| Title of Process/ Know-how/ Product/Design/Equipment

Technology for the production of sulphate of potash & refractory grade magnesia from sea bittern

IPR Status & Details:

US 7,041,268, US 7,811,535 B2

Application/Uses/Problem being addressed

Sulphate of Potash (SOP)

  • SOP is a premium two nutrient fertilizer (50% K2O and 18% S) with the highest total nutrient value (68%) and the lowest salt index (46.1).
  • SOP (K2SO4) offers an advantage over MOP (KCl) currently used by farmers with special focus on chloride sensitive crops, Dryland agriculture, sulphur responsive crops, drip irrigation and areas deficient in K & S.

    • Ultra Pure Magnesia

  • Ultra-pure magnesia is used in refractory lining for primary steelmaking as well as in magnesium metal production.

    • Salient Technical Features including Competing Features/ Impact

  • No floatation is used for NaCl separation and recycle system designed leaches away NaCl with simultaneous increase in potash recovery.
  • The sea bittern and many of subsoil bitterns in the country are sulphate rich and hence the potash is recovered in form of SOP which is agronomically better fertilizer
  • The recovery/yield of potash is high because of integration and recycle of intermediate streams
  • The unit operations used are simple and most of the operations are carried out at ambient temperature except drying and calcinations of magnesium hydroxide to form MgO
  • The technology developed is environmentally benign.
  • There is no fear of IPR infringement in view of the strong patent position.

    • TRL Level & Scale of Development:- TRL 6 TRL Reference

    Pilot Plant Scale

    Business scope & opportunity (in terms of scale, cost, market etc.)

    Economical viable integrated process with potash and magnesia production.

    Environmental Considerations

    The technology developed is environmentally benign.

    There is no effluent generated in the process that poses environmental problems

    Status of Licensing:

    Licensed technology

    Status of Commercialization:

    Not yet commercialized

    Major Raw Materials Needed

    Sea bittern (mother liquor left after production of salt) & lime

    Major Plant Equipment and Machinery Required

    Belt conveyor, crushing unit, vessels with agitator, centrifuges, rotary calciner, intermediate storage tanks, fluid bed dryer, pumps, filter, packaging units etc.

    Techno-Economics

    Economically feasible as integrated process.

    Technology Package

    Technology package is ready and would be provided to the party at the time of technology transfer; License fee and other financial details would be provided on request.

    | Technology Photographs