In the overall process of an organic fertilizer production line, the flat die granulator plays a crucial “bridging” role. It receives the organic fertilizer raw materials from the preceding processes, after fermentation, crushing, and mixing, transforming the loose, powdery material into structurally stable granules, laying the foundation for subsequent drying, cooling, and packaging stages.
From a working principle perspective, the flat die granulator uses a motor-driven transmission mechanism to rotate the pressure rollers. When the raw material enters the machine, the pressure rollers exert extrusion force on the material, forcing it through pre-set die holes on the flat die, ultimately forming cylindrical or other shaped granules. This process requires minimal binders, relying primarily on the material’s own viscosity and extrusion force to achieve shaping, thus preserving the nutritional components of the organic fertilizer while avoiding the potential impact of chemicals on the soil.
For organic fertilizer production, the flat die granulator not only solves the problems of dust and caking during raw material transportation, but also controls the diameter and hardness of the granules by adjusting the die size and pressure roller pressure, meeting the needs of different crops and different fertilization scenarios. It is one of the indispensable core equipment in the production line.
With the large-scale development of organic fertilizer production, intelligent control has gradually become a core means of improving organic fertilizer production line stability. Compared to traditional manual monitoring, intelligent systems can precisely control key parameters, reduce operational errors, and ensure consistent finished product quality.
Intelligent control is primarily applied in three key areas: First, fermentation process monitoring. By deploying temperature, humidity, and oxygen concentration sensors, the system collects real-time data from the fermentation chamber. When parameters deviate from the appropriate range, the system automatically triggers an alarm and adjusts the turning frequency and ventilation volume to prevent under- or over-roasting of the material. Second, granulation process control. Based on changes in material moisture content, the system automatically adjusts the fertilizer granulator machine speed and binder dosage to minimize problems such as granule clumping and breakage. Third, production data management. The system automatically records operational data from each stage, creating a production ledger that facilitates process traceability and allows for optimization of process parameters through data review.
This intelligent transformation of organic fertilizer production lines does not require replacing core equipment; it is often achieved through the addition of sensors and upgraded control systems. This reduces labor costs and improves the yield of finished products, making it suitable for small and medium-sized production enterprises to implement gradually.
When selecting organic fertilizer granulation equipment, both rotary drum and disc granulators are commonly used. However, rotary drum granulators, with their multi-dimensional performance advantages, better meet the efficiency and scale requirements of modern organic fertilizer production lines. The differences between the two are primarily reflected in the following four aspects.
More flexible capacity adaptability meets the needs of large-scale production. Disc granulators are limited by the diameter of their discs, typically with an hourly output of 0.5-5 tons per unit, making them suitable only for small production lines. By adjusting the drum length and diameter, rotary drum granulators can achieve hourly outputs of 1-20 tons per unit. They meet the basic production needs of small and medium-sized enterprises as well as the large-scale production of large factories. They eliminate the need for multiple units in parallel, reducing production line floor space and equipment investment costs.
They offer greater raw material compatibility and reduce pretreatment complexity. Organic fertilizer raw materials have large fluctuations in moisture and composition. Disc granulators must maintain a moisture content of 20%-30%. They also struggle with crude fiber materials, which tend to stick to the disc and produce uneven granules. Rotary drum granulators can process materials with moisture levels of 25%-40%. Leveraging the multi-directional force of the rotating drum, they can smoothly granulate composted straw, livestock manure, and other materials without the need for additional crushing or conditioning, streamlining the process.
The resulting product is more stable and meets standardized requirements. Due to the single direction of centrifugal force, disc granulators produce pellets with a roundness of 70%-80% and large particle size variations. Rotary drum granulators, on the other hand, utilize internal rollers to guide and rotate the pellets, resulting in a fully rolling and shaping process with a roundness exceeding 90% and a precisely controlled particle size of 2-5mm. Furthermore, the granulation process is gentle, does not damage organic matter, and the pellets are of moderate strength. Transportation losses are 15%-20% lower than those from disc granulators.
Operation and maintenance are also simplified, resulting in lower long-term costs. Disc granulators require frequent manual adjustments of inclination and speed, resulting in wear and tear on the disc edges and requiring frequent replacement. Rotary drum granulators, on the other hand, utilize automated control to precisely adjust speed and feed rate, eliminating the need for manual oversight. The drum is constructed of wear-resistant stainless steel, resulting in a 40% lower failure rate and over 30% lower maintenance costs, resulting in superior long-term economics.
In summary, the advantages of the rotary drum granulator in terms of production capacity, raw material compatibility, finished product quality, and cost control make it ideally suited to the diverse needs of organic fertilizer production lines, making it an ideal choice for improving efficiency and competitiveness.
In the granulation stage of organic fertilizer production lines, rotary drum granulators are the preferred equipment for most companies due to their high adaptability to the characteristics of organic fertilizers. Their unique operating principle and performance advantages effectively address key challenges in the granulation process, ensuring product quality and production efficiency.
