GUIDANCE FOR COMPATIBILITY

OF FERTILIZER BLENDING
MATERIALS

Issue 2014
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GUIDANCE FOR COMPATIBILITY OF FERTILIZER
BLENDING MATERIALS
Contents

1. INTRODUCTION 3
2. SCOPE 3
3. BLENDING MATERIALS & GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS 4
3.1 General 4
3.2 Nitrate-Containing Substances 4
3.2.1 Ammonium Nitrate 4
3.2.2 Potassium Nitrate 5
3.2.3 Sodium Nitrate 5
3.2.4 Calcium Nitrate 5
3.3 Other Materials and General Notes 5
4. RELATIVE HUMIDITY 8
5. COMPATIBILITY DATA 10
6. REFERENCES 13

DISCLAIMER:
This document has been produced for the benefit of the members of Fertilizers Europe. The information and
guidance provided in this document is given in good faith. Fertilizers Europe, its members, consultants and
staff accept no liability for any loss or damage arising from the use of this guidance. As regulations are up-
dated from time to time, readers are advised to consult the up-to-date information.

Edition 2006
© Fertilizers Europe 2014

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1. INTRODUCTION
A large number of blended fertilizers are produced from basic primary fertilizer
products (e.g. ammonium nitrate, urea, and mono-ammonium phosphate) and
natural materials (e.g. rock phosphate, potassium chloride). All such materials are not
necessarily compatible with each other and some may produce undesirable effects
when mixed with others. These undesirable effects can include, for example, chemical
reaction(s) and physical effects (e.g. stickiness which can cause handling difficulties,
moisture migration giving rise to caking tendency).

The Handbook of Solid Fertiliser Blending: Code of Good Practice for Quality produced
by The European Blenders Association (Ref. 1), gives some information about these
potential compatibility problems. Fertilizers Europe has reviewed this information
and has produced this guidance with wider scope by including most commonly used
blending materials.

2. SCOPE
Only solid blending components which are sources of primary (N, P and K) and/or
secondary (e.g. Ca, Mg) nutrients are considered here. These blending components also
include complex granular NPK/NP/NK fertilizers but fluid materials and micronutrients
such as zinc and copper are not considered.

The assessment concerning compatibility is based on considerations of safety (e.g.

chemical reaction causing release of toxic gases), production problems (e.g. liquid
formation, state of stickiness, corrosive mix due to free acidity) and/or quality aspects
(e.g. high tendency for caking). It is important to note that legislative controls e.g. limits
imposed by classification schemes, impurity levels etc. are not taken into account in
the assessment. For example, regulations concerning safety and classification would
have a bearing on the limits of total combustible/organic matter and total ammonium
nitrate level.

It is important to bear in mind that most regulations define Ammonium Nitrate as

mixtures containing NH4+ and NO3- ions irrespective of their source materials, which
for example, could be ammonium phosphate and sodium nitrate. Manufacturers are
advised to consider the legislative controls and identify ‘no-go’ areas up-front prior to
going into the compatibility aspects.

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3. BLENDING MATERIALS & GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS

3.1 General
A range of blending components is available and the common ones are listed in the
Compatibility Table (page 12). Some blending materials such as calcium cyanamide
and basic slag are not included in the table as they are not widely used. Some relevant
information about them is given in another guidance document from Fertilizers Europe,
dealing with storage and handling and transportation of solid ammonium nitrate based
and other fertilizers. If in doubt, seek expert advice when using an unlisted/uncommon
component.

3.2 Nitrate-Containing Substances

Nitrates are important sources of nitrogen, particularly in the European climatic
conditions and the main ones are ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate, sodium nitrate
and calcium nitrate. Most of them possess oxidising properties and thus can support
combustion but differ in their thermal behaviour and reactivity. Their main properties
related to the potential hazards are summarised below (Ref. 2).

3.2.1 Ammonium Nitrate

Solid ammonium nitrate (AN) can exist in a number of different crystalline forms.
Transitions from one form to another are accompanied by changes in the bulk density.
This can lead to product break-down due to thermal cycling, unless it is stabilised
against this effect by suitable conditioners. AN melts at 169°C and, when heated further,
decomposes releasing gases containing mainly water vapour, NOx and ammonia.
The exothermic decomposition, which is a complex set of exothermic reactions, is
accompanied by reversible endothermic dissociation and is catalysed by a number of
substances. AN has oxidising properties and will, if involved in a fire, intensify the fire
even in the absence of air. AN, particularly the fertilizer grade, is difficult to detonate.
The sensitivity to detonation depends on a number of factors such as bulk density,
porosity and temperature.

For fertilizer application, EU regulations require the use of the dense grade, which
has low porosity and a high resistance to detonation. It must be able to pass the EU
Resistance to Detonation Test.

