and  other  factors  require  development  of
separate limitations and standards for different segments of
the point source category.

The raw waste characteristics for  each  such  segment  were
then  identified.   This  included  an  analysis  of (1) the
source of flow and volume  of  water  used  in  the  process
employed  and  the  sources of waste and waste waters in the
plant; and  (2) the constituents  (including thermal)  of  all
waste   waters,   including  toxic  constituents  and  other
constituents which result in taste, odor, and color  in  the
water  or  aquatic organisms.  The constituents of the waste
waters which  should  be  subject  to  effluent  limitations
guidelines and standards of performance were identified.

The  range  of  control  and treatment technologies existing
within  each  segment  was  identified.   This  included  an
identification   of  each  distinct  control  and  treatment
technology,  including  both  in-plant  and   end-of-process
technologies,   which  are  existent  or  capable  of  being
designed  for   each   segment.    It   also   included   an
identification  of,  in  terms of the amount of constituents
(including thermal) and the effluent  level  resulting  from
the  application  of  each  of  the  treatment  and  control

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technologies.  The problems, limitations and reliability  of
each  was also identified.  In addition, the nonwater impact
of  these  technologies  upon  other   pollution   problems,
including  air,  solid  waste, noise and radiation were also
identified.  The energy requirements  of  each  control  and
treatment  technology  was identified as well as the cost of
the application of such technologies.

The information, as outlined above, was  then  evaluated  in
order to determine what levels of technology constituted the
"best  practicable  control technology currently available",
the "best available technology economically achievable"  and
the   "best   available   demonstrated  control  technology,
processes, operating methods, or  other  alternatives".   In
identifying   such   technologies,   various   factors  were
considered.  These included the total cost of application of
technology in relation to the effluent reduction benefits to
be achieved from such application, the age of equipment  and
facilities  involved,  the process employed, the engineering
aspects of the  application  of  various  types  of  control
techniques,  process changes, nonwater quality environmental
impact  (including energy requirements) , and other factors.

Delineation of Study

The  effluent  limitation  guidelines   and   standards   of
performance  proposed  in  this  report  were developed from
operating  data,  samples,  and  information  gathered  from
fifteen  (15) plants.  The methods and procedures used in the
accumulation  of  that  overall  data  is  described  in the
following paragraphs.
Identification and categorization of the four  (4)  processes
covered  in  this report were made during the preparation of
the  Phase  I  portion  of  the  industry  report  on  Basic
Fertilizer  Chemicals.   The  four processes covered in this
Phase II portion of the Formulated Fertilizer report and the
corresponding Standard Industrial Classification  (SIC) Codes
are defined as:

    MIXED FERTILIZER, SIC Codes 2874 and 2875

    This process is defined as one which mixes  (wet or dry)
    straight and mixed fertilizer materials through chemical
    reaction into complete N-P-K fertilizer goods.  By fer-
    tilizer terminology it includes three types of plants:

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         B type - Dry mixing plant that mixes wet or dry,
                  straight and mixed fertilizer materials
                  through chemical reaction, into complete
                  mix goods.

         C type - Does same as B type except that normal
                  superphosphate is also produced on site.

         D type - Does same as B and c types plus the manu-
                  facture of sulfuric acid.

    BLEND PLANT, SIC Code 2875

    This process is defined as one which physically mixes
    dry straight and mixed granular fertilizer materials
    to a given N-P-K formulation.  By fertilizer terminology
    it is specified as an A type plant.

    AMMONIUM SULFATE - Steel mill By-Product, SIC Code 2873

    AMMONIUM SULFATE - Synthetic, SIC Code 2873

The objective was to categorize the many processes into  the
least number of units that are practical for the end purpose
of  water  effluent  monitoring  and structuring of specific
fertilizer  complexes  for   EPA   and   State   enforcement
officials.  Categorization inherently included determination
of  those  point sources which required separate limitations
and  standards.   The  overall  concept   was   to   provide
sufficient  definition  and information on an unitized basis
to allow application of a building  block  principle.   Such
classification  of  data  readily permits the structuring of
total water effluent information for any specific fertilizer
complex  regardless  of  the   multiplicity   of   processes
comprising its make-up.

Bases for Definition of Technology Levels

The  validated  data  and  samples obtained from the fifteen
plants were the primary basis for  choosing  the  levels  of
technology which were considered to be the "best practicable
control technology currently available", the "best available
technology economically achievable," and the "best available
demonstrated  control technology, process operating methods,
or other alternatives".   This  selection  of  the  separate
technologies,  of  necessity, required consideration of such
additional factors as  evaluation  of  the  engineering  and
operational  problems associated with the technology, effect
on existing processes,  total  cost  of  the  technology  in
relation  to  the effluent reduction that would be realized,

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energy  requirements  and  cost,  the   range   of   control
variations on contaminant concentration and/or quantity, and
non-water   quality   environmental   impact.    Information
regarding  the  influence  of  these  diverse  factors   was
obtained  from  a  number of sources.  These sources include
government research information, published literature, trade
organization  publications,   information   from   qualified
consultants,  and  cross reference with related technologies
utilized in other industries.

Implementation

The value of a study such as this is entirely dependent upon
the quality of the data from which it is  made.   Particular
attention was, therefore, directed to selecting criteria for
determining  the  commercial installations to be visited and
from which to collect information.

The multiplicity of plants, wide  geographical  distribution
(particularly  blend  plants),  and  the wide range of plant
capacities  (300 to 876,000 TPY)  made the Phase I concept  of
selecting  only  exemplary plants for the study impractical.
The selection of plants was based primarily on consideration
of  geographical  location.    Plants   of   all   different
capacities  in  the  states  of  Alabama  and  Illinois were
selected for the study.  These two  states  were  considered
representative   of  the  two  general  geographical  areas,
Southeast and West North Central, with the  highest  process
plant  density  coupled  with  good  proximity  of  the  two
subcategories to each other.

Contact was then made with plants in the two selected  areas
to  establish  a  time for a screening visit.  The screening
visit had the objective of informing the  plant  manager  on
the  purpose  and intent of the study.  Information acquired
during  the  visit  was  used  to  determine  whether   that
particular  plant was to be included in the study or whether
there were  other  plants  and/or  conditions  which  better
exemplified  industry  standards.  As in the Phase I study a
variety of situations were encountered.  These  ranged  from
decisions   not   to  include  a  specific  plant,  although
exemplary, to learning of another plant which  could  add  a
different  dimension  or  production level to the study.  It
was found that a very small percentage  of  the  plants  had
records of either water or air effluent streams.

A  comparative  evaluation  was  made  of the various plants
visited.  This evaluation was based upon the  criteria  used
in the Phase I study.  It consisted of the following points:

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1)   Discharge Effluent Quan-fcj-bj.es

Installations   with  low  effluent  quantities  and/or  the
ultimate of "no discharge".

2)   gffluent^Contaminant Lgvel

Installations with low effluent  contaminant  concentrations
and quantities.

3)   Effluent Treatment Method and Effectiveness

Use of best currently available treatment methods, operating
control, and operational reliability.

H)   Water Management Practice

Utilization  of good management practices such as main water
re-use, planning for seasonal rainfall variations,  in-plant
water   segregation  and  proximity  of  cooling  towers  to
operating units where airborne contamination can occur.

5)   Land Utilization

Consideration  of  land  area  involved  in  water  effluent
control system with the most acceptable being those with the
least area.

6)   Air Pollution Control

Those  plants  with the most comprehensive and effective air
pollution control.  In turn liquid effluent from such plants
may represent the most serious water effluent condition.

7)   Geographic Location

Those facilities in close proximity to sensitive vegetation,
high population density, land availability, and areas  where
local or state standards are most restrictive.

8)   Management Operating Philosophy

Plants  whose  management  insists  upon effective equipment
maintenance and housekeeping practices.

9)   Raw Mategialg

Installations  utilizing  different  raw   materials   where
effluent  contaminants  differ  in  impurity type or concen-
tration.
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10)  Diversity of Processes

On the basis that, other criteria are met, then consideration
was given to installations having a multiplicity  of  ferti-
lizer processes.

Each  of  the  above  criterion  were  assigned  a  range of
numerical values to allow a comparative  evaluation  of  the
different plants visited in each process category.

Sampling Collection and Validation of Data

The  most  important  item  in  a study of this nature is to
obtain data representative of  a  given  process  under  all
conditions  of  operation  and  range  of  production rates.
Steps  and  procedures  used  in  selecting   data,   stream
sampling,   and   sample   analysis  were  all  designed  to
accomplish this goal to the best possible degree.

An important step toward this objective was  the  assignment
of  only highly experienced operating personnel to the field
work.  Three persons were used.  The fertilizer plant opera-
ting experience of these three people ranged from a  minimum
of 16 years to 24 years.  With such operational knowledge it
was possible to expeditiously select data, identify specific
process  streams  for  sampling,  and conduct sampling under
readily discernible plant operating conditions.  The  points
considered  and identified in all data collection, sampling,
and validation were:

1)  Segregation of process effluent streams so that only  an
identifiable  single  process  and/or piece of equipment was
represented.

2)  Collection of data and samples at  different  states  of
process  conditions  such  as  normal  steady  state,  plant
washout when such a  procedure  is  followed  on  a  routine
basis,  upset  process  condition,  operation at above/below
plant  design  rate,  and  during  shutdown  conditions   if
effluent flow occurs.

3)   Evaluation  of  the effect if any of seasonal rainfall,
particularly on non-point effluent and ponds.

H)  Establishment  of  the  existence  of  flow  measurement
devices  and/or  other  means  of  quantitatively  measuring
effluent flows.

5)  Making positive identity of  the  type,  frequency,  and
handling  of  the  samples  represented  by collected data -
                            11

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i.e., such items as grab,   composite,   or  continuous  type;
shift,   daily,  or  weekly  frequency,  etc.    All  samples
collected by the contractor were composite samples.

6)  Validation of data,  via  intimate  knowledge  of  plant
laboratory  analytical  procedures used for sample analysis,
check samples analyzed by independent   laboratories,  and/or
DPG sampling under known and defined process conditions with
sample  analysis by an accredited commercial laboratory, was
conducted on each plant which had liquid effluents.  A total
of 15 plants were visited.  Data was collected by  DPG  from
seven  of  these  plants.   Verified data on ammonium sulfate
production was also obtained from another contractor who had
collected  data  in  two  large  complexes  which   included
ammonium sulfate manufacturing facilities.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INDUSTRY

The U. S. fertilizer industry has undergone such significant
changes  in  the  past thirty years that it has lost its old
stigma of "mud chemistry".  The  sledge  hammer  and  shovel
days  have been replaced by large, modern, fume free, plants
operated from an air conditioned control room.

Eighty percent of the volume of agricultural chemicals  used
today are materials that were not available in their present
form  at the time of World War II.  Fertilizer use today, in
terms of plant nutrients, is four and one quarter  times  as
great  as  it  was  in  1940.   On  the assumption that this
fertilizer is properly used, it represents one of the  major
reasons why farm yields are up and unit costs are lower.  It
has  been  estimated  that  the use of commercial fertilizer
saves the U. S. public $13 billion a year on food  bills  or
about  $70  a  year  per  person.   Large  scale centrifugal
compressor ammonia plants,  increasing  single  train  plant
capacities  from  90 - 180 to 1400 - 1800 kkg/day (100 - 200
to 1500 -  2000  tons/day);  sulfuric  acid  plant  capacity
increased  from 270 - 450 to 1800 kkg/day  (300 - 500 to 2000
tons/day); and development  of  ammonium  phosphate  granule
fertilizers illustrate the dramatic technology change.