In terms of granulation adaptability, rotary drum granulators perfectly match the characteristics of organic fertilizer raw materials. Organic fertilizer raw materials, mostly livestock and poultry manure and composted straw, have complex compositions and contain a large amount of fiber. The rotary drum granulator uses the centrifugal force, extrusion force, and friction generated by the rotating drum to granulate loose raw materials without excessive compression, thus preventing the destruction of organic matter and functional microbial activity in the raw materials due to strong compression. The rotary drum granulator also adapts to fluctuations in raw material moisture content (it can handle raw materials with a moisture content of 25%-40%), reducing the tedious pre-treatment process.
The advantages in granulation efficiency and finished product quality are significant. The drum length and diameter of the rotary drum granulator can be flexibly designed to meet production capacity requirements. A single unit can achieve an output of 1-20 tons/hour, meeting the needs of production lines of varying sizes. Its granulation process is gentle and uniform, resulting in highly rounded granules (over 90% roundness). The particle size can be controlled between 2-5mm by adjusting the drum speed and the baffle, meeting standard requirements for organic fertilizer granules. The granules also possess moderate strength, preventing breakage during transportation while slowly disintegrating in the soil, enhancing nutrient release efficiency.
From a cost and environmental perspective, the rotary drum granulator is also competitive. Its simple structure, minimal transmission components, and low failure rate mean ongoing maintenance costs are approximately 30% lower than those of other granulation equipment (such as disc granulators and extrusion granulators). Furthermore, the granulation process does not require the addition of large amounts of binders; granulation is achieved solely through the raw material’s inherent viscosity. This reduces raw material costs while preventing the impact of foreign matter on the purity of the organic fertilizer, aligning with green production principles.
The comprehensive advantages of the rotary drum granulator in adaptability, efficiency, cost and environmental protection make it an ideal choice for the granulation link of the organic fertilizer production line, providing strong support for enterprises to achieve high-quality and high-efficiency production.
In modern agricultural production, the quality of compound fertilizers directly affects crop yields and soil health. The segregation of components in multi-component mixed products has long been a technical challenge for fertilizer manufacturers. Excitingly, advanced granulation technology has successfully solved this problem across various production systems! This process is fundamental to both a standard npk fertilizer production line and sophisticated bio organic fertilizer production, converting raw materials into uniform granules to prevent component segregation. Whether it’s a complex organic fertilizer production line or a simpler bulk blending fertilizer line, this technology ensures quality stability. It boasts wide raw material adaptability, achieving ideal granulation effects for compound fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, chemical materials, or feed, fundamentally ensuring product consistency from batch to batch.
Why Choose Granulation Technology?
The most notable advantage of granulation technology lies in its excellent granulation rate, enabling the production of various concentrations and types of fertilizer products. From organic-inorganic compound fertilizers to biofertilizers, from high-concentration compound fertilizers to special functional fertilizers, an advanced granulation production line can handle them all with ease.
Imagine your production line could flexibly switch between producing different fertilizer formulations without worrying about component segregation or quality fluctuations—this is exactly the transformative advantage brought by granulation technology!
What Key Equipment Does a Complete NPK Fertilizer Production Line Include?
A complete modern NPK fertilizer production line is a perfect combination of multiple precision equipment:
Automatic batching machine– Precisely controls various material ratios
Belt conveyor– Achieves efficient and smooth material transportation
Mixer– Ensures thorough and uniform mixing of raw materials
Crusher– Processes materials to ideal particle size
Rotary drum granulator– Core granulation equipment for high-quality granule formation
Dryer– Removes excess moisture from granules
Cooler– Cools granules for subsequent processing
Screening machine– Grades and selects qualified granules
Coating machine– Enhances granule performance and prevents caking
Automatic packing machine– Achieves efficient and precise product packaging
This highly automated production line not only significantly improves production efficiency but, more importantly, ensures every fertilizer granule meets strict quality standards. From raw material processing to finished product packaging, every step is carefully designed to guarantee product consistency and reliability.
For fertilizer manufacturers pursuing excellence, investing in such a modern NPK fertilizer production line is undoubtedly a wise choice to enhance product competitiveness and win market share!
In response to the need for industrial upgrading, the new type organic fertilizer granulator (models YSL-60 to YSL-150) was developed by the Agricultural Machinery Research Institute. Leveraging its accumulated experience in compound fertilizer processing and its unique mixing and granulation method, it has become a practical device for granule production in various fields.
