There is a request for advice: Fertilizer companies are facing current difficulties and need to reduce costs while striving for development; please share your valuable suggestions

First, let’s take a look at how our peers do it

Zhengyuan Chemical’s ammonia consumption has reached an advanced level in the industry. China Chemical News, April 10, 2009. Recently, news came from Shijiazhuang Zhongji Zhengyuan Chemical Co., Ltd. The three task forces at the company worked together to keep the amount of bituminous coal required per ton of ammonia produced below 1,200 kilograms for four consecutive months. In March, this figure dropped to 1,154 kilograms per ton of ammonia, setting a new record for the company and representing an advanced level compared to other companies in China’s nitrogen fertilizer industry. Last December, they established three task forces focused on gas production, eliminating leaks, and improving process technology, and set work objectives. With the full cooperation of departments such as the production scheduling office, process engineering, equipment management, and technical upgrades, they started with the basic tasks, carefully analyzed and studied each stage, and formulated strategies and specific measures. By considering factors such as climate changes, the composition of the raw coal, and the temperature of the steam fed into the furnace, they analyzed the various impacts on the operation of the gas generation furnace, the process conditions, and the energy consumption associated with gas production. They developed reasonable process routes that helped to resolve many issues affecting production and efficiency. At the same time, they made adjustments and took measures to address the gas waste in the subsequent processing stages. By establishing an analysis system for the exhaust gas from hydrogen production units, operating vacuum pumps in a rational manner, and upgrading the membrane hydrogen production equipment, gas waste was effectively reduced, thereby lowering the losses associated with decarburization. Through this series of improvement measures, the utilization rate of gas and ammonia has been **increased**, and the three task forces of the company have achieved partial success in their efforts to save energy and reduce consumption.

Cangzhou Dahuahua Prioritizes Energy Saving and Consumption Reduction – China Chemical Industry News, April 8, 2009. Recently, all the flushing valves in the restrooms of Cangzhou Dahuahua’s office complex were replaced with ball valves; this not only saved on purchase costs but also prevented excessive water flow at once. According to the maintenance technician, Cangzhou Dahuahua starts its efforts to save energy and reduce consumption with these small things. As a result, the company successfully completed the energy-saving targets set by the provincial authorities, and was recently recognized by Hebei Province’s authorities as an outstanding energy-saving unit in 2008, ranking second in the energy-saving assessment. Through two large-scale energy-saving upgrades to its ammonia synthesis plants, Cangzhou Dahuahua reduced the comprehensive energy consumption per unit of product by 10%, reaching an advanced level in China. At the same time, Cangzhou Dahuahua’s plant operation rate has been continuously increasing, its production capacity has risen significantly, the output of its main products has increased substantially, costs have decreased, and the company’s profits have been maximized. Urea production alone has increased from 300,000 tons per year at the start of the plant’s operation to 580,000 tons per year today. Energy-saving efforts have brought benefits to Cangzhou Dahuahua, and they have become a voluntary practice for the company. As a **key chemical enterprise among the thousand companies focused on energy conservation, Cangzhou Dahuahua, faced with a large number of energy-intensive old equipment and almost no potential left for energy-saving upgrades to its key equipment, developed an energy-saving plan that starts with small steps and relies on innovation. At the same time, more financial support is being provided for energy-saving efforts; in the past two years, nearly 50 high-energy-consuming devices have been phased out. Efforts are also being made to strengthen the team of professionals skilled in energy-saving technological upgrades, as well as to increase investment in such projects. In 2007, Cangzhou Dahuahua allocated more than 20 million yuan in funds for energy-saving technological upgrades at one time. In 2008, Cangzhou Dahuahua overcame the difficulties posed to the company by the financial crisis and invested over 30 million yuan to upgrade the hydrogen peroxide compressors as well as the chlor-alkali turbine compressors. The energy-saving effects were significant, with the overall energy consumption of the products being below the specified targets.

