Author: organic fertilizer production line

The application of disc granulators in the agricultural field has had a significant impact on fertilizer production and use, manifested in the following aspects:

1. Improve fertilizer utilization efficiency:

The fertilizer particles produced by the disc granulator have uniform size and shape, which is beneficial for crop absorption and utilization.

Uniform particle size reduces fertilizer loss in the soil and improves fertilizer utilization efficiency.

2. Promote the resource utilization of organic waste:

The disc granulators can convert organic waste such as livestock manure and crop straw into organic fertilizers, reducing dependence on chemical fertilizers.

This transformation not only reduces environmental pollution, but also improves the recycling rate of resources.

3. Improve soil structure:

The application of organic fertilizers helps improve soil structure, increase soil organic matter content, and enhance soil water holding capacity and aeration.

This helps with crop growth, improves crop yield and quality.

4. Reduce the negative impact of fertilizers on the environment:

By replacing some chemical fertilizers, the organic fertilizers produced by disc granulators help reduce the pollution of fertilizers on soil and water bodies.

Reduced the excessive use of fertilizers, lowered the risk of pesticide residues and groundwater pollution.

5. Promoting sustainable agricultural development:

The application of disc granulators has promoted the sustainable development of agriculture, achieving a win-win situation between agricultural production and environmental protection by recycling agricultural waste.

This production model helps reduce agriculture’s dependence on external resources and achieve self-sufficiency in agriculture.

6. Increase farmers’ income:

The application of disc granulators can increase farmers’ income sources, and by selling organic fertilizers, farmers can obtain additional economic benefits.

Meanwhile, due to the increase in crop yield and quality, the overall economic benefits of farmers have also been enhanced.

In summary, the application of disc granulators in agriculture has played a positive role in improving fertilizer utilization, promoting resource recycling, improving soil structure, reducing environmental pollution, and promoting sustainable agricultural development.

There are significant differences in the working principles between the conversion granulator and the roller extrusion granulator, which directly affect their respective work efficiency, product quality, and applicable raw material types:

The working principle of the conversion granulator:

The core component of the conversion granulator is a rotating disk, which is commonly referred to as the “conversion”.

The raw materials are evenly spread on the rotating converter through the feeding device.

As the conversion rotates, the raw materials begin to roll and collide under the action of gravity and centrifugal force, gradually forming wet particles.

These wet particles then fall onto the sieve below, and the pore size of the sieve determines the final particle size.

The raw materials that have not passed the sieve will return to the conversion process and continue to form new particles.

The size and humidity of particles can be precisely controlled by controlling the rotational speed of the stock transfer, the feeding rate and the water supply of the spray system.

The working principle of the roller extrusion granulator:

The counter roller extrusion granulator consists of a pair of rollers that rotate in opposite directions, which are commonly referred to as “counter rollers”.

The raw materials are evenly fed between the rollers through the feeding hopper.

The rotation of the roller generates strong squeezing force, which squeezes the raw material into strips or sheets.

As the raw materials continue to advance, these strip-shaped or sheet-like materials form particles under the pressure of the rollers.

The formed particles are then cut to the desired size by a cutting device.

The gap between the rollers can be adjusted to accommodate different sizes of raw materials and production requirements.

By controlling the speed, pressure, and feeding rate of the rollers, the hardness and density of the particles can be adjusted.

Differences in working principles:

The conversion granulator mainly relies on centrifugal force to form particles, while the roller extrusion granulator mainly relies on mechanical extrusion force.

The conversion granulator is suitable for processing wet or semi wet raw materials, while the roller extrusion granulator is more suitable for dry raw materials.

The roller extrusion granulator can produce harder and denser particles, while the particles produced by the conversion granulator are relatively softer and looser.

The production efficiency of the roller extrusion granulator is usually higher than that of the conversion granulator, but the energy consumption is also relatively high.

According to different production needs and raw material characteristics, a suitable granulator can be selected to achieve the best production effect.

The manufacturing of NPK fertilizer is mainly the mixing of different chemical fertilizer raw materials, and the most important step in the process of producing organic fertilizer from livestock manure is composting and fermentation. Nowadays, with the development of Industrial Science and technology, fertilizer plants often choose compost turner to replace labor.

The organic fertilizer production line adopts compost turner equipment, which has larger production capacity, lower production cost and guaranteed fertilizer quality. So how do these turner machines carry out composting and fermentation?

