Crop protection

Crop protection is the science and practice of managing plant diseases, weeds and pests that damage agricultural crops and forestry. Crop protection encompasses pesticide-based approaches such as herbicides, insecticides and fungicides, biological pest control approaches such as cover crops, trap crops and beetle banks, barrier-based approaches such as agrotextiles and bird netting, animal psychology-based approaches such as bird scarers, biotechnology-based approaches such as plant breeding and genetic modification. Studies show that every amount that is spent on pesticides for crops yields four times the amount in crops saved.

The five most used pesticides are glyphosate (soy, corn, canola and cotton), atrazine (corn), chlorpyrifos (cotton, almonds, oranges, apples, and corn), metolachlor (corn, soy, sorghum, lawns, and trees), and metam sodium (potatoes). There are many other specialty pesticides used worldwide.

Synthesis of crop protection chemicals

Many of the molecules such as organophosphate, carbamate, pyrethroid and sulfonylurea that are used in pesticides are not chlorinated chemicals. However, their production includes steps that involves chlorinated compounds such as phosphorus trichloride, thionyl chloride, propanoyl chloride and/or some chlorinated solvents.

All these chlorinated chemicals react with water and form rather large amounts of hydrochloric acid therefore the need for corrosion resistant materials of construction and corrosion resistant heat exchangers.

GAB Neumann’s process equipment

Many crop protection chemicals are produced in batch processes in mono or multipurpose plants. GAB Neumann’s annular groove graphite condensers are ideally suited for the condensation of ultra-corrosive vapors above glass lined reactors. Our graphite block heat exchangers, graphite heaters, graphite coolers, and graphite columns are also perfectly adapted to the production of crop protection chemicals. GAB Neumann has many references at the leading crop protection chemical companies.

Associated products:

Impervious graphite annular groove heavy-duty condensers

Impervious graphite annular groove partial condensers

Impervious graphite annular groove interchangers

Impervious graphite block heat exchangers

Silicon carbide shell and tube heat exchangers

Silicon carbide block heat exchangers

Silicon carbide plate heat exchangers