Options to Reduce Cooling Water Consumption in Fertilizer Plants

Water saving strategies are a key factor in the design and operation of industrial facilities, especially as raw water is becoming one of the most critical resources available. Fertilizer production processes are not the exception, and as the natural gas market is increasing, new plants are expected to be built. Even in regions where water availability is not an issue, associated costs for treatment are increasing year to year.

One of the most demanding uses of water in the fertilizer production process is cooling, because many streams are produced at elevated temperatures and need to be cooled for separation or delivery purposes. Cooling water normally runs in a closed loop, however there are significant losses when it flows through the cooling tower. Evaporation, drift, blowdown and leaks are the most important issues to consider.

Opportunities to optimize the cooling water system can be found in reduction of cooling water requirements, in improving the efficiency of the cooling water treatment, and in improving the cooling tower design. Substantial savings can be achieved through a detailed analysis of the cooling water loop and its users. The objective of this paper is to highlight the advantages and disadvantages of different options to minimize cooling water consumption. In addition, fixed and variable costs are evaluated to analyze the impact of these modifications.