CF Industries plans to modify the Nitric Acid No. 3 plant and make improvements to the Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) Unit to increase production of merchant-grade nitric acid and DEF.
CF Industries image Donaldsonville
The Nitric Acid plant improvements include adding an air chiller to cool the process air supplied to the unit, which along with other improvements will allow the production of 65% nitric acid, rather than the 60% strength produced today. The DEF production improvements include the addition of a demineralized water storage tank, additional process analyzers, and pumping system upgrades to allow increased production.
A nitric acid storage tank, product pumps, and a DEF rail loading facility will be included, as these are required to store and ship the additional product.
The total investment in this expansion is around $75 million. The project is set to start in early 2024 and be completed by end of 2025.
CF Industries' Donaldsonville Complex is located on 1,400 acres along the west bank of the Mississippi River in southeastern Louisiana, halfway between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. It is the world's largest and most flexible ammonia production facility, serving customers on every continent.
Products from the facility include ammonia, granular urea, urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) and diesel exhaust fluid according to their website.
There are approximately 485 permanent employees and 500 contract employees at the Donaldsonville complex.
