Veolia Water Technologies will provide a processing plant integrating HPD ® crystallisation systems designed to extract high-quality potash fertiliser from the brines of the Dead Sea.
Population growth, rising incomes and the need for increased fresh food production are expanding the frontiers to grow crops into increasingly arid areas around the world. This force is driving the demand for water-soluble fertiliser products for use in horticulture with precision irrigation, a modern technique also known as fertigation which delivers water and nutrients in exact quantities conserving resources and maximising yields.
World-leading potash producers are well-positioned to grow the exports of these specialty products into regional and international markets such as India and China.
To meet this increased demand, a major producer of potash in the Middle East is slated to raise production to almost 1.5 million tons per year of potash extracted from carnallite, a mixture of magnesium chloride and potassium chloride pumped from the Dead Sea and evaporated in solar ponds before undertaking a refining process.
As part of this contract to modernise a refinery on the southern shores of the Dead Sea, Veolia will replace existing crystallisers with new HPD ® crystallisation technologies to better process the carnallite feedstock and extract water-soluble potash fertiliser. To make the plant more efficient and energy-saving, Veolia’s solution includes upgraded barometric condensers designed to handle the vapors generated in the new crystallisers. Chief among the criteria to award this contract to Veolia was its deep process design expertise and its ability to integrate the proposed solution into the existing infrastructure and thermal arrangement.
“We are delighted to support world-class producers in the extraction of essential potash crop nutrients for boosting agricultural productivity in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. This is a testament to the value of the crystallisation expertise we bring to the fertiliser industry” said Jim Brown, CEO of Veolia Water Technologies Americas.
With its HPD® evaporation and crystallisation technologies, Veolia helps fertiliser producers to optimise their operations and the value of its products with a focus on enhancing environmental sustainability as well as energy and resource efficiencies.
