INTERNATIONAL Japan's Urea Output Soars.· . A n d Surpasses A l l O t h e r s Save U. S. Thousands of Tons
Thousands of Tons ( Estimated )
800 959 Capacities
300
600
20G
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1952
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1954
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1956
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U.S.
JAPAN
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was built a t Niigata by Japan Gas Chemical Industries. T h e Montecatini and T o y o Koatzu urea processes are t h e most commonly u s e d in Japan, and t h e Food for its o v e r c r o w d e d p o p u l a t i o n leads J a p a n Chemical Construction process ranks to m a k e m o r e a n d more fertilizer next. Toyo Koatzu is the leading urea firm "'once-through" process. Next year, in J a p a n . In 1957, Toyo made 170,000 J A P A N PRODUCED about 385,000 tons of urea last year. By next year, its Toyo's Ohmta plant developed a semi- tons of urea, compared to the 243,000 annual capacity will hit 605,000 tons, recycling process. Other companies be- tons m a d e b y all others. Toyo developed its own urea synthesis, and has second only to t h e 758,000 tons of t h e gan using the Chemical Construction Annual received Japanese patents on the d e U. S., and outranking t h e total of all and Montecatini processes. other countries b y about 99,000 tons urea production grew from 40,000 tons sign of corrosion-resistant linings for (C&EN, Feb. 17, page 2 5 ) . By 1959, in 1951 to about 385,000 tons in 1957. urea reactors, a recovery process for Japan will have more urea plants ( 1 6 ) Urea has prospered in Japan for sev- unreacted ammonia, and a urea-granuthan any other country. Chief reason eral reasons. Sulfur resources, needed lating process. In t h e Toyo process, carbon dioxide behind the growth: overcrowded for making ammonium sulfate, are not is purified b y compression and liquefacisland populations and the resulting plentiful. Using urea instead of amneed for more fertilizer to boost agri- monium sulfate as a nitrogen source re- tion a n d then p u m p e d with ammonia ( u p t o twice t h e theoretical amount) cultural production. duces the need for sulfur imports. Since World W a r I I , t h e Japanese Ammonium sulfate doesn't work well into t h e reactor. Reaction proceeds at 250 atmospheres a n d 180° to 190° C. government has helped the fertilizer in- in those parts of Japan that have an Surplus ammonia from t h e urea melt dustry to restore production in prefer- acidic soil. Also, carbon dioxide for leaving the reactor is released by presence to other industries. Ammonium making urea is easily obtained from sulfate output w a s increased to 1.5 mil- ammonia synthesis. And combining sure reduction a n d absorbed by a concentrated ammonium nitrate solution. lion tons—a record high—in 1949. urea and ammonia manufacture might decrease t h e production cost of am- Ammonia is released from solution by Capacity reached 5 million tons per heating and recycled t o t h e reactor. A monia. year in 1957. Urea was first made by some JapanCoke has been t h e chief r a w mate- 7 0 % conversion is claimed. Most Japanese urea makers a r e d o ese ammonia plants during t h e post- rial for ammonia synthesis in Japan, but ing research and development on manuwar development period. I n 1947, in recent years natural gas has been facturing process, packaging, and urea Toyo Koatzu industiy began making used because of simpler conversion end uses. O n e new use, n o w a t pilot urea in its Koku-Kaito plant—the first equipment needed. T h e first large-scale plant stage, is making synthetic fibers commercial Japanese plant t o u s e a chemical plant based on natural gas
Urea Forges Ahead in Japan
7 2
C&EN
APRIL
14, 1 9 5 8
Properties of
1959 World Urea Capacity Thousands of tons per vear (est.) Country U N I T E D STATES
JAPAN
GERMANY ITALY
FRANCE HOLLAND SWEDEN AUSTRIA SWITZERLAND G R E A T BRITAIN NORWAY BELGIUM INDIA COLOMBIA
Plant Allied Chemical & D y e Allied Chemical & D y e Du Pont Grace Deere & Co. Monsanto Shell Chemical Sohio Chemical Spencer Chemical Hercules Powder Spencer Chemical Southern Nitrogen Toyo Toyo Nito Nissan Sumitomo Mitzubitsi Mitzubitsi Sanyo Sanyo Nippon Suisu Showa Denko Showa Denko Nihon Gas Toyo Koatzu Toyo Gas Peipu BASF Montecatini
Site Capacity South Point, Ohio 110 L a Platte, N e b . 110 150 Belle, W . Va. Memphis, Tenn. 110 90 Pryor, Okla. 35 E l d o r a d o , Ark. Ventura, Calif. 35 44 Lima, Ohio Henderson, Ky. 33 Hercules, Calif. 20 Vicksburg,^ Miss. 11 10 Savannah, Ga. Hokkaido 95 Ohmta 75 Yokohama 17 Toyama 44 51 Niihama Kurusaki 38 Kurusaki 20 Upeh 22 28 Upeh 8 Matzusima Kawasaki 33 Kawasaki 20 Niigata 29 44 Niigata 44 Niigata 37 Upeh 132 Ludwigshafen San Guiseppe di 8 Cairo 33 Montecatini Ferrara Montecatini Novara 35 Office National Industriel Toulouse 39 d e L'Azote 2 Péchiney Saint Auban Dutch State Mines Limburg 55 Con. pa nie Néerl andaise Sluiskil 17 d e I·'Azote Stockholms Superphosphat Ljungaverk 1 Fabriks Oesterreichische Linz 15 Stickstoffwerke Holzverzuckerungs A G Ems 4 ICI Bilîingham 67 Norsk Hydro Glomfjord 33 Carbochimique Tertre 25 Sindri Bihar 2S Instituto d e Fomento In- Bogada 12 dustriel Total 1869
RES©FLEX previde basii for dramaiic^rèokthrpugbirv the analyse ofWrig chain fatty
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These s a m e properties h a v e established • Ά 3»Ί·1 J 1 =»:q*i'/