Ground fermentation turning machine
Corn flour can be added into the fermentation products to increase sugar content for the fermentation of bacteria, so that the multi-dimensional complex enzyme bacteria quickly take the advantage. The stirred ingredients are piled into long piles with a width of 1.5m-2m and a bottom of 0.8m-1m, covered with sacks for aerobic fermentation. Then feed the mixed material into the mixer for mixing. The mixing must be even and thorough, and there is no dead block left. Then add the corn flour war fungus. As usual, 45% dew is required for fermentation, that is, the feet are pinched into a ball, and there is water between the fingers, but there is no dripping water. It can be collected as soon as you let go. The windrow turner machine regularly stirs the fermented product. This fermentation method is more suitable for individuals or small businesses. In the processing of organic fertilizer, the trough compost turning machine is more widely used.Trough compost turning machine

In terms of the fermentation process, the temperature on the first day of composting can reach 60 degrees Celsius to 80 degrees Celsius, which can kill E. coli, insect eggs and other pests; the second day eliminates the smell of chicken manure; the third day compost becomes loose, dry and less Modest red mycelium; on the fourth day, a kind of koji fragrance is recovered; on the fifth day, the bacterial fertilizer will be fermented and mature, and the bag can be unpacked and shipped out of the factory after a little reduction and drying. It is heated in one day, odorless in two days, loose in three days, fragrant in four days, and fertilizer in five days. The organic matter content of the green ecological organic fertilizer is above 45%, which is a kind of organic fertilizer with comprehensive nutrients.

The following measures can be taken to prevent material agglomeration when the disc granulator is stopped:

Control the humidity of raw materials:

Before shutting down, try to remove excess moisture from the raw materials as much as possible, but do not let them become too dry, so as not to affect the granulation effect during the next start-up.

If the humidity of the raw materials is high, it is possible to consider using desiccants or heating equipment for pretreatment.

Adjust the sieve appropriately:

Before stopping the disc granulator, the aperture of the sieve can be appropriately increased to reduce the residence time of materials on the sieve, thereby reducing the chance of agglomeration.

Ensure that the sieve is clean and unobstructed to facilitate the smooth passage of materials.

Use anti caking agent:

Adding an appropriate amount of anti caking agents such as diatomaceous earth, starch, etc. to the raw materials can effectively prevent material clumping.

Regularly clean equipment:

During shutdown, regularly clean the interior of the equipment, especially the parts that are prone to clumping, such as feeding ports, screens, and granulation chambers.

Use appropriate tools such as scrapers or soft brushes to gently clean away clumped materials.

Control downtime:

Try to shorten the downtime as much as possible, reduce the residence time of materials in the equipment, and thus reduce the risk of agglomeration.

Reasonably design shutdown procedures:

Before shutting down, gradually reduce the speed and feeding amount of the disc granulator to allow the equipment to transition slowly to a stop state, avoiding material clumping caused by sudden stops.

Storage conditions:

If possible, store unused raw materials in a dry and well ventilated place to avoid clumping caused by moisture.

By implementing the above measures, it is possible to effectively prevent material agglomeration during the shutdown of the granulator, and maintain the normal operation and production efficiency of the equipment.

The use of conversion granulators or roller extrusion granulators to produce granular fertilizers will have different effects on the physical properties and production process of the final product:

1. Physical properties of the product:

Conversion granulator:

The produced particles usually have good fluidity and uniformity because they are formed on a rotating disk, which helps to produce particles with regular shapes and consistent sizes.

The surface of the particles may not be as smooth as that of a roller extrusion granulator, and sometimes there may be some cracks or incomplete molding.

Due to the effect of centrifugal force, the density of particles may be lower, but the density and hardness of particles can be optimized by adjusting process parameters.

Roll squeezing granulator:

The produced particles usually have high density and hardness because they are squeezed between two rotating rollers, which helps to produce dense and uniform particles.

The particle shape is regular, usually cylindrical or square, with a smooth surface and no cracks.

Due to the possibility of high temperatures during the extrusion process, it is necessary to pay attention to controlling the thermal stability of the raw materials to avoid thermal decomposition or loss of nutrients.

2. Production process:

Conversion granulator:

The production process is relatively mild, and the raw materials experience less shear force on the rotating disk, making it suitable for handling heat sensitive or fragile raw materials.

It can handle wet and dry materials, but for highly viscous raw materials, desiccants may need to be added to reduce adhesion.

The energy consumption during the production process is relatively low.

Roll squeezing granulator:

During the production process, a large amount of pressure is required to squeeze the raw materials, which may cause local overheating of the raw materials. It is necessary to control the temperature of the raw materials to prevent thermal damage.

The gap between the rollers can be adjusted to meet the production needs of different particle sizes.

The energy consumption during the production process is relatively high, especially when dealing with hard or high viscosity raw materials.

3. Applicability:

Conversion granulator:

Suitable for producing various types of granular fertilizers, including organic fertilizers, inorganic fertilizers, compound fertilizers, etc., as well as special fertilizers that require maintaining a certain shape and particle size uniformity.

For materials with strong viscosity or fragility, pre-treatment or the addition of additives may be necessary to improve the molding effect.

