Plate bank cooler
Dry purge air
The product passes slowly between hollow plates cooled by water, and a small amount of dry air purges the unit of moisture and prevents caking.
Source: EU BREF (2007), section 7.4.5.
Fertiliser plants compress air as a raw material, for the secondary reformer in ammonia production and for the oxidation of ammonia to nitric acid, and use compressed air and dry purge air in NPK production, according to the 2007 EU reference document (BREF) for ammonia, acids and fertilisers. Ultra Controlo supplies ULTRASCREW compressors, designed for any industry, ULTRADRY adsorption dryers, which its brochure lists for instrumentation, and ULTRAK carbon towers, listed for the chemical industry.
The 2007 EU reference document on best available techniques for large volume inorganic chemicals (ammonia, acids and fertilisers) describes these uses of air.
Process air is compressed and heated to around 500 to 600 °C to add the nitrogen needed for the synthesis; processes with reduced primary reforming need up to 50% more process air.
In ammonia made by partial oxidation, an air separation plant supplies the oxygen, and the pure nitrogen for the synthesis and for the liquid nitrogen wash.
Air is purified by two or three-stage filtration, so as not to harm the catalyst, and pressurised, then mixed with ammonia at about 1:10 for oxidation.
The BREF names the air compressors of the sulphur burner among the major examples of steam turbine driven equipment on a fertiliser site.
One nitrophosphate route plant reports 38 Nm³ of compressed air per tonne of NP and NPK product.
Plate bank product coolers use a small flow of dry air to purge moisture and prevent caking, with a purge air package of blower and air drying, and instrument air.
Source: European Commission, Reference Document on Best Available Techniques for the Manufacture of Large Volume Inorganic Chemicals: Ammonia, Acids and Fertilisers (August 2007), sections 1.2.3.1, 2.2.3.3, 2.2.4.1, 2.4.2, 3.2.2 and 7.4.5, and Table 7.3.
After drying and screening, most fertiliser products need further cooling to avoid caking in storage. The 2007 EU BREF compares rotary drum, fluid bed and plate bank coolers.
The product passes slowly between hollow plates cooled by water, and a small amount of dry air purges the unit of moisture and prevents caking.
Source: EU BREF (2007), section 7.4.5.
The purge air flow is a tiny fraction, in the order of 1%, of the airflow a rotary or fluid bed cooler typically needs; two plants report 10,000 m³/h and 300 m³/h of dried purge air.
Source: EU BREF (2007), section 7.4.5.
Per tonne of product, the BREF compares 3 kWh for a rotary cooler, 5 kWh for a fluid bed cooler and 0.6 kWh for a plate bank cooler, a saving partly offset by internal cooling and purge air drying and compression.
Source: EU BREF (2007), Table 7.9, citing Snyder (2003).
The BREF notes that plate bank coolers may not be applicable as the primary cooler for some products, such as urea-based NPK and AN/CAN fertilisers. Source: EU BREF (2007), section 7.4.5.
Own lines that the Ultra Controlo Industrial 2026 catalogue offers for any industry, and that the Ultra Controlo industrial brochure lists for instrumentation and for the chemical industry.
Oil-injected rotary screw compressors in fixed speed, variable speed and two-stage versions, designed and built by Ultra Controlo for any industry.
Industrial overviewPressure dew point down to −70 °C, with twin towers for continuous operation; the brochure lists instrumentation and pneumatic conveying among its uses.
ULTRADRYRemove oil vapours from compressed air to below 0.003 mg/m³, with a coalescing filter upstream; the brochure lists the chemical industry among its uses.
ULTRAKSources: Ultra Controlo Industrial 2026 catalogue, pp. 8, 9, 16, 17 and 19; Ultra Controlo industrial brochure; ULTRASCREW, ULTRADRY and ULTRAK datasheets.
Ultra Controlo is a Portuguese manufacturer of compressed air, vacuum and technical gas systems, with 40 years of experience. We design, assemble and test our own compressors, dryers and carbon towers in Portugal, and supply and service five partner brands.
ULTRASCREW compressors, ULTRASEC and ULTRADRY dryers and ULTRAK activated carbon towers.
Gardner Denver, Elmo Rietschle, Thomas, Speck Pumpen (Circutec) and Speck Triplex.
Preventive and corrective maintenance, original spare parts and emergency support, by our own team.
Source: Ultra Controlo Industrial 2026 catalogue, pp. 3, 10, 16, 17 and 22.
The 2007 EU BREF for ammonia, acids and fertilisers reports 38 Nm³ of compressed air per tonne of NP and NPK product at one nitrophosphate route plant, and describes dry purge air and instrument air in plate bank product coolers.
In the secondary reformer, the 2007 EU BREF explains, compressed process air heated to around 500 to 600 °C adds the nitrogen required for the synthesis; processes with reduced primary reforming need up to 50% more process air.
The 2007 EU BREF says air is purified by two or three-stage filtration and pressurised, then mixed with ammonia in a ratio of approximately 1:10 before oxidation on the catalyst; the filters protect the catalyst.
The 2007 EU BREF says most fertiliser products need cooling after drying and screening to avoid caking; in a plate bank cooler a small amount of dry air purges moisture and prevents caking, at about 1% of a drum cooler's airflow.
The 2007 EU BREF notes that passivation air is added to prevent corrosion in urea synthesis; it leaves in the non-condensable process vents together with the inerts present in the CO2.
The products, the compressed air demand and pressure, and the dew point your instruments and coolers need. We reply with the equipment that fits.