Fertilizer industry jargon identifies two types of product -
nonmixed  and  mixed.   Straight  fertilizers are defined as
those which contain only  a  single  major  plant  nutrient.
Mixed  fertilizers are defined as those which contain two or
more primary plant  nutrients.   Mixed  fertilizers  can  be
produced  by  chemically  reacting different ingredients and
utilizing the chemical reaction as  the  binding  force;  or
simply    by   mechanically   blending   together   straight
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fertilizers.  The following tabulation lists  the  principal
straight  and  mixed  fertilizers  produced  in  the  United
States.

         Straight Fertilizers           Mixed Fertilizers

             Nitrogen Fertilizers

                Ammonia
                Urea
                Ammonium Nitrate
               *Ammonium Sulfate

             Phosphate Fertilizers

                Phosphoric Acid         Ammonium Phosphates
                Normal Superphosphate  *Mixed Fertilizers
                Triple Superphosphate  *Blend Fertilizers

         *  Processes included in this study.

This Phase II portion  of  the  Basic  Fertilizer  Chemicals
study considers only those fertilizer processes not included
in  the  Phase  I  study scope - namely Ammonium Sulfate and
Mixed and Blend Fertilizers.

Ammonium Sulfate Manufacturing

Ammonium sulfate is one  of  the  older  forms  of  nitrogen
fertilizer  and  is  still used in significant quantity.  It
is, however, the one nitrogen fertilizer material in the  U.
S.,  which  with  the  exception  of  1972, has a history of
gradual production decrease.  Production records  of  recent
years are shown below:
            Year             Ammonium Sulfate Production
                                  Tons per Year

            1966                    2,859,505
            1967                    2,824,255
            1968                    2,723,267
            1969                    2,563,724
            1970                    2,483,985
            1971                    2,359,800
            1972                    2,419,000

This  unusual  situation  is  attributed  to the spectacular
popularity  and  corresponding   production   increases   of
diammonium  phosphate   (DAP) as a mixed fertilizer material.
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Ammonium sulfate (AS)  and DAP  have  approximately  equal  N
contents  - nominal 21% and 1856 respectively.   DAP,  however,
has both a chemical and physical  advantage  over  AS.    The
chemical  advantage  is that it also has a nominal 48%  P2O5.
This in turn means shipping and storage cost  advantages  to
the  mixed fertilizer manufacturers.  The physical advantage
is that DAP is a granular rather than a crystalline material
and, therefore, is more compatible with  other  straight  or
mixed fertilizers for either granulation or dry blending.

There  seems  to  be little question that ammonium sulfate's
percentage of total  N  market  will  continue  to  decrease
although production tons may hold relatively steady and even
possibly  increase.  This possible increase in tonnage  would
be a result of by-product material from  rapidly  increasing
caprolactum  and acrynitrile production rather than from new
AS  manufacturing  facilities.   The   rapid   increase   in
synthetic  fibers  demand  (nylon  and  acrylic)   for  which
caprolactum and  acrynitrile  are  production  intermediates
means that 1.0 to 5.0 tons of AS will come on the market for
every 1.0 ton of intermediates produced.

Ammonium sulfate is generated from basically three sources -
synthetic,   chemical,  and  coke  oven.   Synthetic AS  is
produced by the direct combination  of  virgin  ammonia  and
sulfuric  acid.   Chemical AS is produced as a by-product of
the above mentioned  synthetic  fiber  intermediates.   Coke
oven  AS  is produced from ammonia reclaimed from the coking
of coal by  absorption  with  sulfuric  acid.    Only AS  as
produced synthetically and from coke oven gas are covered in
this   report.    Chemical  AS  is  covered  in  a  separate
industrial category.  Today there are six  synthetic plants
and   approximately   46  coke  oven  units.   The  greatest
concentration of coke oven plants is in the steel  producing
states,  particularly  Ohio  and Pennsylvania.  Locations of
synthetic and coke oven AS plants are indicated on Figures 1
and 2.

General

Ammonium  sulfate   (AS)  has  been  an  important   nitrogen
fertilizer  source for many years.  One of the early reasons
for AS's rise to importance as a fertilizer material was due
to the fact that it developed  as  a  by-product  from   such
basic industries as steel and petroleum manufacturing.   That
reason  is  still the primary basis for AS's importance.  In
fact, it now has the same  status  in  the  rapidly  growing
synthetic  fibers  industry.  AS's role as a by-product from
such  large  and  basic  industries  insures  that  it   will
continue   to  be  an  important  source  of  U.S.  nitrogen
                            14

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        FIGURE 1
AMMONIUM SULFATE  -  SYNTHETIC
        PLANT LOCATIONS

-------
       FIGURE 2
AMMONIUM SULFATE - BY PRODUCT
       PLANT  LOCATIONS

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fertilizer tonnage.  An additional reason for the continuing
importance of AS is the growing awareness of  the  agronomic
need for sulfur addition to many soils.

Ammonium sulfate is a versatile fertilizer material.  It can
be  used as a straight fertilizer for direct application, as
a raw material for production of blend fertilizer, and as  a
raw  material  for  production of mixed fertilizer.  AS is a
crystalline material which exhibits those desirable physical
fertilizer characteristics, such as  being  freeflowing  and
relatively    non-caking,    when    additives   are   used.
Agronomically AS is suitable for use on most crops.   It  is
especially  compatible and desirable for rice, tobacco, tea,
cocoa and millet.

The emphasis on environmental improvement is  another  issue
which  is expected to affect future AS production.  Specific
reference is to the restrictions on sulfur oxides  emission.
The  air  pollution  control processes for removal of sulfur
oxides either from commercial products such as natural  gas,
petroleum and coal or end-of-process streams such as exhaust
gases  from  sulfuric  acid  and power generation plants all
have a sulfur base compound as  an  end  product.   Sizeable
quantities  of  these end products are expected to end up as
fertilizer AS principally because this material  can  accept
small  quantities  of impurities without detracting from its
value.  The AS future  is  expected  to  continue  to  be  a
reversal  of  the  decreasing production tonnage trend which
started in 1965 and concluded in 1972.  This greater  future
tonnage is, however, expected to be as a by-product material
rather than from an increase in synthetic AS production.

The  processes studied in this Phase II report included only
two of the three principal AS production  processes  namely,
synthetic   and   coke  oven-by-product.   Ammonium  sulfate
production from these two  processes  for  the  period  1966
through 1972 are tabulated below:
    PRODUCTION - SHORT TONS
                               Synthetic          By-Product
          1966                 1,155,100            763,800
          1967                 1,242,300            738,000
          1968                   903,700            670,000
          1969                   758,500            638,000
          1970                   663,900            595,000
          1971                   606,700            540,000
          1972                   578,600            564,000
                              17

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AMMONIUM SULFATE (SYNTHETIC)  - PROCESS DESCRIPTION

Synthetic  ammonium  sulfate is produced from virgin ammonia
and sulfuric acid.   (See Figure 3).  The  chemical  reaction
is  essentially  the  neutralization  of  sulfuric acid with
ammonia as indicated by following chemical equation:

2 NH3  (gas or liq.)  + H2SO4 Uiq.)-»lNHHL2SO4 (SOlid)  + HEAT
 Ammonia              Sulfuric Acid  Ammonium Sulfate

This reaction is highly exothermic liberating  approximately
67,710  cal/g. mole or 4230 BTU/lb N.  The raw materials are
reacted  in  neutralizer/crystallizer  units  designed  with
means  of controlled heat removal.  Heat removal is achieved
by controlled water addition and  evaporation  under  either
vacuum (sub-atmospheric)  or atmospheric pressure conditions.
Vacuum  process  units  control  evaporation by variation of
absolute pressure while the atmospheric pressure process  is
controlled by varying the air volume blown into the reaction
vessel.

The major process problem is control of the AS crystal size.
Process control consists of regulating water evaporation and
slurry   circulation  rates  to  give  that  combination  of
cooling/evaporation and slurry solids necessary for  optimum
crystal size formation.  Precipitated crystals are separated
from   the   mother   liquor   normally  by  centrifugation.
Following   centrifugation   the   crystals   are    washed,
neutralized, and dried to product specifications.

AMMONIUM SULFATE - COKE OVEN BY-PRODUCT

In  the  process  of carbonizing coal to coke such as in the
steel industry, coal volatiles including  ammonia,  ammonium
hydroxide  and ammonium chloride are liberated.   Many of the
bituminous coals used in coke production contain 1-2% N  and
approximately  15-20%  of  this quantity can be recovered as
ammonia.  Ammonia formation is normally considered to  occur
at coking temperatures of approximately lOOOoC (1832oF) such
as  utilized  in  steel  industry  coking operations.  Under
these conditions some 35-45 pounds of ammonium  sulfate  can
be  produced  per  ton  of  steel.   This  AS  production is
accomplished by either of three different ways.   These three
ways  are  known  as  Direct,   Indirect   and   Semi-Direct
processes, according to the method of contacting the ammonia
and sulfuric acid (See Figure 4) .
                              18

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             AMMONIUM  SULFATE - SYNTHETIC

          ATMOSPHERIC  PRESSURE CRYSTALLIZATION
Water Vapor
To Atmosphere



Sulphuric Acid ^
Ammonia ^

. 	 Ca
L





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Air ^/\

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^v



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Dry Product
for Reprocessing





M
Crystal Wash-Water
161-215 i/kkg
42-56 qal/ton
*-





r
.Dryer
\^~~^f7 1 	 • 	 ,
' [J- / 	 f I Tn pj-rM^i-jo^-
Centrifuge! — J a=& i 	 Storage
Y —
Process Water
w ^7 Leaks, spills
and wash wate
from pump

[K^i b ., 1 seals and
V7^ fc ^~in 1
Jissolution Pump Mother //// ^ "" equipment
Tank Liquor washing, etc.
Tank 250-585 1 /kkg
LI 60-140 gal/to
                                                          Waste Sump
                         FIGURE 3

-------
                AMMONIUM SULPHATE - COKE OVENS

                                    -fel
                  To Atmosphere
                             Crystal Wash-Water
                                161-215 1/kkg
                                42-56 gal/ton
      Crude Ammonia Pump
     Liquor Storage         Lime
                                                                       Leaks,  spills
                                                                           and wash
                                                                   If~,y water  from
                                                                        pump seals
                                                                        and equipment
                                                                        washing,  etc.
                                                                    250-585 1/kkg
                                                                    60-140 gal/ton
                             Leg
Ammonia
 Still
	   Gaseous Ammonia  Cleaning Equipment Connected with AS Plant
     but not Directly Part of AS Process
                            FIGURE 4

-------
The  Direct process treats the mixture of volatile off-gases
by  first  cooling  them  to  remove  the  maximum  possible
quantity of tar.  Following tar removal the gases are passed
through a saturator - either a bubbler or spray type - where
they are washed with sulfuric acid.  AS crystals form in the
liquor  and  are  recirculated  in  the  saturator until the
desired crystal  size  is  formed.   After  the  desired  AS
crystal  size is realized they are separated from the liquor
by centrifugation, washed, dried and conveyed to storage.

The Indirect, process was developed primarily to  improve  AS
crystal  purity  by  further removal of such contaminates as
tar, pyradine and other organic compounds.  In  this  method
the volatile off-gases are first cooled by recirculated wash
liquor and scrubbing water.  These liquors are then combined
and  treated  with  steam  in  a stripping column to release
relatively high purity "free" ammonia present in the form of
such easily disassociated salts as  ammonium  carbonate  and
ammonium  sulfide.   The  partially  stripped liquor is then
treated with lime solution to decompose such  "fixed"  salts
as  ammonium chloride.  This treated liquor then passes to a
second stripping column where essentially all the  remaining
ammonia  is  freed from the liquor.  The stripped ammonia is
recovered as a crude  ammonia  solution  which  is  in  turn
redistilled    or    converted   directly   to   AS   in   a
saturator/crystalii zer.