It is important to note that AN content can be derived from different sources of nitrate
ions and ammonium ions, as described in section 2 above. Also, the classification of
the blend may be affected if there is an excess of nitrate ions above those derived from
actual or calculated AN.

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 3.2.2 Potassium Nitrate
Potassium nitrate has a melting point around 334°C. Commercially it is available in
both granular and crystalline forms. It is not combustible, however it has oxidising
properties and will, if involved in a fire, intensify the fire even in the absence of air.
Above 400°C it decomposes and liberates oxides of nitrogen. Potassium nitrate is not
sensitive to detonation.

3.2.3 Sodium Nitrate

Sodium nitrate has a melting point close to 308°C. It is not combustible, however, it has
oxidising properties and will, if involved in a fire, intensify the fire even in the absence
of air. When heated to decomposition, it gives off toxic gases, which include oxides of
nitrogen. Sodium nitrate is not sensitive to detonation.

3.2.4 Calcium Nitrate

Pure calcium nitrate (chemical formula Ca(NO3)2) is not normally traded as a fertilizer.
Fertilizer grade calcium nitrate (chemical formula 5Ca(NO3)2.NH4NO3.10H2O) is
essentially the hydrated ammonium calcium nitrate double salt. It is not classified as an
oxidising material, but as with other nitrates, it should not be mixed with combustible
materials, alkalis and acids. Its ammonium nitrate component decomposes above
190°C, whereas the calcium nitrate component decomposes above 500°C and the
thermal decomposition products are mainly nitrogen oxides.

3.3 Other Materials and General Notes

The following points should be noted:

• The compatibility data are based on the assumption that the components have
typical and acceptable moisture content and thermal stability.
• In general the presence of anti-caking agents and additives in fertilizers may affect
their compatibility.
• The type of manufacturing process used can also affect the product properties,
e.g. materials made by the nitrophosphate process may behave differently from
those made by the mixed acid phosphate route.
• Calcium sulphate as listed does not cover impure by-product gypsum.
• Limestone and dolomite generally refer to mined material.
• Calcium nitrate refers to the fertilizer grade material which contains 12% water, is
a double salt and is not classified as Class 5.1 oxidiser.
• Rock phosphate is listed in two forms: normal mineral and acidulated rock which,
although this is not normally the case, can contain some free acid.
• Elemental sulphur can give rise to formation of dust, particularly in the mixing
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 process and this dust can present a potential ‘dust explosion’ hazard.
• Where AN forms a part of the blend, care should be taken to ensure that the
specified limits of total combustible/organic substances, including any coating oil,
are not exceeded in the blend.
• In some countries there may be restrictions regarding the use of coating oil or the
type of oil. This point should be taken into consideration.
• The addition of certain micronutrients such as copper or manganese to chloride
containing AN-based blends can enhance the thermal decomposition potential.
This may convert a non-classified type to a self-sustaining decomposition type. An
appropriate assessment should be made.

The overall approach to the evaluation and selection of blend composition is outlined
in Figure 1.

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 FIGURE1: BLENDING LOGIC DIAGRAM
Select blend
analysis
(N:P:K)

Select raw
materials

Calculate
composition of
proposed blend

Does formulation No Review formulation.

meet regulations? Change raw materials and/or blend
N:P:K analysis or abandon
Yes

Check
compatibility for
each pair of blend
component

Green Yellow Red

Yes Check footnote No

& assess if
OK to produce acceptable
4. RELATIVE HUMIDITY
Some fertilizer materials are hygroscopic which means they can pick up moisture
from humid air. The Critical Relative Humidity (CRH) is the property which is used as
an indicator of the degree of likely interaction with the atmospheric moisture. It is
the value of the relative humidity of the surrounding air, above which the material
absorbs moisture and below which it does not. Thus, the lower the CRH the greater the
tendency to pick up moisture from the atmosphere. It is, therefore, desirable to have
high values of the CRH for the raw materials and the finished fertilizers. CRH values are
measured or calculated at 30°C and the values tend to decrease slightly with increase
in temperature.

In most cases, the CRH for blended or compound fertilizers is below the average derived
from their components. This drop in the CRH can be significantly high in some cases. A
blend consisting of ammonium nitrate and urea is an extreme example of this effect.
Such a blend picks up moisture very quickly and it is difficult to handle in a dry state.
This can be a significant factor to consider in the selection of the blend components.
CRH values of pure components and blends based on them are summarised in
Table 1 (Ref. 3). It should be borne in mind that these values are for pure salts and the
corresponding commercial materials may have slightly different values depending on
any impurities present.