Recycling of \"waste gas\" from fertilizer synthesis processes in Hubei 2009-4-8 Through a series of process adjustments and pipeline modifications, the fertilizer synthesis facilities in Hubei were able to recycle the waste gas released during production back into the fuel system of the power generation unit for reuse. This approach not only turned waste into a valuable resource, improving resource utilization, but also eliminated environmental pollution and safety hazards associated with the production process in these facilities. The Prison unit in Hubei’s fertilizer synthesis workshop is a device for recycling vent gas; some of the hydrogen, ammonia, and methane \"waste gases\" that cannot be fully recovered are sent to the auxiliary boiler and the furnace fuel system via pressure control valves, or are released into the atmosphere. Due to the current shutdown of the auxiliary boiler and the first-stage furnace system, this exhaust gas, which still has combustion value, is being released into the atmosphere. As it is currently the rainy season, the large amounts of hydrogen, ammonia, and methane present in these emissions pose a risk of flash explosions for the synthesis gas venting system. To address this issue, the company quickly modified the exhaust pipeline, directing this exhaust gas to the power workshop where it found new use. Calculations show that after the renovation, 2,200 standard cubic meters of exhaust gas can be effectively utilized per hour.

The fertilizer industry cluster in Linshu is busy with upgrades – China Fertilizer Network, 2009-4-13. Linshu County in Shandong Province has made the upgrading of its compound fertilizer industry cluster a key focus for economic development; it works to support this sector, expand its scale and improve its quality, while also focusing on regulation, quality enhancement, and brand building, thus accelerating the development of this industry cluster. To date, the fertilizer-related enterprises in the county have successfully obtained a total of 3 well-known Chinese trademarks, 26 products exempt from inspection, 8 famous brands in Shandong Province, and 12 renowned trademarks in Shandong Province. The company offers more than 800 products across five categories, including controlled-release fertilizers, slow-release fertilizers, biological fertilizers, organic fertilizers, and compound (mixed) fertilizers. These products are sold to over 40 countries and regions, generating annual sales revenue of over 10 billion yuan. After integration, Linshu County has over 40 fertilizer enterprises of various sizes, along with more than 80 compound fertilizer production lines, resulting in an annual production capacity of 10 million tons – accounting for approximately 31% of China’s total compound fertilizer output. To achieve the \"upgrading\" of industrial clusters and gain a competitive edge in development, the Linshu County Party Committee and local authorities have made various efforts to facilitate such collaborations. Fertilizer manufacturers have rushed to establish technical partnerships with over 20 renowned institutions and research organizations, including the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Tsinghua University, Renmin University of China, China Agricultural University, and Shandong Agricultural University. They have set up experimental bases, hired academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences as well as well-known postdocs, doctors, and masters to serve as technical advisors for these companies, so as to work together on scientific and technological research. Leading fertilizer companies within these clusters, such as Kim Jong-dae, Stanley, Jin Yimeng, Maijinnong, and Fuji, have gradually established technology research and development centers, with Kim Jong-dae setting up a postdoctoral research station. While focusing on attracting expertise, cluster enterprises are also willing to invest in the training of their internal staff; they send employees out for training and bring in experts, allocating substantial funds to provide special training for top performers – with annual training costs exceeding 30 million yuan. The talent advantage has led to a \"revolution\" in industrial technology; over the past 3 years, 16 projects from the enterprises in this county have won science and technology advancement awards at the provincial level or above, as well as Xinghuo Awards. Nine technologies have been granted **patents, and more than 30 products have filled gaps in both the provincial and national markets. Stanley, Jindongda, and Jin Yimeng have been recognized as high-tech enterprises by the Ministry of Science and Technology. Many new products and technologies in the fertilizer industry, both domestically and internationally, first appear in the fertilizer enterprises in Linshu. Moreover, the \"upgrading\" of the fertilizer industry cluster has also endowed Linshu County with unique brand characteristics – it has been recognized as an \"advanced county for establishing national high-quality fertilizer production bases\", a \"Torch Program compound fertilizer industry base\", a \"green fertilizer industry base\", and one of the \"50 national pilot units for environmentally friendly compound fertilizer industries among industry clusters\". This has ensured that the name \"fertilizer\" is closely associated with Linshu; the phrase \"high-quality fertilizers made in Linshu\" is now well-known throughout the country. Not long ago, at the Summit Forum on Industrial Clusters and Brand Cities and the launch event of the \"Top 50 Chinese Industrial Cluster Brands,\" organized by the Center for Urban Development and Environment at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the China World Trade Organization Research Association, and the Global Brand Forum, the project team responsible for identifying Chinese industrial cluster brands selected the top 50 such brands from over 500 industrial clusters across the country. Among them, the compound (mixed) fertilizer industrial cluster in Linshu, Shandong Province, was included in the list of the Top 50 Chinese Industrial Cluster Brands.