Roll squeezing granulator:

Specially suitable for producing granular fertilizers with high hardness and density, such as organic-inorganic compound fertilizers, slow-release/controlled-release fertilizers, etc.

For highly viscous raw materials, it may be necessary to add desiccants or pretreatment to improve the molding effect.

4. Economy and sustainability:

Conversion granulator:

Due to the low energy consumption in the production process and wide adaptability to raw materials, the conversion granulator performs well in terms of economy and sustainability.

Energy consumption can be further reduced by recycling and reusing waste heat from the production process.

Roll squeezing granulator:

Although the production efficiency is relatively high, due to high energy consumption, the roller extrusion granulator may be slightly inferior to the conversion granulator in terms of economy and sustainability.

However, for certain special types of fertilizer production that require high-density and high hardness particles, a roller extrusion granulator may be a more economical choice.

When choosing which granulator to use, the characteristics of raw materials, expected product quality, production costs, and environmental impact should be comprehensively considered. For most conventional pellet fertilizer production, the conversion granulator is widely used due to its low energy consumption and good applicability. The roller extrusion granulator plays an important role in producing high-density and high hardness granular fertilizers.

Rotary drum dryers are professionally used in the manufacturing of NPK fertilizer and organic fertilizer processing. The dried and cooled fertilizers are suitable for storage and transportation, and will not deteriorate due to excessive humidity.

Working process of Rotary drum dryers

The fertilizer to be dried enters into the receiving tank of the drum dryer from the high-level tank. The material is attached to the surface of the drum by the film distributing device. There is a heating medium in the drum, and the material is heat transferred by the simple wall during the rotation of the drum to make it vaporized. In one rotation cycle, the rolling cylinder completes the process of film distribution, vaporization and dehydration. The dried materials are scraped off by a scraper and sent to the finished product storage tank by a conveyor, and finally crushed or directly packed. The water evaporated in heat transfer can be introduced into the corresponding treatment device for dust capture or emission according to its nature.

When the dryer can meet the output of organic fertilizer production line, the drying effect is not good, most of the internal structure is unreasonable, or the cylinder length is not enough. Although these are not big problems, they affect the interests of users to a great extent. The solution is to reasonably adjust the internal lifting plate and length according to the material demand. The lifting plate can increase the contact area between the diffusion material and hot gas, and the increase of cylinder length can prolong the drying time.

During the granulation process using a disc granulator, the following common issues may be encountered:

Uneven particle size:

Reason: Inconsistent humidity of raw materials, unsuitable disc speed, clogged or damaged screen mesh.

Solution: Adjust the humidity of the raw materials to a suitable level, optimize the disc speed of the disc granulator, clean or replace the screen mesh.

Poor particle shape:

Reason: Uneven particle size of raw materials, too fast or too slow disc rotation speed, improper amount of adhesive used.

Solution: Optimize the particle size distribution of raw materials, adjust the disc speed to a suitable level, and adjust the amount of adhesive used.

Low production:

Reason: Insufficient feeding of raw materials, low disc speed, and small mesh size.

Solution: Increase the feeding amount of raw materials, increase the disc speed, and replace the appropriate screen mesh.

Equipment blockage:

Reason: The humidity of the raw materials is too high, the viscosity of the raw materials is too high, and the mesh size is not suitable.

Solution: Reduce the humidity of raw materials, adjust the amount of adhesive used, and replace the appropriate screen mesh.

Equipment wear and tear:

Reason: Long term high load operation, high hardness of raw materials, and improper maintenance.

Solution: Regularly shut down for rest, choose components made of wear-resistant materials, and strengthen daily maintenance.

High temperature:

Reason: Long term continuous operation, cooling system failure, high ambient temperature.

Solution: Regularly shut down for rest, inspect and repair the cooling system, and improve the working environment.

Excessive energy consumption:

Reason: Low equipment efficiency, improper operation, and untimely maintenance.

Solution: Optimize the operation process, regularly maintain the disc granulator, and choose high-efficiency and energy-saving equipment.

Excessive noise:

Reason: Equipment aging, loose components, improper maintenance, etc.

Solution: Regularly inspect fasteners, replace worn parts, and strengthen equipment maintenance.

Excessive dust:

Reasons: Raw material drying, screening process, poor equipment sealing, etc.

Solution: Increase raw material humidity, optimize screening system, and improve equipment sealing performance.

Complex operation:

Reason: Insufficient proficiency in equipment operation, lack of effective training, etc.

Solution: Provide sufficient training and guidance to ensure that operators are familiar with equipment operation and maintenance.

By analyzing and solving these common problems, the efficiency and product quality of the disc granulator can be effectively improved, while extending the service life of the equipment.

