EuroChem automates granulation process at Usolsky Potash Plant

EuroChem has implemented a digital autopilot system at the granulation section of the Usolsky Potash Plant, completing the first stage of a broader upgrade to its process control infrastructure. The solution, based on an improved process control system (UPCS), has reduced manual interventions by 85% and helped stabilize production parameters critical to fertilizer quality.

The new system automates control over key variables such as temperature, humidity, and product feed rate. These are vital to the granulation process, which affects product strength, uniformity, and overall output. Previously, deviations from set parameters required operator involvement, increasing the risk of raw material losses and energy inefficiencies. EuroChem stated the system now enables rapid response to fluctuations, significantly improving process reliability.

Developed jointly by the company’s Digital Technologies and Platforms unit and the plant’s engineering team, the system yielded an estimated economic benefit of 30 million rubles. Importantly, the deployment was carried out using the existing SCADA and HMI infrastructure, avoiding the need for new hardware and keeping implementation costs low.

“The next step is to shift the control logic to edge computing architecture and unify algorithms across plant sections,” said Alexey Belan, project manager. “This will improve fault tolerance and simplify future scaling.”

According to Nikolay Pepeliaev, head of the drying and granulation department, the automation has allowed staff to focus more on monitoring product quality. Similar digital systems are now under development for other parts of the beneficiation plant, with EuroChem also exploring opportunities to commercialize the solution externally.