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 TABLE I: CRITICAL RELATIVE HUMIDITIES OF PURE SALTS AND

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CALCIUM NITRATE MIXTURES AT 30°C (86°F)

AMMONIUM NITRATE
SODIUM NITRATE
UREA
AMMONIUM CHLORIDE
AMMONIUM SULPHATE
DIAMMONIUM PHOSPHATE
POTASSIUM CHLORIDE
POTASSIUM NITRATE
MONOAMMONIUM PHOSPHATE

MONOCALCIUM PHOSPHATE
POTASSIUM SULPHATE

* Approximate values obtained by TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) (Ref.3). Other data are from literature
** Unstable salt pair; the value given is for the stable pair
5. COMPATIBILITY DATA
The compatibility data are presented in three categories as follows:

1. Compatible (indicated in green): No undesirable effect is predicted.

2. Limited compatibility (indicated in yellow): Blends are permitted but there may
be a risk of the blend being incompatible in some cases or situations e.g. if one or
more of the components is out of specification or contains abnormal levels of an
objectionable substance such as free acid. An appropriate risk assessment should
be carried out, as necessary.
3. Incompatible (indicated in red): Considered as not being compatible and, therefore,
should not be mixed.

For categories 2 and 3 the explanation/reason for the categorisation is given by way of
a serial number in the box and footnote for each allocated number. No explanation is
deemed necessary for compatible mixes.

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AMMONIUM NITRATE TABLE 2: COMPATIBILITY OF VARIOUS FERTILIZER
CALCIUM AMMONIUM NITRATE (AN + DOLOMITE/LIMESTONE) MATERIALS
CALCIUM NITRATE (FERTILIZER GRADE) Compatible
AMMONIUM SULPHATE NITRATE Limited compatibility (chemically,
physically and/or safety based)
POTASSIUM NITRATE / SODIUM NITRATE Incompatible (chemically, physically
and/or safety based)
AMMONIUM SULPHATE
UREA
ROCK PHOSPHATE
ACIDULATED ROCK PHOSPHATE
SINGLE/TRIPLE SUPER PHOSPHATE
MONOAMMONIUM PHOSPHATE
DIAMMONIUM PHOSPHATE
MONO POTASSIUM PHOSPHATE
POTASSIUM CHLORIDE
POTASSIUM SULPHATE/MAGNESIUM
SULPHATE (KIESERITE)
NPK, NP, NK (AN BASED)
NPK, NP, NK (UREA BASED)
LIMESTONE/DOLOMITE/
CALCIUM SULPHATE
SULPHUR (ELEMENTAL)
FOOTNOTES FOR THE NUMBERS IN THE BOXES IN TABLE 2

1. Due to the hygroscopic behaviour of both products, the type of stabilisation of the
ammonium nitrate grade could influence storage properties.
2. Consider the safety implications regarding detonability of the blend (AN/AS
mixtures) and legislative implications.
3. Consider the safety implications regarding detonability of the blend (AN/AS
mixtures), impact of free acid and organic impurities, if present, and legislative
implications.
4. Mixture will quickly become wet and absorb moisture resulting in formation of
liquid or slurry. There could also be safety implications.
5. If free acid is present it could cause very slow decomposition of AN, affecting, for
example, packaging.
6. Consider the possibility of self-sustaining decomposition and the overall level of
oil coating.
7. Sulphur is combustible and can react with nitrates e.g. AN, KNO3 and NaNO3.
8. Due to the hygroscopic behaviour of both products, the type of stabilisation of the
ammonium nitrate based fertilizer could influence the storage properties.
9. Consider the moisture content of the SSP/TSP.
10. Consider the relative humidity during blending.
11. Risk of formation of gypsum.
12. No experience but this can be expected to be compatible. Confirm by test and/or
analysis.
13. Consider impurities in AS and the drop in the critical relative humidity of the blend.
14. Consider the likely impact of additional nitrate.
15. Consider the possibility of ammonium phosphate/potassium nitrate reaction with
urea and relative humidity during blending to avoid caking.
16. If free acid present, there is a possibility of hydrolysis of urea giving ammonia and
carbon dioxide.
17. Formation of very sticky urea phosphate.
18. Potential caking problem due to moisture.
19. If free acid is present, consider the risk of a reaction e.g. neutralisation with
ammonia and acid attack with carbonates.

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6. REFERENCES

1. European Fertiliser Blenders Association, 2005, ‘Handbook of Solid

Fertiliser Blending Code of Good Practice for Quality’, second edition.
European Fertiliser Blenders Association, Avenue Gaston Phoebus, 64231 Lescar
Cedex, France.
2. Fertilizers Europe, ‘Guidance for the Storage, Handling and Transportation of Solid
Mineral Fertilizers’ (2007).
3. Clayton W E, 1984, ‘Humidity Factors Affecting Storage and Handling of Fertilizers’.
International Fertilizer Development Center, Muscle Shoals, AL 35662, USA.

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15
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