Phosphate Complex Expansion
Agrium US Inc., Conda, ID

Agrium, Inc. awarded AMEC a contract for the expansion of Agrium's Phosphate Operations.  KEMWorks, as a sub-contractor to AMEC, provided basic engineering and start up assistance. 
 
The expansion at Agrium's phosphate plant in Conda, Idaho, uses Prayon phosphoric acid technology to increase the capacity of the phosphoric acid plant and add new belt filters.

Additional rock grinding mills were required and the superphosphoric acid capacity was increased. Also included in the expansion is the change from calcined phosphate to uncalcined phosphate and a complete upgrade of the instrumentation system from pneumatic to electronic. Additional clarification and evaporation was required as well as a new scrubber.

The expansion provides merchant grade acid for a new pure acid plant, which is located on the site, but owned by others. The raffinate and purge streams from the pure acid plant are fed to the granulation plant.

Extensive testwork was done to prove techniques for consuming raffinate to produce fertilizer products while still maintaining current grade.

Board approval for the expansion was given in November 1999 and start-up was completed in 2001 - the phosphoric acid plant achieved full capacity within one week.
 
Project Highlights:

• Replacement of scrubber without major outage. 
• Replace and expand phosphoric acid reactor. 
• Change from calcined to uncalcined rock. 
• Modify DAP plant to accept Pure Phosphoric Acid Plant raffinate.