The fertilizer produced by the disc granulator has the following characteristics:

Particle shape rules:

The disc granulator can usually produce round or nearly round particles with a relatively regular shape, which is conducive to mechanized sowing and fertilization.

Adjustable particle size:

By adjusting the rotation speed of the disc and the aperture of the sieve, particles of different sizes can be produced to meet the needs of different crops and soil conditions.

High strength and moderate hardness:

The fertilizer granules produced by the disc granulator have a certain mechanical strength, which can resist crushing during transportation and use, and have moderate hardness, making it easy for crop roots to absorb.

Good uniformity:

Due to the uniform mixing and rolling of raw materials on the disc, the nutrient distribution of the produced fertilizer particles is uniform, which is conducive to the balanced absorption of nutrients by crops.

Wide applicability:

Suitable for producing various types of fertilizers such as organic fertilizers, compound fertilizers, and slow-release/controlled-release fertilizers, it has a wide range of applicability.

High production efficiency:

The production efficiency of the disc granulator is relatively high, and it can produce a large amount of fertilizer particles in a short period of time.

Low energy consumption:

Compared to other granulation technologies, the disc granulator has lower energy consumption during the production process, which is beneficial for energy conservation.

environment protection

It can effectively utilize agricultural waste and industrial by-products, reduce environmental pollution, and reduce excessive use of fertilizers, which is conducive to sustainable agricultural development.

Easy to store and transport:

The formed fertilizer particles have a relatively small volume, light weight, and are easy to store and transport, reducing logistics costs.

Strong market competitiveness:

Due to the aforementioned advantages of its fertilizers, it has strong competitiveness in the market and can meet the needs of different customers.

At present, the manufacturing of NPK fertilizer is almost all automatic configuration, and the organic fertilizer production process is basically realized by mechanical equipment. The fertilizer production process is relatively strict. Before operation, it must be controlled according to the strict control process, so as to give full play to the energy efficiency of the equipment and achieve twice the result with half the effort.

The development of organic fertilizer equipment is getting faster and faster, especially in recent years, in view of the prominent problems in China’s agricultural production such as excessive use of fertilizer, low efficiency, and declining quality of cultivated land, the main goal of bio-organic fertilizer production equipment is to reduce the use of fertilizer, improve the quality of cultivated land, and realize the industrialization of new and efficient bio-fertilizer.

In the operation of fertilizer equipment, before the initial start-up of the machine, the machine should be debugged, especially rotary drum granulator, dryer, cooler and other equipment. During debugging, proper tools should be used. And when removing components, do not use too much force to avoid damage to parts. After debugging, the loose parts should be tightened

In order to make fertilizer production equipment perform better functions, it is not only normal control process, but also need to carry out regular inspection and maintenance to prevent unnecessary problems during operation.

The maintenance of the disc granulator after granulation mainly includes the following aspects:

1. Cleaning work:

After the disc granulator stops, first turn off the power, then open the machine door and take out the remaining raw materials and particles.

Use appropriate tools (such as soft brushes, compressed air, etc.) to remove residues inside the granulator, especially the sieve and feeding port, to prevent blockage and corrosion.

Cleaning the surface of the machine, removing dust and dirt, and keeping the equipment clean can help ensure normal start-up and operation for the next use.

2. Inspection and fastening:

Check all fasteners of the machine to ensure there is no looseness. If necessary, use a torque wrench to tighten again.

Check the transmission parts, including gears, chains, and belts, to ensure they are not worn or broken, and lubricate them if necessary.

3. Lubrication and maintenance:

Lubricate all parts that require lubrication, such as bearings, gears, etc., using recommended lubricating oil or grease.

Check if the lubrication system is working properly and ensure that the lubricating oil flow and pressure meet the requirements.

4. Electrical system inspection:

Inspect the electrical control cabinet to ensure that all wires are securely connected and free from erosion or corrosion.

Check electrical components such as contactors, relays, sensors, etc. to ensure they are working properly and not damaged.

5. Inspection of worn parts:

Regularly inspect vulnerable parts such as screens, blades, hammers, etc., and determine whether replacement is necessary based on the degree of wear.

For severely worn components, they should be replaced in a timely manner to avoid affecting the normal operation and production efficiency of the equipment.

6. Storage and Protection:

After maintenance is completed, store the equipment in a dry and ventilated environment to avoid moisture and corrosion.

For equipment stored outdoors, it should be covered with rainproof cloth to prevent rainwater from entering.

7. Record and track:

Record the date, content, and replaced parts of each maintenance, and establish a maintenance file.

Based on maintenance records, develop subsequent maintenance plans and preventive maintenance measures.

Through the above maintenance steps, it can be ensured that the disc granulator receives appropriate maintenance after granulation is completed, extending the service life of the equipment and ensuring production efficiency and product quality.