The Semi-Direct process is a logical  outcome  of  both  the
above  described  techniques.   The  volatile  off-gases are
cooled and washed.  This processing removes the majority  of
the  tar  and yields an aqueous condensate containing a high
percentage of the ammonia present in the  gas.   Ammonia  is
then released from this aqueous condensate in a small still.
The  evolved  ammonia  is then re-combined with the main gas
stream and the whole stream reheated to approximately  70oC.
This reheated gas stream is then scrubbed with 5-6% sulfuric
acid and a near-saturation 60-70% ammonium sulfate solution.
Spray-absorbers  or  saturators  utilizing cracker pipes are
both used for this operation.  AS crystals  are  formed  and
removed  as  product  similar  to  the  previously described
procedure-  This Semi-Direct process yields  an  essentially
pure AS and high ammonia recovery.

Mixed and Blend Fertilizer Industry

Plants utilizing the two mixed fertilizer processes included
in  this Phase II Study - Mixed and Blend Fertilizers - have
had a very rapid growth since 1964.  This  growth  has  been
primarily  due  to  the  first time availability of granular
high  analysis  straight  and  mixed  fertilizer  materials.
                              21

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Prior   to  1965  the  predominant  materials  available  to
manufacturers were powders with a comparatively low nutrient
content.  Use of these  older  materials  resulted  in  high
production costs due to freight handling, materials loss, as
well  as  production  of a final product of poor quality and
physical characteristics.

The introduction of good quality  high  analysis  fertilizer
materials   represented   one   of   the   most  significant
technological developments in N-P-K fertilizer production in
the past decade.  The  extent  of  the  influence  of  these
materials  is  best appreciated by noting the large increase
in the number of particularly Blend Fertilizer plants  which
came into existence during the years 1964 to 1974.

                        Estimated Number of Operating U.S.
 Year                   	Blend Fertilizer Plants	

      1960                              441
      1964                             1536
      1966                             3152
      1968                             4140
      1970                             5158
      1974                             7000

Granular   ammonium  phosphates  and  specifically  DAP  are
ideally suited both chemically and physically for mixed  and
blend fertilizer processes.  In fact the ammonium phosphates
are  indispensable  to  the  manufacture of those fertilizer
formulations  containing  greater  than  45%   total   plant
nutrients.    The   mixed   and  blend  plants  are  located
throughout the country, but concentrated in the Midwest  and
South Atlantic  (See Figure 5 and 6).

      Mixed and Blend Fertilizer - Process Description

General

The use of mixed fertilizer material has always enjoyed wide
popularity  in  the  U.S.   This  stems  primarily  from the
farmers' desire to save costs - both time  and  labor.   The
former practice of using straight fertilizers meant that the
farmer had to either apply them himself or mix them prior to
application.   The  increasingly popular practice is to turn
the entire phase of land fertilization  over  to  the  mixed
fertilizer  manufacturer.   This  includes  such services as
obtaining   soil   samples,   performing   soil    analysis,
calculating the specific fertilizer formulation required for
the  soil  and  crop  to  be  grown,  and finally the actual
applying  of  the  fertilizer.   The  only  time  and  labor
                               22

-------
                                                FIGURE 5
                                           BLEND  FERTILIZER
GO
                                             PLANT LOCATIONS
      NOTE:   DUE TO THE LARGE NUMBER  OF  PLANTS
              IN MANY STATES ONLY REPRESENTATIVE
              SITES WITH THE NUMBER OF PLANTS ARE INDICATED,

-------
S3
                                                FIGURE 6

                                             MIXED FERTILIZER
      NOTE:   DUE  TO THE LARGE  NUMBER OF PLANTS
              IN MANY ST/VTES ONLY REPRESENTATIVE
              SITES WITH THE NUMBER OF PLANTS ARE 'INDICATED.

-------
expended  by the farmer is the telephone call to request the
service, approval of the application,  and  writing  of  the
check.

This  trend,  plus  the  fact  that  fertilizer  application
quantities  barely  equal  the  crop  uptake  of   nitrogen,
phosphorous, and potassium assures continued growth of mixed
fertilizer  consumption.   All  these different factors have
served to make the farmers increasingly cost conscious.   In
turn  this  has pressured fertilizer dealers into performing
the above described services  at  little  or  no  additional
cost.   These  cost  pressures  have made manufacturing cost
reduction a necessity.  One  of  the  outcomes  has  been  a
gradual  reduction in the number of small manufacturers (300
to 10,000 TPY capacity).   These  small  manufacturers  have
been  replaced  by  a  distribution  system based on a large
(30,000-60,000 TPY) central  or  "mother"  plant  serving  a
number  of small distribution centers located within a 25-50
mile radius.

The point in describing the  mixed  fertilizer  industry  to
this  degree  is  to  emphasize  that  a  transition  is  in
progress.  Manufacturers are becoming increasingly aware  of
the need to maintain stable year round operation for maximum
labor  and  cost  economy.   Small  tonnage mixed fertilizer
producers  are  going  out  of  business.    These   defunct
operations  are  being  replaced  by an increasing number of
blend fertilizer manufacturers.  The end result is that  the
mixed   and   blend  fertilizer  manufacturers  have  a  new
appreciation of all phases of plant operational  efficiency.
This includes provisions for effluent control - both gas and
liquid.

The designation of Mixed and Blend Fertilizer processes made
in  this  study  necessitates some additional description so
that fertilizer people can correlate them  to  the  accepted
Fertilizer Industry terminology.  A Mixed Fertilizer process
in  this  report  refers  to the process which mixes (wet or
dry)  straight  and  mixed  fertilizer   materials   through
chemical  reactions into complete mix goods.  The Fertilizer
Industry  designates  the  type  of  plants  which   process
fertilizer according to this definition as being B, C, and D
type  plants.  A Blend Fertilizer process designation refers
to the process which physically mixes dry straight and mixed
granular fertilizer materials to a given N-P-K  formulation.
This  process is designated by the Fertilizer Industry as an
A type plant.

The following U. S.  consumption  of  dry  mixed  fertilizer
goods   (exclusive of liquids)  gives some appreciation of the
                            25

-------
annual tonnage of materials produced by the Mixed and  Blend
Fertilizer processes over the last 16 years.

          Year       Dry Mixed Fertilizer Goods Consumption
                                    (Short tons)

          1955            15,230,505
          1960            14,868,024
          1965            17,229,239
          1970            18,176,900
          1971            18,399,800

The  tonnage  figures do not fully reflect the status of dry
mixed fertilizer goods.  It should be added that  the  total
amount of mixed fertilizers - both dry and liquids - applied
on  U.  S.  soil  in  1970  was  20,963,000 tons.  Dry mixed
fertilizer therefore represented approximately 87%  of  this
1970   total.    Currently  the  total  quantity  of  direct
application and  mixed  fertilizers  used  in  the  U.S.  is
approximately  42  million  tons  per  year.  Agriculturists
estimate that fertilizer usage needs to be 80  million  tons
per  year  to  realize  most  efficient  crop  growth.  This
indicates  that  dry  mixed  fertilizer  consumption   could
approach 40 million tons per year in the near future.  It is
also observed that approximately 88% of the P2O5 used in the
U.S. is applied as mixed fertilizer.

The  total  annual mixed fertilizer tonnages do not indicate
the major change in the two production  processes  involved.
Reference is to the great increase in bulk blends plants and
decrease  in  mixed  fertilizer process plants in the period
1959 to 1970 -  (e.g. 201 blend plants in  1959  to  5158  in
1970).   This trend of increasing numbers of blend plants is
expected to continue.  In turn, this means that in the  near
future the majority of all U.S.  mixed fertilizer goods will
be produced by the Blend Fertilizer process.

MIXED_FERTILIZER - PROCESS DESCRIPTION

The  raw  materials  used  to produce mixed fertilizer goods
include  inorganic   acids,   solutions,   double   nutrient
fertilizers, and all types of straight fertilizers.  Typical
raw   materials  include  sulfuric  acid,  phosphoric  acid,
nitrogen solutions,  diammonium  phosphate,  ammonia,  urea,
ammonium  nitrate,  ammonium sulfate, normal superphosphate,
triple superphosphate, potash, sand and a variety  of  minor
elements.   The  choice of raw materials is dependent on the
specific N-P-K formulation to be produced and  the  cost  of
the  different  posible materials from which it can be made.
In some N-P-K formulations, two or more raw materials may be
                             26

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selected because of the chemical reaction  which  will  take
place between them.  The objective is to create conditions -
such  as  chemical  neutralization,  dilution, etc., - which
will produce the optimum temperature and moisture conditions
for good physical product formation.

The  Mixed  Fertilizer  process  involves   the   controlled
addition   of  both  dry  and  liquid  raw  materials  to  a
granulator.  The granulator is normally a rotary  drum,  but
pug  mills are also used.  Raw materials, plus some recycled
product  material,  are  mixed  to   form   an   essentially
homogeneous  granular  product.   It  is  common to also add
water and/or steam to aid the chemical reactions and granule
formation.  Wet granules from the granulator are  discharged
into  a  rotary  drier where the excess water is evaporated.
Dried  granules  from  the  drier  are  sized  on  vibrating
screens.  Over and under size granules are separated for use
as   recycle  material  in  the  granulator.   Product  size
granules are cooled and conveyed to storage or shipping (See
Figure 7) .

BLEND FERTILIZER - PROCESS DESCRIPTION

As  previously  mentioned  the  development  and  subsequent
availability  of  good quality granular fertilizer materials
in the mid '60's was the catalyst  which  "made"  the  blend
fertilizer  process.  Prior to this time the dry blending of
fertilizer was a limited success.  Raw  materials  available
were  largely  powders  with  little  or  no  particle  size
control.   Consequently,  the  product  had  poor   handling
characteristics   as   well   as   unavoidable  tendency  to
segregate.  In the majority of cases the relationship of the
N-P-K formulation in different sections of  a  bag  or  bulk
shipment  applied  by  the farmer to that which he purchased
was purely coincidental.  Both state  fertilizer  regulatory
officers and customers took dim views of such fertilizers.

The  availability  and like physical characteristics of good
quality straight and mixed  fertilizer  materials  corrected
the  majority  of  these problems.  Process problems such as
handling and loss  from  dusty  materials  were  practically
eliminated.  Product segregation was reduced to a minimum.

