Prilled Urea is a widely used urea fertilizer and industrial chemical characterized by small spherical particles (diameter 0.85-3.35mm). It is produced through a granulation process: molten urea is sprayed into the granulation tower to cool and form solid pellets, which offer unique advantages such as uniform particle size, good flowability, and easy handling. But what are the uses of Prilled Urea?
This article provides a detailed breakdown of its core applications in agriculture, industry, and other fields, explaining the reasons why it has become a key material in the global supply chain.
The main use of Prilled Urea is as a nitrogen fertilizer, which is crucial for supporting global crop growth. Its nitrogen content is as high as 46%, making it the most nitrogen-rich among common solid fertilizers and an efficient choice for farmers.
Crop nutrition supply: providing essential nitrogen elements for plants, promoting branch and leaf growth, photosynthesis, and yield increase. Suitable for cereal crops (wheat, rice, corn), oilseed crops (soybeans, rapeseed), vegetables, fruits, and cash crops (cotton, sugarcane).
Soil improvement: Correcting the problem of soil nitrogen deficiency, especially suitable for intensive planting systems – repeated cultivation can lead to soil nutrient depletion, and supplementing Prilled Urea can quickly restore soil fertility.
Application method:
Spread (by manual or mechanical fertilizer spreader): Suitable for large-scale crops such as wheat and corn.
Side application (applied near plant roots): reduces nitrogen loss and improves absorption efficiency.
Drip irrigation fertilization (dissolved in irrigation water): suitable for greenhouse crops and high-value fruits and vegetables.
Uniform distribution: Spherical particles can flow evenly through the fertilizer spreader, ensuring consistent nitrogen distribution in the field.
Quick effect: Quickly dissolves in soil moisture, releasing nitrogen for immediate absorption by plants – crucial for seasonal crop growth cycles.
High cost-effectiveness: Compared to low nitrogen fertilizers, high nitrogen content reduces transportation and application costs.
The chemical properties of Prilled Urea (high purity, solubility, and reactivity) make it valuable in multiple industrial fields, accounting for approximately 20% of global usage.
Resin production is a key raw material for urea-formaldehyde resin (UF) and melamine-formaldehyde resin (MF). These resins are used for particleboard, plywood, furniture, adhesives, and coatings – thanks to Prilled Urea’s stable quality and ease of handling.
Plasticizers and additives: used in the production of urea-based plasticizers, flame retardants, and stabilizers, applied in the plastics and textile industries.
Synthesis of nitrogen-containing compounds: used as precursors for manufacturing ammonium nitrate (explosives, mining industry), cyanamide (pesticides, pharmaceuticals), and other nitrogen-containing chemicals.
Provide non protein nitrogen (NPN) for ruminant animals (cattle, sheep, goats). Rumen microorganisms can convert urea into protein, reducing dependence on expensive protein feed such as soybean meal.
Strict quality control ensures that Prilled Urea meets feed-grade standards (low impurities) and prevents animal poisoning.
Denitrification treatment: used in sewage treatment plants to remove nitrogen-containing pollutants (nitrates) from industrial and urban wastewater, preventing eutrophication of water bodies.
Flue gas desulfurization: mixed with water to form urea solution, used to reduce sulfur dioxide (SO₂) emissions from power plants and industrial boilers.
De-icing agent: mixed with salt to lower the freezing point of the de-icing solution, applied to airports and roads (less corrosive than pure salt).
Concrete additive: improves concrete workability and adjusts the setting time (inhibits early cement hydration) in construction projects.
Highly hygroscopic, it needs to be stored in a dry, well-ventilated environment and in a sealed container to prevent clumping.
Avoid contact with strong acids/bases (which may release ammonia) and stay away from high temperatures (molten urea may cause burns).
In the field of agriculture, apply when the soil is moist (aiding in dissolution), avoiding excessive application (which may lead to nitrogen leaching or crop burning).
Industrial sector: Use feed-grade or industrial-grade Prilled Urea (rather than agricultural grade) to meet purity requirements for resin, feed, or chemical production.
Agricultural use: immediately plow into the soil or water after application to reduce ammonia volatilization (greenhouse gas).
Industrial use: Choose low-emission processes (such as controlled resin production) to reduce environmental footprint.
Q1: Can Prilled Urea be used for organic agriculture?
A1: It is not possible. Organic agriculture prohibits the use of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers such as urea and is only applicable to traditional and integrated planting systems.
Q2: Is Prilled Urea suitable for hydroponic cultivation?
A2: Applicable – but requires the use of high-purity (industrial grade) Prilled Urea. Dissolve it in water to provide nitrogen for hydroponic crops, but control the amount to avoid nutrient imbalance.
Q3: Can prilled urea replace prilled urea in all scenarios?
A3: It is not possible. prilled urea is more suitable for no-till agriculture or areas with high rainfall (slow dissolution rate, reduced leaching); Prilled Urea has greater advantages for casting and quick-effect scenarios.
Q4: What is the shelf life of Prilled Urea?
A4: If stored properly (dry, sealed), it can be stored indefinitely. The agglomerated Prilled Urea can still be used after being crushed and reprocessed.
Q5:Can prilled urea be used in humid environments?
A5:Due to the extremely fast dissolution rate of urea, if it is not mixed (plowed) into very humid soil, the application of Prilled Urea will cause volatilization, and the nitrogen in it will escape into the atmosphere in the form of ammonia gas.
Q6:Is it the same as the urea used in skincare creams?
A6:The chemical composition is the same, but the purity of urea used in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals is much higher than that of urea used in agricultural pellets.
Prilled Urea is an efficient fertilizer used in crop fertilization, resin production, chemical engineering, and environmental protection. Its unique characteristics – uniform particle size, fast dissolution, and high cost-effectiveness – make it indispensable in multiple industries.
Whether farmers hope to increase crop yields, manufacturers produce adhesives, or wastewater treatment plant managers manage pollution, Prilled Urea can provide reliable performance. With increasing global demand for nitrogen-containing products, its key position as a multifunctional, easily accessible material will continue to solidify.
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