Raw material mixing pilot for fertiliser production

In a large pilot plant at Herøya scientists at Yara test different phosphates, a raw material for fertiliser production.

three people standing by a pilot plant, mini factory, in a big hall

Tove Kilen, right, property manager at Herøya Research Park, has every reason to smile. She houses Yara's largest test pilot, a mini-factory run by scientists who find the right mix of raw materials for the world's important fertilizer production. From the left, pilot operator Kim Claussen and pilot responsible Lene Sund.

Every day, scientists and industry experts in Herøya Forskningspark develop and test new ideas to make energy, industry and products even more renewable and sustainable.

Meet the experts, eager to tell about the work they do running the test facilities, labs and large pilot plants.

Testing phosphates in pilot plants - more relevant than ever

In a large pilot plant in the research park Lene Sund and two colleagues at Yara are testing different phosphates, raw material for fertiliser production. The right phosphate mix is essential to avoid problems in fertilizer production. With a changing commodity market, this is more relevant than ever.

"The pilot we operate here is a miniature copy of the entire wet part of the processing plant in the factory. It is simply a mini-factory in approx. one thousandth in size," says Lund.

"We carry out tests to find the optimal mix of phosphates we use as raw material in fertilizer production. The right mix is important to avoid problems in production and to obtain high quality. The market and access to phosphates have changed, and then it is even more relevant to carry out tests to see how the raw materials work in the production process."