The  process  is simple.  Raw materials are a combination of
granular dry straight and mixed  fertilizer  materials  with
essentially  identical  particle size.  While many materials
can be utilized the five most  commonly  used  are  ammonium
nitrate,  urea, triple superphosphate, diammonium phosphate,
and potash.  These raw materials  are  stored  in  a  multi-
compartmented  bin  and  withdrawn in the precise quantities
                            27

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needed  to  produce  the  N-P—K  formulation  desired.   Raw
material  addition  is  normally  by  batch  weighing.  This
combination of batch-weighed and granular raw materials  are
then  conveyed  to  a  mechanical blender for mixing.  These
batch units are usually one  of  two  types:  a  cement-type
mixer,  capable  of  20 to 30 tons per hour or an auger-type
with a four or five ton per hour capacity.  From the blender
the product is conveyed to storage or shipping  (See  Figure
8).
                               28

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                                       MIXED FERTILIZER PROCESS
    Contaminatedi
      Water
 Process Water
   0-92 L/KKG
   0-22 Gal/ton
 Triple
Superphosphate
  DAP
 Normal      —
Superphosphate
NPK
                                                1
                                            Scrubber
                                             System
                              Contaminated
                            "Water
                             3120-3330  L/KKG
                             750-800  Gal/toi
                                      Muriate of
                                      Potash Addition
 Granulator
T
                         Ammonia
            Phosphoric
               Acid
                                                Dryer
                                                                     Sizing
                                        FIGURE 7
                                                           To Product
                                                             Storage

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                                      BLEND FERTILIZER PROCESS
LO
O
                                  I I I II II I
                                  ' ' ' I  I II I
                                  \
t

(III
1 II 1
1 It 1
/




r

i
^
t
To f
t
              Fertilizer Materials
            Q	
                Weigh/Belt
                                  IWVVVXA/
                                   Screw
Fan
                                                                     To Railroad
                                                           Elevator
      Elevator
                                          FIGURE 8

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                         SECTION IV

                  INDUSTRY CATEGORIZATION
The  task  of  dividing  the  many fertilizer processes into
specific categories was considered one of the most important
aspects of the Phase I Study.  One important  objective  was
to  minimize  the  number  of  categories  by grouping those
processes which had similar  characteristics.   The  factors
considered   in  the  categorization  process  included  the
following:

          1.  Natural industry division.

          2.  "Common denominator" contaminants.

          3.  Raw materials.

          4.  Problems with separation of individual process
              effluents within a plant complex.

The application of these listed  criteria  resulted  in  the
establishment  of  seven subcategories within the Fertilizer
industry.   These,  together  with  their  listed  component
processes, are:

    A)   Phosphate Subcategory
         1.   Phosphate Rock Grinding
         2.   Wet Process Phosphoric Acid
         3.   Phosphoric Acid Concentration
         U.   Phosphoric Acid Clarification
         5.   Normal Superphosphate
         6.   Triple Superphosphate
         7.   Ammonium Phosphates
         8.   Sulfuric Acid
    B)   Ammonia Subcategory
    C)   Urea Subcategory
    D)   Ammonium Nitrate Subcategory
    E)   Nitric Acid Subcategory
    F)*  Ammonium Sulfate Subcategory
    G)*  Mixed and Blend Fertilizer Subcategory

The processes marked  by  asterisk  (*)  are  the  processes
covered by this Phase II Study.

The  reasoning  applied  to  the four categorization factors
listed above in the assignment of the Phase II processes  to
their  specific  Industry classification is contained in the
following paragraphs.
                           31

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Natural Industry Division

Industry traditionally views ammonium sulfate production and
mixed  and  blend  fertilizer   production   as   distinctly
separate.  By-product AS plants are part of an overall steel
complex  and synthetic plants are tied closely to a nitrogen
and/or  phosphate  complex,  because  of  the  ammonia   and
sulfuric   acid   needed.    Mixed,   and  blend  plants  in
particular, usually are separate installations.

"Common Denominator" Contaminants

The various processes in the two identified  categories  all
have  like  effluent contaminants which are either mixed to-
gether into a common effluent stream or because of the  spe-
cific  contaminant  treatment required, it necessitates that
an individual process effluent be treated separately regard-
less of the categorization.  The commonness of  contaminants
and intermixing of effluents also permits establishment of a
limitation  for  a total complex regardless of the number of
different  processes  involved.   This  in  turn  simplifies
matters for enforcement officials and industry monitoring.

Problems with Separation of Individual Process Effluentg
Within a Complex

A somewhat surprising fact brought to light in the study was
the  lack  of  information  available  on a specific process
within a complex.  Industrial complexes  are  generally  not
physically designed to keep individual process streams sepa-
rate.    The  reasons  for  this  condition  are  due  to  a
combination of items, such as there previously was no reason
to do so, simplification of underground sewer  systems,  and
the  practice of using effluent from one process as a liquid
in  another  process.   The  realization  of  this   general
situation was a reason in establishing the stated industrial
categorization.

Raw Materials

Type  of  raw  material  used  was  the  foremost reason for
establishing the stated industry categorization.  Mixed  and
blend  plants  obtain  their  raw  materials  from the basic
fertilizer materials, such as  Ammonia,  Urea,  AS,  Potash,
Triple  Superphosphate, and Diammonium Phosphate.  Coke oven
ammonium sulfate raw materials are either  a  by-product  of
the   coking  process  or,  in  synthetic  ammonium  sulfate
production, ammonia and sulfuric acid.
                          32

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Ammonium Sulfate Subcategory

Ammonium sulfate (AS) was included as a distinct subcategory
at least partially because industry historically regards  it
as   a   nitrogen   fertilizer,   separate  from  the  mixed
fertilizers.  Other considerations such as the  lack  of  an
actual   process   effluent   and   the   relatively  "pure"
characteristic of the plant effluent definitely  established
the categorization.

Mixed and Blend Fertilizer Subcategory

The  assignment  of a Mixed and Blend Fertilizer subcategory
was based primarily on the criteria of raw  materials  used,
products  produced,  and natural industry division.  The raw
materials  are  principally  products  obtained  from  basic
fertilizer  processes.   Industry has traditionally regarded
this subcategory as distinct from other  fertilizers.   Many
plants  operate  at  separate  geographical  locations,  not
coupled with an overall complex as are most other fertilizer
processes.
                         33

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                         SECTION V

                   WASTE CHARACTERIZATION
General

The intent of this section is to describe and identify water
usage and waste  water  flows  in  each  individual  process
included  in  this  Phase  II  report  of the two fertilizer
subcategories  -  ammonium  sulfate  and  mixed  and   blend
fertilizer.   Each  type  of  water  usage  and  effluent is
discussed separately.

Ammonium Sulfate Manufacturing

While the study included  AS  production  in  two  different
industrial  categories,  the basic process procedures, water
usage, and effluents are essentially  identical.    The  only
differences  between  the two procedures involve the source,
concentration, and purity of the raw materials used.   These
differences  do  not  change  the  type  of  water  usage or
effluent.  The AS process operation has the following  types
of water usage and wastes.

     A.  Contaminated Water

     B.  Closed Loop Cooling Tower Water

     C.  Crystal Wash Water

     D.  Process Condensate

     E.  Spills and Leaks

     F.  Non-Point Source Discharges

Each of the above listed types of water usage and wastes are
identified  below  as  to flow and contaminant content under
their respective headings:

A.  Contaminated Water

    As previously  described  in  the  process  descriptions
    there   are   several   variations   in   the   way  the
    saturator/crystallizers  are  operated  and  controlled.
    One  variation is to operate the saturator/crystallizers
    under vacuum conditions.  This involves  the  use  of  a
    barometric  condenser  which  requires significant water
                         35

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    quantities which may or may not make direct contact with
    the saturator/crystallizer offgases.

    In those condensers in which direct water - gas  contact
    occurs  it  is  common  practice to utilize contaminated
    water  from  the  overall  complex  recirculated   water
    system.   This  recirculated water is an accumulation of
    waters from all  the  different  process  units  at  the
    complex   site  and  consequently  accumulates  sizeable
    concentrations of many cations and  anions.   Each  pass
    through  equipment  does  add  to  the water contaminate
    level   although   it   is   normally   impractical   to
    quantitatively   analyze   for   that   increase  on  an
    individual pass.  This results from inability to  obtain
    precise   water   measurement  and  human  variables  in
    laboratory techniques.  This contaminated water  is  the
    major   process   stream.   This  stream  is  reused  by
    collection  in  the  sump  and  returning  it   to   the
    crystallizer,.

             Process                              Usage
                                     1/kkg       gal/ton
             Ammonium Sulfate        16680-3U800 4000-8350

B.   Closed Loog Cooling Tower Water

    Closed  loop cooling tower water may be used to condense
    the vapor from the evaporative type  crystallizers.   In
    these cases indirect contact condensers are utilized and
    no  contamination of cooling waters occurs.  Water usage
    figures are in  the  same  range  as  those  listed  for
    contaminated  water.   There were no cases found where a
    cooling tower existed specifically for an AS  unit  and,
    therefore, no cooling tower blowdown is reported.

C.   Crystal Wash Water

    Following the centrifugation of the AS crystals from the
    mother  liquor  it  is necessary to wash the crystals to
    remove retained liquor.   This  wash  water  is  a  non-
    contaminated  water which is in turn added to the mother
    liquor tank.  The small amount of  impurities  from  the
    recycled  effluent  go  into the product, and product AS
    can accept these without detracting from its value.  The
    following figures indicate the usage:

                Process                     Usage
                                      1/kkg       gal/ton
                Ammonium Sulfate      161-215     U2 - 56
                            36

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D-  Process Condensate

    In those units where an indirect  contact  condenser  is
    utilized   (as described in B above) the water vapor from
    the evaporative type crystallizers is  condensed.   This
    condensate  is small in quantity and is used to dissolve
    under-size AS crystals for return to the process.

E-  Spills and Leaks

    Spills and leaks are collected as part of normal process
    and housekeeping.  Sources of this water are  pump  seal
    leaks  and  plant  wash-up.  Quantity is minor and it is
    reintroduced into the  system.   The  following  figures
    indicate a representative range for this source:

            Process                         Quantity
                                      i^3£&l          gal/ton
            Ammonium Sulfate          250-585        60-140

Typical contaminants and concentrations in a Spills and Leak
stream are listed below:

                Contaminant             Concentration-mg/1

                Ammonia                         12

                BODS                             5

                COD                             23

                Ph                               6.85

                Fluoride                         0.60

                Total Phosphate                  0.77

                Nitrite Nitrogen                44

                Nitrate Nitrogen                23

                Phenol                          57 ppb

F.  Non-Point Source Dischargg

    The  origin  of such discharges are dry product, usually
from conveying equipment, dusting over the  plant  area  and
then  being  solubilized  by  rain  or  melting  snow.    The
magnitude of this contaminant source is a function  of  dust
containment,  housekeeping, snow/rainfall quantities and the
                           37

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design of the general plant drainage  facilities.   Most  of
this  material  is  directed to the sump and returned to the
process.  The remainder is runoff, which is not regulated.

Mixed and Blend Fertilizer Industry

The mixed and blend fertilizer processes  represent  by  far
the  largest  number  of  individual  plants  in  the entire
fertilizer industry - an estimated 7UOO plants.  In  respect
to  water  usage and effluents, however, this subcategory is
among the lowest water usage segments  of  U.  S.  industry.
The processes have the following listed types of water usage
and wastes:

            A.  Contaminated Water

            B.  Process Water

            C.  Spills and Leaks

            D.  Non-Point Source Discharges

Each of the above listed types of water usage and wastes are
identified  in  the  following  paragraphs  as  to  flow and
contaminant content under their respective headings.

A.  Contaminated Water

Mixed fertilizer plants do have one process  function  which
requires  a  significant  quantity of water.  This is in the
wet scrubbing of drier and/or ammoniator exhaust gases.   In
order  to  minimize  fresh  water  usage  and to maintain an
overall  negative  process  water  balance,  a  closed  loop
recirculation  system  of  contaminated  water  is  used  to
provide  the  relatively  high  instantaneous  water   usage
requirements.  Normally the contaminated water recirculation
system used in connection with a fertilizer process is small
and  services  only  that  particular  unit.   The following
figures indicate the usage range.

