Istanbul, Turkey-based Alkim Alkali Kimya A.S. (Alkim), one of the largest sodium sulfate producers in the world, decided to invest in its Koralkim facility near Dazkırı on the coast of lake Acıgöl to produce up to 50,000 tons per year of soluble-grade sulfate of Potash (SOP). For this project, Alkim awarded Veolia Water Technologies (www.veoliawatertechnologies.com) a contract to supply HPD crystallization technology to produce SOP in crystalline, fully-soluble form. The chemical reaction between purified potassium chloride and brine saturated with sulfate salts takes place inside draft tube baffle crystallizers, which allow for the reaction time under controlled temperature to promote the growth of highly-pure SOP crystals.
Veolia’s solution, which also includes multiple-effect crystallizers to produce almost 35,000 tons per year of food-grade sodium chloride as a by-product, optimizes capital investment by utilizing Alkim’s existing cogeneration units. Operating expenses are controlled by maximizing water and steam economies through the recovery of clean condensate and residual heat used for dissolving and heating the incoming solution of potassium chloride. Alkim has contracted Veolia two times before to deliver the initial crystallization system and a subsequent expansion at the facility in Çayırhan to produce pure sodium sulfate from solution-mined Glauberite extracted from underground natural deposits.
“We are pleased to support Alkim in the production of high-quality potash fertilizers to meet the demand in Turkey and beyond. HPD crystallization technologies exemplify the value that Veolia brings to the fertilizer industry in extracting soluble crop nutrients with the most efficient energy and water use,” said Jim Brown, CEO of Veolia Water Technologies Americas.