In 2021, in an effort to increase ammonia production, a key upgrade project (TC 1201B process air node) was completed, allowing for unit loads of up to 110%, an upgrade project to improve energy efficiency (F 1606/7 demisters) was completed, and a new E 2215-1B process air cooler was built at the nitric acid plant. The construction of the F 2901B nitric acid storage tank was also finished, which will enable nitric acid to be transferred from the new plant to the existing processing units, thus optimising the cost of fertilizer production. Upgrades were made in the plastics business to improve energy efficiency (such as the construction of a new exchanger for brine heating) and product efficiency (construction of fittings to increase PVC S-70 production capacity).
In 2021, as part of 120+ AMMONIA, a strategic project for the Group (after signing of contracts with contractors: CASALE, KBR and HT – ANWIL S.A.), ANWIL timely secured all three feasibility studies covering five scenarios for the contemplated project: from upgrades of the existing units, to the construction of a new ammonia plant, to an option where ammonia is co-produced with methanol. Work was continued in cooperation with the Warsaw University of Technology and a commercial partner to develop a new innovative catalyst and solutions to improve the productivity and energy efficiency of ammonia synthesis. In order to implement the green ammonia technology, ammonia-based energy storage technology and short-term hydrogen storage technologies at ANWIL S.A., the Company joined a consortium established under the HySTrAm project, which was granted funding under Horizon Europe. To acquire knowledge about the available green hydrogen production technologies and identify a concept for use of this stream in production processes, ANWIL S.A. initiated a study concerning the integration of modern hydrogen technologies.
In an effort to develop innovation tools, cooperation was established with two accelerators: Industry Lab II and MIT Enterprise Forum Central & Eastern Europe. As a result, the Precision Fertilisation Map, co-financed from EU funds, was developed, and the first acceleration round was carried out, which included the preparation of a pilot implementation plan for a logistics process automation solution offered by a start-up. In the area of fertilizer development, the Laboratory for Research on Physical Properties of Fertilizers was opened with the intention to develop guidelines for technologies, procedures, manufacturing instructions, seasoning, trade and product storage. Work was also continued under a research project into modified nitrate fertilizers carried out in partnership with ADOBE and IUNG, in order to develop four new fertilizer formulas to improve nitrogen use efficiency in plants.
In the area of plastics development, the construction of a pilot unit for brine sludge carbonisation started, which is expected to enable the development of new products based on brine sludge, reducing the costs of waste disposal. Research into a hydrochloric acid concentrating method (in the VICARB unit) was successfully completed, offering the possibility of obtaining a new product: hydrochloric acid 32%.
Research was also carried out into the production of flame-retardant hard granules of specific flame retardant levels, including a search for alternatives to antimony trioxide, migration of plasticiser from plasticised PVC applications and bacteria- and fungus-resistant PVC-based formulations.