              Process                       Usacje
                                     1/kkg        Sal/ton
              Mixed Fertilizer       3120-3330    750-800
B.  Process Water

Process water is defined as the fresh water addition to  the
contaminated water recirculation system required to maintain
the  water  inventory.  The quantity used is highly variable
                          38

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due to the liquid requirements of the  different  fertilizer
grade  formulations;  collection  of  spills  and leaks; the
periodic addition of water  from  housekeeping  chores;  and
rainfall  addition  to  the  pond.   The  following  figures
indicate the usage range.
                                                  gal /ton
              Mixed Fertilizer       0-92       0-22

c •  Spi 11s and Leaks

Spills and leaks are collected as part of normal process and
housekeeping.  Sources of this  water  are  pump  and  plant
wash-up.   The  quantity  is  minor  and  it is added to the
contaminated recirculation water system.

D.  Non-Point Source Discharge

The origin of this discharge is dry  product,  usually  from
conveying  equipment,  dusting  over the plant area and then
being solubilized  by  rain  or  melting  snow.   This  type
discharge is the only liquid effluent.
                           39

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                         SECTION VI

             SELECTION OF POLLUTANT PARAMETERS
General

The  selection of pollutant parameters was a necessary early
step of  the  study.   Collection  of  meaningful  data  and
sampling  was  dependent  on knowing what fertilizer process
contaminants are important so far as degradation of  natural
water resources are concerned.

The   general   criteria  considered  and  reviewed  in  the
selection of pollutant parameters included:

     - quality of the plant intake water

     - products manufactured

     - raw materials used

     - environmental harmfulness of the compounds or elements
       included in process effluent streams

Ammonium Sulfate ^Sutcategory

Effluent waste water from Ammonium Sulfate production  units
must  be  monitored  for  the  following primary parameters:
Ammonia nitrogen and pH.

Secondary parameters which should be monitored  but  do  not
warrant  establishment  of  guidelines  at  this  time  are:
Chemical oxygen demand  (COD) , total dissolved solids  (TDS) ,
suspended solids, and temperature.  The chief reason for not,
establishing  standards for the secondary parameters is that
treatment of the primary parameters will effect  removal  of
these   secondary   parameters.    Another  reason  is  that
insufficient data exists to establish effluent limitations.

Mixed^and Blend FertilizersTSubcategory

Effluent waste water from the Phase II processes - Mixed and
Blend Fertilizer -  must  be  monitored  for  the  following
primary   parameters:   Ammonia  nitrogen,  pH,  phosphorus,
fluorides, nitrate and organic nitrogen.

Secondary parameters which should be monitored  but  do  not
warrant  establishment  of  guidelines  at  this  time  are:
Chemical oxygen demand  (COD), total dissolved solids  (TDS),
                           41

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and  suspended  solids.   The setting of standards for these
secondary parameters  is  not  warranted  because  treatment
technology for the primary parameters (when required)  effect
removal.
Rationale^ for_Selecting Identified Parameters
Ammonia and Nitrate Nitrogen

Ammonia  is a common product of the decomposition of organic
matter.  Dead and decaying animals  and  plants  along  with
human and animal body wastes account for much of the ammonia
entering  the aquatic ecosystem.  Ammonia exists in its non-
ionized form only at higher pH levels and is the most  toxic
in  this  state.  The lower the pH, the more ionized ammonia
is formed and  its  toxicity  decreases.   Ammonia,  in  the
presence  of dissolved oxygen, is converted to nitrate (NO3)
by  nitrifying  bacteria.   Nitrite  (NOJ) ,  which   is   an
intermediate  product between ammonia and nitrate, sometimes
occurs in quantity when depressed oxygen conditions  permit.
Ammonia  can  exist  in  several other chemical combinations
including ammonium chloride and other salts.

Nitrates  are  considered  to   be   among   the   poisonous
ingredients  of  mineralized  waters, with potassium nitrate
being more poisonous than sodium nitrate.   Excess  nitrates
cause    irritation   of   the   mucous   linings   of   the
gastrointestinal tract and the  bladder;  the  symptoms  are
diarrhea  and  diuresis,  and  drinking  one  liter of water
containing 500 mg/1 of nitrate can cause such symptoms.

Infant methemoglobinemia, a disease characterized by certain
specific blood changes and cyanosis, may be caused  by  high
nitrate  concentrations  in  the  water  used  for preparing
feeding formulae.  While it is  still  impossible  to  state
precise concentration limits, it has been widely recommended
that  water containing more than 10 mg/1 of nitrate nitrogen
(NO3_-N) should not be used for infants.  Nitrates  are  also
harmful in fermentation processes and can cause disagreeable
tastes  in beer.  In most natural water the pH range is such
that ammonium ions (NH4+) predominate.   In alkaline  waters,
however,   high  concentrations  of  un-ionized  ammonia  in
undissociated ammonium hydroxide increase  the  toxicity  of
ammonia  solutions.   In streams polluted with sewage, up to
one half of the nitrogen in the sewage may be in the form of
free ammonia, and sewage may carry up to 35  mg/1  of  total
nitrogen.  It has been shown that at a level of 1.0 mg/1 un-
ionized  ammonia,  the ability of hemoglobin to combine with
                            42

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oxygen  is  impaired  and  fish  may  suffocate.    Evidence
indicates that ammonia exerts a considerable toxic effect on
all  aquatic life within a range of less than 1.0 mg/1 to 25
mg/1,  depending  on  the  pH  and  dissolved  oxygen  level
present.

Ammonia   can  add  to  the  problem  of  eutrophication  by
supplying nitrogen through  its  breakdown  products.   Some
lakes  in warmer climates, and others that are aging quickly
are  sometimes  limited  by  the  nitrogen  available.   Any
increase will speed up the plant growth and decay process.

Fluorides

As the most reactive non-metal, fluorine is never found free
in  nature  but  as  a constituent of fluorite or fluorspar,
calcium fluoride, in sedimentary rocks and also of cryolite,
sodium aluminum fluoride, in igneous rocks.  Owing to  their
origin  only  in  certain  types  of rocks and only in a few
regions, fluorides in high concentrations are not  a  common
constituent of natural surface waters, but they may occur in
detrimental concentrations in ground waters.

Fluorides are used as insecticides, for disinfecting brewery
apparatus,  as  a  flux  in  the  manufacture  of steel, for
preserving wood and mucilages, for the manufacture of  glass
and  enamels,  in  chemical industries, for water treatment,
and for other uses.

Fluorides in sufficient quantity are toxic to  humans,  with
doses  of  250  to  450 mg giving severe symptoms or causing
death.

There  are  numerous  articles  describing  the  effects  of
fluoride-bearing  waters on dental enamel of children; these
studies lead to the  generalization  that  water  containing
less  than  0.9  to  1.0  mg/1 of fluoride will seldom cause
mottled enamel in children, and for  adults,  concentrations
less  than  3  or  4  mg/1  are  not likely to cause endemic
cumulative  fluorosis  and   skeletal   effects.    Abundant
literature  is  also  available describing the advantages of
maintaining 0.8 to 1.5 mg/1  of  fluoride  ion  in  drinking
water  to  aid  in the reduction of dental decay, especially
among children.

Chronic fluoride poisoning of livestock has been observed in
areas  where  water  contained  10  to  15  mg/1   fluoride.
Concentrations  of  30  -  50  mg/1 of fluoride in the total
ration of dairy cows is considered  the  upper  safe  limit.
Fluoride  from waters apparently does not accumulate in soft
                              43

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tissue to a significant degree and it is  transferred  to  a
very  small  extent  into the milk and to a somewhat greater
degree into  eggs.   Data  for  fresh  water  indicate  that
fluorides  are  toxic  to fish at concentrations higher than
1.5 mg/1.

Organic Nitrogen

Organic nitrogen contaminants in the  waste  waters  consist
mainly  of  urea and lesser amounts of organic C02 scrubbing
solutions.  Such compounds can supply nutrient nitrogen  for
increased plant and algae growth in receiving waters.

The organic scrubbing solution - monethanolamine  (MEA)  - can
add a slight BOD load to the effluent waste stream.
During  the  past  30 years, a formidable case has developed
for the belief that increasing  standing  crops  of  aquatic
plant growths, which often interfere with water uses and are
nuisances  to  man,  frequently  are  caused  by  increasing
supplies of phosphorus.  Such phenomena are associated  with
a  condition  of  accelerated  eutrophication  or  aging  of
waters.  It is generally recognized that phosphorus  is  not
the  sole  cause of eutrophication, but there is evidence to
substantiate that it is frequently the key element in all of
the elements required by fresh water plants and is generally
present in the least amount relative to need.  Therefore, an
increase in phosphorus allows use of other, already present,
nutrients  for  plant  growths.    Phosphorus   is   usually
described, for this reasons, as a "limiting factor."

When  a  plant  population  is  stimulated in production and
attains a nuisance status,  a  large  number  of  associated
liabilities  are immediately apparent.  Dense populations of
pond weeds  make  swimming  dangerous.   Boating  and  water
skiing  and  sometimes  fishing may be eliminated because of
the mass of vegetation that serves as an physical impediment
to such activities.  Plant populations have been  associated
with  stunted fish populations and with poor fishing.  Plant
nuisances emit vile stenches, impart  tastes  and  odors  to
water  supplies,  reduce  the  efficiency  of industrial and
municipal water treatment, impair aesthetic  beauty,  reduce
or  restrict resort trade, lower waterfront property values,
cause skin rashes to man during water contact, and serve  as
a desired substrate and breeding ground for flies.

Phosphorus  in the elemental form is particularly toxic, and
subject to bioaccumulation in much the same way as  mercury.
                             44

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Colloidal  elemental  phosphorus  will  poison  marine  fish
(causing skin tissue breakdown  and  discoloration).   Also,
phosphorus   is  capable  of  being  concentrated  and  will
accumulate in organs and  soft  tissues.   Experiments  have
shown  that  marine  fish  will  concentrate phosphorus from
water containing as little as 1 ug/1.

p_H, Acidity and Alkalinity

Acidity and alkalinity are  reciprocal  terms.   Acidity  is
produced   by  substances  that  yield  hydrogen  ions  upon
hydrolysis and alkalinity is  produced  by  substances  that
yield  hydroxyl  ions.  The terms "total acidity" and "total
alkalinity" are often used to express the buffering capacity
of a solution.  Acidity  in  natural  waters  is  caused  by
carbon dioxide, mineral acids, weakly dissociated acids, and
the  salts  of  strong  acids and weak bases.  Alkalinity is
caused by strong bases and the salts of strong alkalies  and
weak acids.

The term pH is a logarithmic expression of the concentration
of  hydrogen  ions.  At a pH of 7, the hydrogen and hydroxyl
ion concentrations are essentially equal and  the  water  is
neutral.   Lower  pH  values  indicate  acidity while higher
values indicate alkalinity.  The relationship between pH and
acidity or alkalinity is not necessarily linear or direct.

Waters with a pH below 6.0  are  corrosive  to  water  works
structures,   distribution  lines,  and  household  plumbing
fixtures and can thus  add  such  constituents  to  drinking
water as iron, copper, zinc, cadmium and lead.  The hydrogen
ion concentration can affect the "taste" of the water.  At a
low  pH  water  tastes  "sour".   The bactericidal effect of
chlorine  is  weakened  as  the  pH  increases,  and  it  is
advantageous  to  keep  the  pH  close  to  7.  This is very
significant for providing safe drinking water.

