Marketplace accepts purified wet-process phosphoric acid

Abstract

Phosphoric acid of a quality high enough for most industrial and food grade markets and for the production of industrial and food grade phosphate derivatives in the United States has historically been produced by burning elemental phosphorus. However, in 1990, high quality phosphoric acid began to be commercially produced in the United States by purifying wet-process phosphoric acid via solvent extraction. The production facility, owned by Purified Acid Partners, is operated by Texasgulf Inc. with the product being marketed by Albright & Wilson Company (a partnership between Texasgulf Inc. and Albright & Wilson Americas, Inc.). In early 1991, Rhone-Poulenc began commercial production using different solvent extraction technology. This paper compares the production and quality of thermal and purified phosphoric acid, discusses the introduction of purified acid into the marketplace, and shows that it has been accepted for all but a few low volume applications requiring unique properties.