All About Urea 46%
Urea is nitrogen fertilizer with an NPK (nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium) ratio of 46-0-0. The chemical formula of the urea is close in composition to the organic formulation of the urea, which also provides a number of advantages in the mass use for feeding crops. Although urea is naturally produced in humans and animals, synthetic urea is manufactured with anhydrous ammonia.
More than 90% of world industrial production of urea is destined for use as a nitrogen-release fertilizer. Urea has the highest nitrogen content of all solid nitrogenous fertilizers in common use. Therefore, it has the lowest transportation costs per unit of nitrogen nutrient. Urea fertilizers rapidly transform to the ammonium form in soils.
Worldwide, urea N46% is one of the most widely used dry granular sources of nitrogen. It is preferred by the fertilizer manufacturing industry since it is relatively easy to manufacture. Urea also has a high nitrogen content (46%), in comparison to other popular nitrogen sources (i.e., ammonium nitrate). On a ton for ton basis, urea contains 35% more nitrogen than ammonium nitrate. This has implications on the storage and transport of nitrogen fertilizer products. Urea is considered a relatively stable product to store and transport, and it is for this reason that the transportation of urea is considered very cost effective in comparison to its most common alternative, ammonium nitrate.
Uses of Urea 46%
Urea is widely used in the agricultural sector both as a fertilizer and animal feed additive. The main function of Urea fertilizer is to provide the plants with nitrogen to promote green leafy growth and make the plants look lush. Urea also aids the photosynthesis process of plants.
With a nitrogen content of 46,2%, granular urea has the highest concentration of nutrients of all nitrogen fertilizers. The nitrogen exists in the form of urea nitrogen. Through transformation processes in the soil, within a few days the nitrogen is first converted into ammonium, and then, in a second transformation process, it is converted into nitrate. The fertilizer can be used on all agricultural and horticultural crops on any application date.
Advantage of Urea 46%
It can be applied to soil as a solid or solution or to certain crops as a foliar spray. Urea usage involves little or no fire or explosion hazard. Urea’s high analysis, 46% N, helps reduce handling, storage and transportation costs over other dry N forms. Urea manufacture releases few pollutants to the environment. Urea, when properly applied, results in crop yield increases equal to other forms of nitrogen.
Industrial consumption
- Types of plastics, in particular urea formaldehyde resins.
- Types of adhesives, such as urea formaldehyde and urea melamine formaldehyde
- Pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries
- Preparation of fire powder
- Potassium cyanide, as the starting material of some industries.
- Nitrate urea, an explosive type.
- Filter
GENERAL USES OF UREA
- As a fertilizer in agriculture.
- As a foliar spray for plants (normally 0.5%-2% active).
- Ice melting compound.
Urea has over twice as much nitrogen as does ammonium sulphate; 46% versus 21%. That means there is more than twice as much nitrogen per ton of fertilizer. In addition, urea is less acid forming, is more water soluble and less corrosive. Ammonium sulphate does supply Sulphur, but it is usually less expensive to apply urea and elemental Sulphur.
Safety information
Urea causes skin and eye irritation and has respiratory complications. Continuous exposure to the skin causes swelling in the skin. Its high concentration in the blood causes damage to the organs of the body. Heat it above the melting point causes it to decompose and generates toxic vapors. Normally not flammable, but its mixing with strong oxidants such as nitride causes explosion.
Urea storage
Urea absorbs moisture from the atmosphere and the surface of the air, it is typically used to store it. Also, if you need to store it in bulk, it should be covered with a special cover and water insulator. It is also recommended that urea be stored, as well as many other solid fertilizers, in a cool and dry place, where the ventilation is well done.
