Detailed Project Report (DPR) on sulphate of potash cap:200 tons per day

SULPHATE OF POTASH
[CODE NO. 3284]

Potassium sulfate (K2SO4) (in British English potassium sulphate, also called sulphate of potash, arcanite, or archaically known as potash of sulfur) is a non-flammable white crystalline salt which is soluble in water. The chemical compound is commonly used in fertilizers, providing both potassium and sulfur.

When potassium sulfate is heated in water and subjected to swirling in a beaker, the crystals form a multi-arm spiral tructure when allowed to settle. Potassium sulfate could be used to study spiral structures in the laboratory.

Two crystalline forms are known. Orthorhombic ß-K2SO4 is the common form, but it converts to a-K2SO4 above 583°C. These structures are complex, although the sulfate adopts the typical tetrahedral geometry.

It does not form a hydrate, unlike sodium sulfate. The salt crystallize as double six-sided pyramids, classified as rhombic. They are transparent, very hard and have a bitter, salty taste. The salt is soluble in water, but insoluble in solutions of potassium hydroxide (sp. gr. 1.35), or in absolute ethanol.

The dominant use of potassium sulfate is as a fertilizer. K2SO4 does not contain chloride, which can be harmful to some crops. Potassium sulfate is preferred for these crops, which include tobacco and some fruits and vegetables. Crops that are less sensitive may still require potassium sulfate for optimal growth if the soil accumulates chloride from irrigation water.

The crude salt is also used occasionally in the manufacture of glass. Potassium sulfate is also used as a flash reducer in artillery propellant charges. It reduces muzzle flash, flareback and blast overpressure.

It is sometimes used as an alternative blast media similar to soda in soda blasting as it is harder and similarly water-soluble.

Potassium sulfate (K2SO4) mineral name arcanite forms colorless, no hygroscopic crystal. It occasionally occurs in nature in the pure state in salt deposit, but is more widely found in the form of mineral double salts in  combination  with sulfates of calcium, magnesium, and sodium.

Potassium sulfate is after potassium chloride the most important potassium containing fertilizer being used mainly for special crops. Potassium sulfate constitutes 5%  of  the  world demand for potash fertilizer.

Prior to 1939, the German potash industry  was  the  chief source of potassium sulfate for American chemical and  fertilizer industries, although considerable tonnages were being produced in this  country  by  the  interaction  of potassium chloride and sulfuric acid as a side product of salt-cake  manufacture.  With the termination of European imports, the production of the salt was undertaken on a larger scale by the American Potash and Chemical Corp.  through the interaction of burkeite  (Na2CO3 2Na2SO4)  with  potassium  chloride  followed  in  turn  by   the successful  recovery  of  this  salt  from  langbeinite  by   the International  Minerals  and Chemical Corp. In  agricultural  use potassium  sulfate  is  preferred for the  tobacco  crop  of  the Southeast and the citrus crop of Southern California.

COST ESTIMATION

Plant  Capacity                                                 :       200.00 Ton/day                  
land & Building (40,000 Sq.Mtr)                    :        Rs. 21.20 Cr
Plant & Machinery                                           :         Rs. 32.00 Cr
Working Capital for 2 Months                        :       Rs. 45.63 Cr
Total Capital Investment                                :       Rs. 99.73 Cr
Rate of Return                                                  :      32%
Break Even Point                                             :      47%

INTRODUCTION    
GRADES:-    
CONTAINERS:-    
BY PRODUCT - (HYDROCHLORIC ACID:-    
FEATURES AND BENEFIT OF SULPHATE OF POTASH    
FEATURES AND BENEFITS    
USES    
STORAGE AND HANDLING    
PROPERTIES AND STRUCTURE OF POTASSIUM SULPHATE    
NATURAL RESOURCES    
THE MINERALS ARE:    
SPECIFICATION AND TESTING OF SULPHATE OF POTASH    
FERTILIZER – POTASSIUM SULPHATE (SULPHATE OF POTASH)
  – SPECIFICATION    
FOREWORD    
1 SCOPE    
5 HEAVY METAL CONTAMINANTS    
6. STORAGE AND TRANSPORTATION    
7.0 SAMPLING AND TESTING    
8.0 PACKAGING AND LABELLING    
DETERMINATION OF POTASH CONTENT (FLAME PHOTOMETRIC METHOD)    
DETERMINATION OF SODIUM CONTENT    
DETERMINATION OF CHLORIDES OTHER THAN AMMONIUM CHLORIDE    
USES AND APPLICATION    
USES & APPLICATION OF HYDROCHLORIC ACID    
CLASSIFICATION OF POTASH FERTILIZER    
MURIATE OF POTASH    
SULPHATE OF POTASH (SOP)    
MARKET SURVEY    
MARKET SURVEY (GLOBAL)    
DEMAND FOR SOP    
GLOBAL POTASH SUPPLY AND DEMAND BALANCES    
LARGEST SOP IMPORTING COUNTRIES GLOBALLY    
GLOBAL SOP FERTILIZER INDUSTRY    
DEMAND FORECOST    
GLOBAL DEMAND OF SOP (SULPHATE OF POTASH) BY REGION    
GLOBAL SOP CAPACITY BY REGION    
RAW MATERIALS    
MANUFACTURING PROCESS OF SULPHATE OF POTASH    
PROCESS DETAILS:-    
PROCESS FLOW SHEET FOR POTASSIUM SULPHATE AND HYDROCHLORIC ACID MANUFACTURING    
PROCESS FLOW DIAGRAM OF MANNHEIM PROCESS    
RAW MATERIALS REQUIREMENTS:-    
INPUT OF RAW MATERIALS IN MOLECULAR WT. BASIS    
OUTPUT OF FINISHED PRODUCT ON (98% YIELD) BASIS    
DIFFERENT PROCESSES TO MANUFACTURE    
SULPHATE OF POTASH    
MANNHEIM PROCESS    
POTASSIUM CHLORIDE AND SULPHATE SALTS    
NATURALLY OCCURRING BRINES    
OCHOA PROCESS    
PRODUCTION    
SECOND STEP    
MANUFACTURING PROCESS OF POTASSIUM SULPHATE
FROM SODIUM SULPHATE    
EXPERIMENTAL    
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION    
SINGLE-STAGE PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING OF POTASSIUM SULPHATE    
SYMBOLS   
RECOVERY OF POTASSIUM SULFATE FROM NATURAL COMPLEX SALTE    
POTASSIUM SULFATE PROCESS FROM LANGBEINITE    
SUPPLIERS OF RAW MATERIALS    
SUPPLIERS OF PLANT AND MACHINERY (IMPORTED)    
MANUFACTURERS/SUPPLIERS OF SOP     
    
        
APPENDIX – A:

 1.      COST OF PLANT ECONOMICS      
 2.      LAND & BUILDING                                      
 3.      PLANT AND MACHINERY                                  
 4.      FIXED CAPITAL INVESTMENT                             
 5.      RAW MATERIAL                                         
 6.      SALARY AND WAGES                                     
 7.      UTILITIES AND OVERHEADS                              
 8.      TOTAL WORKING CAPITAL                                
 9.      COST OF PRODUCTION                                   
10.      PROFITABILITY ANALYSIS                               
11.      BREAK EVEN POINT                                     
12.      RESOURCES OF FINANCE                           
13.      INTEREST CHART                                       
14.      DEPRECIATION CHART                                   
15.      CASH FLOW STATEMENT                                   
16.      PROJECTED BALANCE SHEET