Extremes  of  pH  or  rapid  pH  changes  can  exert  stress
conditions  or  kill  aquatic  life  outright.   Dead  fish,
associated algal blooms, and  foul  stenches  are  aesthetic
liabilities  of  any  waterway.   Even moderate changes from
"acceptable" criteria limits of pH are deleterious  to  some
species.   The  relative  toxicity  to  aquatic life of many
materials  is  increased  by  changes  in  the   water   pH.
Metalocyanide  complexes  can  increase  a  thousand-fold in
toxicity with a drop of 1.5 pH units.  The  availability  of
many  nutrient  substances  varies  with  the alkalinity and
acidity.  Ammonia is more lethal with a higher pH.
                             45

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The  lacrimal  fluid  of  the  human  eye  has   a   pH   of
approximately  7.0  and  a deviation of 0.1 pH unit from the
norm  may  result  in  eye  irritation  for   the   swimmer.
Appreciable irritation will cause severe pain.
                    METHQDg OF ANALYSIS

The   methods  of  analysis  to  be  used  for  quantitative
determination are given in the Federal Register 40  CFP  130
for the following parameters pertinent to this study:
                  Alkalinity (and acidity)
                      ammonia nitrogen
                          fluoride
                          hardness
                  nitrogen, total kjeldahl
                  oxygen demand, chemical
                         phosphorus
                       solids,  total
            suspended nofilterable solids, total
                        temperature
                            46

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                        SECTION VII

              CONTROL AND TREATMENT TECHNOLOGY
The  factors and contaminants in fertilizer process effluent
streams have for the most part been  quite  well  identified
and  known  for  many  years.  As a consequence considerable
effort has been expended to correct or minimize the majority
of those which are particularly detrimental to natural water
receiving bodies.  Much of this work has  been  directed  at
correcting  the source of the contamination or an in-process
improvement rather than an end-of-pipe type of treatment.  A
large part of the motivation for such improvement  has  been
economics  -  that  is,  improved  operating  efficiency and
costs.  Such improvements are just plain good  business  and
justify capital expenditure required to achieve them.

With  an  appreciation  of  the  above  mentioned facts, the
following   criteria   were   established   as   bases   for
investigating treatment technology.

     - To determine the extent of existing waste water
       control and treatment technology

     - To determine the availability of applicable waste
       water control and treatment technology regardless
       of whether it be intra-industry transfer technology

     - To determine the degree of treatment cost reason-
       ability

Based  upon  these  stated  criteria, the effort was made to
factually investigate overall treatment technologies dealing
with each of the primary factors and contaminants listed  in
Section  VI.   The results of that investigation are covered
separately  for  ammonium  sulfate  and  mixed   and   blend
fertilizers.

Ammonium Sulfate Plant - Effluent Control

Two  of  the  three  commercial  processes  used  to produce
Ammonium Sulfate were included in  this  Phase  II  study  -
synthetic and coke by-product processes.  Basic process unit
operations  and  functions  are identical in both processes.
The differences are essentially  the  ammonia  raw  material
source.

In the coke oven by-product process appreciable equipment is
involved in removing contaminants from the oven gas prior to
                           47

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its  introduction  to  the  saturator/crystallizer.  The gas
cleaning equipment and the liquid  flows  to  and  from  the
equipment are outside the AS process battery limits and were
not included in the study.  Essentially the AS process is an
additional  gas cleaning and air pollution control mechanism
for the oven gas prior to its use as coke burner fuel.

Process Description

The highly exothermic ammonia - sulfuric acid neutralization
reaction permits judicious  recycle  of  the  minor  process
effluents  back  into  the  process.   These  minor  streams
include   crystal    wash,    spills    and    leaks,    and
saturator/ammoniator  indirect contact gas condensate (where
existent) .

The effluent control consists of a means  to  collect  these
streams  and/or  their  controlled  addition  to the process
equipment.  A common means of accomplishing this is by means
of  a  trench  and  sump  system  complete  with  pump   for
rehandling   of  the  collected  effluents.   The  collected
effluents can then be continuously or  batch  fed  into  the
process equipment  (See Figure 9).
Mixed Fertilizer Process-Effluent Control

This  is  the  only  Phase  II phosphate process with liquid
effluent.  Each mixed fertilizer plant is very cognizant  of
water  usage  and  exercises  close  control on it.  Process
equipment with an  effluent  purge  stream  includes  dryer,
cooler,  and/or  ammoniator  exhaust gas scrubbers.  A minor
secondary  source  is  effluent  from  leaks,   spills   and
housekeeping.

Process_Descrip_tion

The  mixed  fertilizer  process requires a certain amount of
liquid  to  satisfy   requirements   of   mixed   fertilizer
manufacture.   The quantity of liquid required varies widely
and  is  dependent  on  the  raw  materials   and   specific
fertilizer  formulation.   At least a portion of that liquid
can be supplied from the  wet  scrubber  contaminated  water
recirculation system.

The  effluent  control  process  consists simply of a closed
loop contaminated water  system.   This  system  includes  a
small  retention  pond  (a representative size is 10• wide x
60' long x 10* deep) equipped with a  pump  to  control  the
                              48

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                                        FIGURE 9
                                   AMMONIUM SULFATE PLANT
                                      EFFLUENT CONTROL
                                             To Process
VO
Make-Up Water
                                                 Spills,Leaks and Wash Water
                                      Waste Sump

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clarified  (either by settling or mechanical means)  scrubber
water addition to the ammoniator/granulator (See Figure 10).

The function of the wet scrubber is to remove noxious  gases
and   particulate   material  from  ammoniator  offgases  in
addition to the dryer and cooler offgases.  Because  of  the
sizeable  difference  in temperature between these exhausts,
separate scrubbers are sometimes utilized.  The  particulate
material collected in the scrubber liquor if not solubilized
must  at  least  partially  be  removed  from the circulated
scrubber liquor before the liquor is added to  the  process.
Removal  of  the  insoluble  material  can  be  accomplished
mechanically by such equipment as hydrocyclones  or  can  be
allowed  to  gravity  settle  from  the  liquor in the small
retention pond.  In the case of hydrocyclone equipment,  the
reasonably  well concentrated solids (5-20% solids)  can also
be returned to the ammoniator/granulator as a  slurrry.   In
the  case  of  use of the retention pond as a settling area,
the solids accumulated on the pond bottom  are  periodically
(approximately  once  per  year)   "mucked out".  The removed
solids are  then  transported  to  a  customer's  field  for
distribution as a low grade fertilizer.

Blend Fertilizer^Process Airborne Solids Control

The  technology  involved  with the blend fertilizer process
may seem to be one out of place in a study on  liquid  plant
effluents.   It  is  however  thought  important  to briefly
discuss this  point  due  to  the  large  number  of  plants
involved  and  the  possible  consideration of air pollution
control authorities to allow wet scrubbing as  at  least  an
alternate  for  removal  of  airborne  solids.   Use  of wet
scrubbing  equipment  in  this  process  would  create  more
problems  than  it  could  possibly solve.  It is considered
important that only dry type collectors be used for  removal
of airborne solids from blend fertilizer process plants (See
Figure 11).
                               50

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                            MIXED FERTILIZER PROCESS

                                EFFLUENT CONTROL
                                                     Flow
                                                  Element
                                    Contaminated
                                    Water    _
                                    To Scrubber
Contaminated water from
Scrubber, Leaks, Spills and Wash Water
  /// I I I I I I I I I
                                                     1 V
Flow Control
  Valve
             Contaminated
      	£. Water to
       Ammoniator/Granulato;
                                            / Pump
                    Retention Pond
                                 FIGURE 10

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             BLEND PLANTS

            AIRBORNE SOLIDS
                CONTROL

                       I I
                       11
            Bag Collecter
                               U
            AAAAAAAAAA
                Screw
To Atmosphere
                                              Fan
                Blender
                                   Product  to Storage
- - - Major Equipment & Stream Flows
            FIGURE 11

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                        SECTION VIII

         COST, ENERGY AND NON-WATER QUALITY ASPECT
General

The  costs - capital and operating - have been estimated for
each  of  the  three   in-process   treatment   technologies
described  in  Section VII.  These costs are given as August
1971 dollar values and have been based on a  specific  plant
capacity.   The  capacity  used  was  from  a  moderate size
production unit and is specified on the cost  summary  table
(See  Table 1).  An explanation of the various cost elements
included in the table is given under the respective headings
of the chart items.

There is a point in regard to the Mixed  Fertilizer  Process
Plants  which may require some consideration with respect to
guidelines.   There  are  a  number  of   relatively   small
production  units  (8,000 - 20,000 TPY) throughout the United
States.    Currently,   operating   costs    have    reduced
profitability  of  these  units  to  a  point where they are
gradually going out of  business.   The  trend  is  for  the
establishment of a moderate size plant (30,000 - 60,000 TPY)
in  a  central location to supply a number of small blend or
distribution centers within a 25  -  50  mile  radius.   The
point  is  that when air pollution standards are established
it will force an additional number of  these  small  process
units  to either install wet scrubbers or go out of business
at an earlier time than possibly would have  been  expected.
Based  on the wet scrubber capital and operating costs it is
considered unlikely that  such  costs  can  be  absorbed  by
process   units  of  less  than  30,000  TPY  capacity.   As
mentioned  previously,  this  condition  will  be  basically
caused   by  local,  state  and/or  national  air  pollution
standards and not by water effluent standards.

Investments

This is the capital cost associated with  engineering;  site
preparation;  construction  and installation; and such other
costs required to place the equipment in operation.  It does
not include production loss or profits that may be  realized
from tying the facilities into the existing plant.

Interest

This  cost  is  based  on  the  assumption  that the capital
expenditure was borrowed at a 7.5% annual interest rate.
                             53

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Depreciation

The nature and service life expected of this type  equipment
were  the  basis  for  the  selection of an assumed ten-year
straight line method depreciation cost.

Operatirig^and Maintenance Costs

The various items included  in  these  costs  are  operating
supplies,  replacement  parts,  insurance,  taxes, operating
labor and maintenance labor.
This item is the  power  costs  to  operate  the  mechanical
equipment.   Electrical  energy is assumed at the cost of 10
mils per KWH.
Solid waste control must be  considered.   Best  practicable
control  technology and best available control technology as
they are known today, require  disposal  of  the  pollutants
removed  from  waste  waters in this industry in the form of
solid wastes and liquid concentrates.  In most cases,  these
are   non-hazardous   substances   requiring   only  minimal
custodial care.  However, some constituents may be hazardous
and may require special consideration.  In order  to  ensure
long term protection of the environment from these hazardous
or  harmful  constituents, special consideration of disposal
sites must be made.  All landfill sites where such hazardous
wastes are disposed should be  selected  so  as  to  prevent
horizontal  and  vertical migration of these contaminants to
ground  or  surface  waters.   In   cases   where   geologic
conditions  may  not  reasonably ensure this, adequate legal
and mechanical precautions  (e.g. impervious  liners)  should
be  taken  to ensure long term protection to the environment
from hazardous materials.  Where appropriate,  the  location
of  solid  hazardous  materials  disposal  sites  should  be
permanently recorded in  the  appropriate  office  of  legal
jurisdiction.

Sludges  from mixed fertilizer retention ponds could contain
hazardous materials  such  as  fluorides.   This  creates  a
disposal problem.  Proper waste disposal procedures for such
materials should be undertaken.

Total Annual Costs

An accumulation of the various cost items described above.
                              55

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         INSTALLATION AND OPERATION OF TECHNOLOGIES

Ammonium Sulfate Plant EffluentnControl

The estimated time required for engineering, procurement and
construction is 3 months.

Installation  of  this  control  system  would  be  possible
without interruption of plant operation in the event that it
is an addition to an existing plant.

