Handling leaks in urea plants: part 1

Leaks in the high-pressure synthesis section of a urea plant may lead to catastrophic consequences. In 2017, building on an incident database set up by UreaKnowHow.com, AmmoniaKnowHow.com and UreaKnowHow.com introduced FIORDA, the Fertilizer Industry Operational Risk Database, a global open source risk register for ammonia and urea plants.

A surprising conclusion from this database is that most safety risks in a urea plant lead to the sudden release of a toxic cloud of ammonia. Early detection of a leak is important as minor and small leaks can be easily contained.