Mixed Fertilizer_Process Effluent Control

The estimated time required for engineering, procurement and
construction is 12 months.

Installation of this equipment  could  proceed  concurrently
with plant operation except for some 8 hours of tie-in work.

Blend Fertilizer Airborne Solids Control

The estimated time required for engineering, procurement and
construction is 9 months.

Installation   of   this  equipment  could  largely  proceed
concurrent with production but will require approximately 24
hours of tie-in work.
                              56

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                         SECTION IX

       BEST PRACTICABLE CONTROL TECHNOLOGY CURRENTLY
           AVAILABLE, GUIDELINES AND LIMITATIONS
Introduction

The effluent limitations which must be achieved by  July  1,
1977  are  based on the degree of effluent reduction attain-
able through the application of the best practicable control
technology currently available.  For  the  fertilizer  manu-
facturing industry, this level of technology is based on the
best  existing  performance  by  exemplary plants of various
sizes, ages  and  chemical  processes  within  each  of  the
industry's categories.

Best  practicable  control technology currently available in
the Ammonium Sulfate and Mixed and Blend Fertilizer  process
plants   involves   only   control   technology  within  the
processes.    The   control    techniques    included    are
manufacturing process control, use of recycle water systems,
recovery and reuse of waste water, and use of dry collectors
for airborne solids.

Other factors included in the considerations were:

a.   The total cost of application of technology in relation
to the effluent reduction benefits to be achieved from  such
application.

b.  The size and age of equipment and facilities involved.

c.  The process employed.

d.   The  engineering  aspects of the application of various
types of control techniques.

e.  Process changes.

f.  Nonwater quality environmental impact (including  energy
requirements) .

General Water, Guidelines

Process  water  is  defined as any water directly contacting
the  reactants,  intermediates,  waste  products,  or   end-
products   of  a  manufacturing  process  including  contact
cooling  water.   Not  included  in   the   guidelines   are
noncontact   cooling   water   or  ancillary  waste  streams
                            57

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resulting from steam and water supply.  No  limitations  are
established  for  either  pollutant concentration or process
waste water flow.

Based upon the information contained in Sections III through
VIII of this report, the following determinations were  made
on  the  degree  of  effluent  reduction attainable with the
application  of  the  best  practicable  control  technology
currently   available   to   the   fertilizer  manufacturing
industry.

                AMMONIUM SULFATE SUBCATEGORY

General Description

The survey  (described  in  detail  under  Section  III)  of
ammonium  sulfate  plants  was the composite of two separate
industry studies.  Synthetic AS plants and one coke oven by-
product plant were covered in the  first  study.   A  second
study  included  data  obtained from four by-product plants.
The  objective  of  both  surveys  was  to   determine   the
qualitative  and  quantitative  levels of contaminants being
discharged as well as  the  in-process  technology  used  to
control plant process effluents.

Best  Practicable  Control  Technology  Currently  Available
includes:

Ammgnium_gulfate Plant Effluent Control

This control technology was found to be  in  current  indus-
trial  use  at  all the plants surveyed - both synthetic and
coke oven by-product  units.   The  technology  consists  of
simply  collecting  the few process effluent streams (inclu-
ding leaks, spills and housekeeping) followed by  controlled
addition  of  the  effluents  back  into  the  main  process
streams.  A more detailed discussion of this  technology  is
included in Section VII.

Proposed Effluent Limitations Guidelines

This  technology  coupled with judicious use of water in the
process plant has demonstrated that the degree  of  effluent
reduction  obtainable is no discharge of process waste water
pollutants to navigable waters.

The criteria used for selection of the treatment  technology
was  information  obtained  at  each  of  the  plants - both
synthetic and coke oven by-product process - covered in  the
survey.   This  criteria was obtained by sampling in-process
                              58

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streams for raw waste load data; inspection  and  review  of
plant   operations;   collection   of  validated  historical
effluent data; and direct discussions with responsible plant
operational personnel for positive definition of control and
operational techniques  practiced.   Additional  information
was  gathered  from  technical literature and direct contact
with experts.

The proposed limitation of no  discharge  of  process  waste
water  pollutants  is  commercially  practiced  at  all  the
synthetic  AS  plants  surveyed  and,  with  the  additional
feature  of  either  a  specific  AS  plant recirculation or
overall plant recirculation system, also  practiced  at  all
coke oven by-product AS plants.

           MIXED AND BLEND FERTILIZER SUECATEGORY

The  survey   (described  in  detail  under  Section  III) of
progressive plants with  wide  capacity  variations  in  the
selected  geographical areas was conducted to determine what
level of contaminants was in the effluents from these plants
and what were the treatment methods in use to maintain these
levels.  The following technology is considered  to  be  the
best  practicable and currently available which is needed to
meet the 1977 requirements.

Best  Practicable  Control  Technology  Currently  Available
includes:

Mixed Fertilizer Process Effluent Control

This  control technology was found in current industrial use
at four of the five plants surveyed.  The single  plant  not
currently  using  the  technology  was  in  the  process  of
installing it with completion scheduled for early 1974.  The
technology consists of a  contaminated  water  recirculation
system  with  provisions  for  collecting spills, leaks, and
wash  water  together   with   instrumentation   to   permit
controlled addition of contaminated water to the process.  A
more  detailed  discussion of this technology is included in
Section VII.

Proposed Effluent Limitation Guideline

This technology coupled with judicious use of water  in  the
process  plant  has demonstrated that the degree of effluent
reduction obtainable is no discharge of process waste  water
pollutants to navigable waters.

Blend Fertilizer Process Liquid Effluent
                            59

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The  technology  description as applied to this process is a
misnomer in that  this  process  inherently  has  no  liquid
requirements.    Process  raw  materials  include  only  dry
materials and only dry type air effluent  control  equipment
is used.

Proposed Effluent Limitation Guideline

The  limitation  guideline is simply that the existent tech-
nology be maintained on the principle of applying  only  dry
type  air  effluent  control  equipment  in blend fertilizer
plants.

Rationale for Best Practicable Control Technology  Currently
Available

The  proposed  limitation  of  no discharge of process waste
water pollutants is  commercially  practiced  at  all  blend
fertilizer process plants surveyed in this study.
                              60

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                         SECTION X

     BEST AVAILABLE TECHNOLOGY ECONOMICALLY ACHIEVABLE,
                 GUIDELINES AND LIMITATIONS

Introduction

The  effluent  limitations which must be achieved by July 1,
1983,  are  based  on  the  degree  of  effluent   reduction
attainable   through   application  of  the  best  available
technology   economically   achievable.    This   level   of
technology  was based on the very best control and treatment
technology employed by a specific point  source  within  the
industrial category.  Best available technology economically
achievable  places  equal  emphasis upon in-process controls
and control or treatment techniques employed at the end of a
production process.

The following  factors  were  taken  into  consideration  in
determining    best    available   technology   economically
achievable:

    a.   The age of equipment and facilities involved;

    b.   The process employed;

    c.   The  engineering  aspects  of  the  application  of
         various types of control techniques;

    d.   Process changes;

    e.   Cost of achieving the effluent reduction  resulting
         from   application  of  best  available  technology
         economically achievable;

    f.   Non-water quality environmental  impact  (including
         energy requirements).

Process Waste Water Guidelines

Process  waste  water  is defined as any water which, during
the manufacturing process, comes into  direct  contact  with
raw materials, intermediates, products, or by-products.

Based upon the information contained in Sections III through
IX of this report, the following determinations were made on
the   degree  of  effluent  reduction  attainable  with  the
application  of  the  best  available   control   technology
economically  achievable in the various subcategories of the
fertilizer manufacturing industry.
                              61

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Proposed Best Available Technology Economically Achievable

For the processes included in this Phase II survey,  the best
available technology economically achievable  is  synonymous
with   the   technologies   described  as  best  practicable
technologies currently available.  This is no  discharge  of
process waste water pollutants to navigable waters.
                             62

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                         SECTION XI

              NEW SOURCE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
              AND PRETREATMENT RECOMMENDATIONS
Introduction
This  level  of technology is to be achieved by new sources.
The term "new source" is defined in the  Act  to  mean  "any
source,   the  construction  of  which  is  commenced  after
publication of proposed regulations prescribing  a  standard
of performance."  New source performance standards are to be
evaluated  by  adding  to  the  consideration underlying the
identification  of  best  practicable   control   technology
currently available a determination of what higher levels of
pollution  control are available through the use of improved
production processes and/or treatment techniques.  Thus,  in
addition to considering the best in-plant and end-of-process
control  technology, new source performance standards are to
be based upon an analysis of how the level of  effluent  may
be  reduced  by  changing  the  production  process  itself.
Alternative   processes,   operating   methods   or    other
alternatives  are to be considered.  However, the end result
of the analysis identifies effluent  standards  which  would
reflect  levels of control achievable through the use of im-
proved production processes  (as well as control technology),
rather than prescribing a  particular  type  of  process  or
technology  which must be employed.  A further determination
which was to be made for new source performance standards is
whether a standard, permitting no discharge of pollutants is
practicable.

The following factors were to be considered with respect  to
production  processes  which  were analyzed in assessing new
source performance standards:

a.  The type of process employed and process changes.

b.  Operating methods.

c.  Batch as opposed to continuous operations.

d.  Use of  alternative  raw  materials  and  mixes  of  raw
materials.

e.    Use  of  dry  rather  than  wet  processes  (including
substitution of recoverable solvents for water).

f.  Recovery of pollutants as by-products.
                             63

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Proposed New Source Performance Standard

For the processes included in  this  Phase  II  survey,   the
proposed  new source performance standard is synonymous with
the best practical and best available technologies currently
available.  This is no  discharge  of  process  waste  vater
pollutants to navigable waters.

Rationale and Assumptions in the Development of New Source
Performance Standards

One   major   problem   in   trying  to  treat  waste  water
contaminants is that of dealing  with  large  quantities  of
water  with  very  dilute  contaminant concentrations.  Most
existing plant complexes have very  limited  facilities  for
keeping different waste waters separated and, therefore, any
treatment  system  installed  has to handle large amounts of
effluent waste water.  The construction  of  a  new  process
plant   allows   the   design   of   a   contaminated  water
separation/collection system to allow more  efficient,  less
costly  treatment  of  contaminants.   More  improved use of
plant water including recycling should also aid in  treating
waste effluents.

Of  particular importance is the placement of cooling towers
in relation to the ammonia, air emissions sources.  Downwind
absorption  of  ammonia  by  recycled  cooling   water   can
significantly  contribute to the raw waste load.  New plants
have the freedom of plant arrangement that  existing  plants
do  not.   Furthermore, through good engineering design, new
plants should be able to eliminate the problem at the source
by minimizing air leaks.

Pretreatment Requirements for New Sources

The type of waste water effluent that is discharged from  an
ammonium   sulfate   or   mixed  and  blend  plant  contains
compounds, such as ammonia nitrogen  and  nitrate  nitrogen,
that  would  pass  through  a  typical  activated  sludge or
trickling filter waste  water  plant  and,  therefore,  this
waste  water at its normal concentration levels would not be
amenable to treatment by conventional  biological  treatment
processes.   No  discharge of process waste water pollutants
from new  sources  to  publicly  owned  treatment  works  is
recommended  for  these  subcategories.   For  the remaining
subcategories, pretreatment and treatment  provided  by  the
publicly  owned  treatment  works  must  sum  to  equal  the
effluent limitations for discharge to navigable  waters  for
new sources if a discharge to publicly owned treatment works
is to be allowed.
                               64

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                        SECTION XII

                      ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS


This  report  was  prepared  by the Environmental Protection
Agency on the basis of a comprehensive  study  performed  by
Davy  Powergasf  Inc.,  under  contract no. 68-01-1508.  Mr.
Robert W. Heinz, Project Manager, assisted by Mr. Charles T.
Harding, Mr. Gerald T. Fields, Mr. N.  V.  Fry,  Mr.  George
Telatnik   and   Mr.   Jack  Frost,  prepared  the  original
(contractor's) report.

This study was conducted under the supervision and  guidance
of  Elwood  E.  Martin,  Project  Officer for the fertilizer
manufacturing industry assisted by Mr. Bruno E. Maier.

Overall guidance and excellent assistance  was  provided  by
the author's associates in the Effluent Guidelines Division,
particularly  Messrs.  Allen Cywin, Director, Ernst P. Hall,
Deputy Director, and Walter J. Hunt, Branch Chief.

The cooperation of manufacturers who  offered  their  plants
for  survey  and  contributed  pertinent  data is gratefully
appreciated.  The operations and the plants visited were the
property of the following companies:

         Borden Chemical Company, Plant City, Fla.

         Ellington Equity, Ellington, Illinois

         Fertilizer Institute, Washington, D.C.

         Gold Kist Chemical Co., Hanceville, Ala.

         IMCC Rainbow Div., Atlanta, Ga.

         Mississippi Chemical Corp., Dothan, Ala.

         N U S - Rice, Pittsburgh, Pa.

         Occidental Chemical Co., Houston, Tex.

         Olin Corporation, Stamford, Conn.

         Perkinson Fertilizer, Decatur, 111.

         J. R. Simplot Co., Pocatello, Idaho

         Thornton Laboratory, Tampa, Fla.
                            65

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         Woodward Company, Woodward, Ala.

         Valley Nitrogen, Helm, Calif.

Acknowledgement and appreciation is also given  to  Ms.  Kay
Starr, Ms. Nancy Zrubek, Ms. Alice Thompson, Ms. Linda Rose,
and  Ms.  Brenda Holmone of the Effluent Guidelines Division
secretarial staff and  to  the  secretarial  staff  of  Davy
Powergas,  Inc.,  for their efforts in the typing of drafts,
necessary revisions, and the final preparation of  this  and
the contractor's draft document.

Thanks  are  also  given  to  the members of the EPA working
group/steering committee for their  advice  and  assistance.
They are:

    Mr.   Walter  J.  Hunt,  Effluent  Guidelines  Division,
         Chairman

    Mr. Elwood E. Martin, Effluent Guidelines Division

    Mr.  Harry  Trask,  Office  of  Solid  Waste  Management
         Division

    Dr. Edmond Lomasney, Region VI

    Mr. Paul DesRosiers, Office of Research and Monitoring

    Dr. Murray Strier, Office of Permit Programs

    Dr.  Robert  R.  Swank,  Jr.,  Office  of  Research  and
         Development, NERC - Corvallis, Athens, Georgia

    Dr. Chester Rhines, Effluent Guidelines Division

    Mr. G. W. Frick, Office of General Counsel

    Mr. James Kamihachi, Office of Planning and Evaluation
                              66

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                        SECTION XIII

                         REFERENCES
A.  Inorganic Fertiliser and Phosphate Mining  Industries  -
    Water Pollution and Control

B.  Industrial Pollution  Control  Handbgok  by  Herbert  F.
    Lund;  McGraw  Hill Publishing Co., New York, Library of
    Congress Catalog Card Number 70-101164.

C.  Gauging and Sampling Industrial Wastewater by Joseph  G.
    Robasky   and  Donald  L.  Koraido  Calgon  Corporation;
    Chemical Engineering Magazine, Vol. 80, No.  1,  January
    8r 1973, Pages 111-120.

D-  Environmental Protection Agency Study Report  Industrial
    W^St6.  Studiejs  Program  Group 6 Fertilizers prepared by
    Wellman-Powergas, Inc.; Lakeland,  Florida,  33803,  for
    Environmental  Protection  Agency,  July, 1971, Contract
    No. 68-01-0029.

E.  The Phosphate Industry in the United  States  by  E.  C.
    Houston    Tennessee   Valley   Authority,   Office   of
    Agricultural  and  Chemical  Development,  Division   of
    Chemical  Development,  Muscle  Shoals,  Alabama,  July,
    1966.

F.  Commercial Fertilizer Yearbook - 19_7_0  Walter  W.  Brown
    Publishing  Co.,  Inc.  7§ "Third  Street, N.W. Atlanta,
    Georgia, 30308.

G.  Characteristics  of  the  World  Fertilizer  Industry
    Phosphatic  Fertilizers  by  Travis Hignett, Director of
    Chemical Development, Tennessee Valley Authority, Muscle
    Shoals, Alabama, December, 1967, TVA Report No. S-U22-

H-  World Fertilizer  Forecast  1965-1980  by  Wellman-Lord,
    Inc. Lakeland, Florida, Copyright 1967, Paramount Press,
    Inc., Jacksonville, Florida.

I.  Economic Irnpact of W^ter Pollution Control  Reguirements
    on  the Fertilizer Manufacturing Industry by Development
    Planning and Research Associates, Inc.,  P.O.  Box  727,
    Manhattan,    Kansas,    66502.    Interim   Report   to
    Environmental Protection  Agency,  Contract  No.  68-01-
    0766, November, 1972.
                              67

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J-  World Nitrogen Plants 1968-1973 Chemical Products Series
    Report - May 1969, Stanford  Research  Institute;  Menlo
    Park, California, 94025.

K.  Phosphatic Fertilizers - Properties_and Processes     by
    David  W.  Bixby,  Delbert L. Rucker, Samuel L. Tisdale,
    Technical Bulletin No.  8,  October  1966,  The  Sulphur
    Institute,  1725 "K" Street Northwest, Washington, D. C.
    20006.

L.  The  Chemical  Industry  Facts  Book  by   Manufacturing
    Chemist   Association,  Inc.,  5th  Edition  1962,  1825
    Connecticut Ave.r Washington, D. C., Library of Congress
    Catalog Card No. 59-15407.

M-  Water  Quality  Criteria  National  Technical   Advisory
    Committee,     Federal     Water    Pollution    Control
    Administration, Washington, D. C., 1968.

N-  Industrial Water Pollution  Control  W.  W.  Ekenfelder,
    McGraw-Hill  Publishing  Co.,  New York, Published 1966,
    Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 66 - 17913.

O.  Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and  Waste
    Water  13th  Edition, American Public Health Association
    (1971).

p-  Methods for Chemical Analysis of Water and  Wastes  EPA,
    National   Environmental   Research  Center,  Analytical
    Quality Control Laboratory, Cincinnati, Ohio   (1971).

Q.  Chemical Process Industries R. Norris Shreve,  Professor
    of  Chemical  Engineering, Purdue University, Pages 398-
    404, First Edition Fifth Impression, 1945.

R.  Ammonium Sulfate  Manufacture  J.  F.  Holt  and  P.  J.
    Farley, United States Steel Corporation, Fairless Hills,
    Penn.   Reprint  12A,  Presented  at  the  Symposium  on
    Nitrogen Fertilizer Manufacturing  Sixty-Third  National
    Meeting, St. Louis, Mo.  February 18-21, 1968.  American
    Institute of Chemical Engineers.

S.  Fertilizer Trends J97_1 National  Fertilizer  Development
    Center, Muscle Shoals, Alabama 33660.

T.  1972 Fertilizer Summary Data Norman L. Hargett, National
    Fertilizer   Development   Center,   Tennessee    Valley
    Authority, Muscle Shoals, Alabama.
                              68

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u-  Nitrogen Fertilizer Chemical  Processes  Christopher  J.
    Pratt,  Robert  Noyes,  Noyes  Development  Corp., 16-18
    Railroad Ave., Pearl River, N. Y., U.S.A.  1965  Library
    of Congress Card Number 64-24901.

V.  Fertilizer   Nitrogen   Vincent   Sauchelli.    American
    Chemical  Society  Monograph Series, Reinhold Publishing
    Corp., N. Y. 1964, pages  128-135  Library  of  Congress
    Catalog Card Number 64-20956.

w-  Inorganic  Fertilizer  Materials  and  Related  Acids	,
    Summary  for J_9_22 Lonnie M. Conner, Chief for Chemicals,
    Wood Products, and  Non-Metalic  Minerals  Branch,  U.S.
    Department  of  Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Industry
    Division, Washington, D.C.   20233.

X.  Water  Quality  Criteria  1972,  National   Academy   of
    Sciences  and  National  Academy  of Engineering for the
    Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C.   1972
    (U.S. Government Printing Office  Stock No. 5501-00520).
                              69

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                        SECTION XIV

                          GLOSSARY

TPY

Short Tons per year

Toxic Constituents

Relating to a poison

AS

Ammonium Sulfate

Virgin

Manufactured from essentially pure raw materials

Mother

Central  unit  furnishing several other satellite units with
material

Contaminated Waste Water

Effluent waste water  that  has  been  contaminated  due  to
contact  with  process water  (could be cooling tower, boiler
blowdown or pond water)

Cooling Water Blowdown

Small quantity of cooling water discharged from a  recycling
cooling  water  system  to  remove concentrated contaminants
from the tower

Process Water

Any water which, during  the  manufacturing  process,  comes
into  direct  contact  with  any raw material, intermediate,
product, by-product, or gas or liquid that  has  accumulated
such constituents
                                                            «
Ton

All  uses  of  the term "ton" imply short ton equal to 2,000
Ib.
                               71

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                                   TABLE 2
                                METRIC UNITS

                              CONVERSION TABLE

MULTIPLY (ENGLISH UNITS)            by         TO OBTAIN  (METRIC UNITS)

   ENGLISH UNIT     ABBREVIATION  CONVERSION ABBREVIATION  METRIC UNIT
acre                   ac          0.405        ha
acre - feet            ac ft    1233.5          cu m
British Thermal
  Unit                 BTU         0.252        kg cal
British Thermal        BTU/lb      0.555        kg cal/kg
  Unit/pound
cubic feet/minute      cfm         0.028        cu m/min
cubic feet/second      cfs         1.7          cu m/min
cubic feet             cu ft       0.028        cu m
cubic feet             cu ft      28.32         1
cubic inches           cu in      16.39         cu cm
degree Fahrenheit      oF          0.555(oF-32)*oC
feet                   ft          0.3048       m
gallon                 gal         3.785        1
gallon/minute          gpm         0.0631       I/sec
horsepower             hp          0.7457       kw  ,
inches                 in          2.54         cm
inches of mercury      in Hg       0.03342      atm
pounds                 Ib          0.454        kg
million gallons/day    mgd           3,785      cu m/day
mile                   mi          1.609        km
pound/square inch      psig     (0.06805 psig +1)*atm
  (gauge)
square feet            sq ft       0.0929       sq m
square inches          sq in       6.452        sq cm
tons (short)           ton         0.907        kkg

yard                   yd          0.9144       m
hectares
cubic meters

kilogram-calories
kilogram calories/
 kilogram
cubic meters/minute
cubic meters/minute
cubic meters
liters
cubic centimeters
degree Centigrade
meters
liters
liters/second
killowatts
centimeters
atmospheres
kilograms
cubic meters/day
kilometer
atmospheres
 (absolute)
square meters
square centimeters
metric tons
 (1000 kilograms)
meters
* Actual conversion, not a multiplier
                                           U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1975- 582—420:224
                                    72

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                                                                             POSTAGE AND FEES PAID
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (A-107)                       ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460                                                                     EPA-335

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