In terms of core technology, the new type organic fertilizer granulator utilizes high-speed rotating stirring teeth to stir, impact, and tumble the mixed material within the granulation drum. Friction, centrifugal force, and the material’s viscosity aggregate the material into granules, eliminating the need for complex extrusion equipment and making it suitable for high-viscosity or fibrous materials. Performance parameters include a production capacity of 1-8 tons/hour, motor power of 37-90 kW, and granule diameter of 1-5 mm. The YSL-60 produces 1-2 tons per hour, making it suitable for small and medium-sized operations; the YSL-150 produces 5-8 tons per hour, making it suitable for large-scale production.
It has a wide range of applications. In the fertilizer sector, livestock and poultry manure, straw, and other materials can be transformed into organic, bio-organic, and compound microbial fertilizers, eliminating caking issues while preserving bacterial activity and producing medium and trace element fertilizers. In the chemical industry, it can be used to granulate sticky raw materials; in the pharmaceutical industry, it can process traditional Chinese medicine granules; and in the feed industry, it can produce livestock and aquatic feed, achieving a “one machine for multiple uses.”
The core advantages are significant. Granulated particles are round and uniform, with good flowability, and are less prone to clumping during storage and transportation. Operation is simple, requiring only training. The low motor power and operating costs make the equipment affordable, making it suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises. Furthermore, it preserves fertilizer activity, extending its shelf life to 8-12 months, promoting the recycling of organic waste and achieving both economic and environmental benefits.
Daily maintenance requires three key points: regular inspections: daily inspection of the feed mechanism and transmission system; weekly inspection of agitator tooth wear; monthly bolt tightening and motor temperature monitoring; cleaning the granulation drum after production; lubricating transmission components according to specifications, and timely replacement of worn parts to ensure stable equipment operation.
This new type organic fertilizer granulator, with its multiple advantages in technology, performance and application, is providing strong support for production upgrades in agriculture, chemical industry, medicine, feed and other fields.
In fertilizer production, granular fertilizers are widely used due to their advantages such as ease of application and uniform nutrient release. The differences in equipment selection between wet and dry granulation directly impact fertilizer quality and production efficiency, requiring precise matching based on fertilizer characteristics.
In the fertilizer industry, wet granulation focuses on “liquid-solid granulation,” and equipment selection is designed around nutrient dissolution and granule solidification. Key equipment is a rotary drum granulator or disc granulator. A rotary drum granulator uses a rotating, tilted drum to mix fertilizer powder with liquid raw materials such as phosphoric acid and ammonia, forming granules through the bonding force between the materials. This makes it suitable for producing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium compound fertilizers, ensuring uniform coating of multiple nutrients. A disc granulator uses high-speed rotation to generate centrifugal force, which forces the material and binder to form spherical granules. This makes it suitable for fertilizers such as organic fertilizers that require a fluffy structure. A drum fertilizer dryer is required to remove excess moisture from the granules using hot air, preventing fertilizer clumping and nutrient loss. This is a hallmark of wet granulation in the fertilizer industry.
Dry granulation requires no liquid addition, and the equipment used focuses on “physical extrusion shaping,” making it more suitable for heat-sensitive or water-soluble fertilizers. The core equipment is a double roller press granulator, which uses a pair of rollers to press fertilizer powder into dense flakes. This is then crushed and sieved to form granules, preventing moisture from deliquescing in fertilizers like urea and ammonium nitrate, while also minimizing nutrient volatilization. Some high-hardness raw materials require a crusher to pre-process the lumpy fertilizer into a fine powder to ensure uniform feeding. Dry granulation eliminates the need for drying equipment, streamlines the process, and preserves water-soluble nutrients, making it suitable for producing water-soluble or slow-release fertilizers.
When selecting fertilizers, wet granulation equipment is preferred for producing compound fertilizers requiring high nutrient content. Dry granulation equipment is more suitable for processing heat-sensitive, soluble fertilizers. Wet granulation equipment also consumes more energy and is suitable for large-scale production, while dry granulation equipment occupies less space and is more suitable for small- to medium-volume production of specialty fertilizers.
The ring die granulator is a core piece of equipment in organic fertilizer production lines. Its performance directly affects pellet formation rate, production efficiency, and product quality. Optimizing it not only increases output but also cuts energy use and lowers maintenance costs.
1.Die Hole Size and Compression Ratio Adjust hole size based on material properties: Different organic raw materials (like livestock manure, straw, or sludge) have varying viscosity and moisture levels, requiring different hole sizes (typically 2.5–6 mm). Optimize compression ratio: Too high a ratio increases energy use; too low affects pellet hardness. Adjust based on material (generally 1:5–1:8). 2.Raw Material Moisture and Fineness Control moisture at 20%–30%: Too high causes clogging; too low hampers shaping. Adjust through drying or water spraying. Keep particle size ≤1mm: Finer material improves granulation, reduces return rate, and boosts output.
3.Roller and Die Compatibility Set roller gap (0.1–0.3mm): Too wide lowers forming rate; too narrow speeds up wear. Check roller wear regularly: Uneven wear causes inconsistent pellets. Replace or repair promptly. 4.High-Quality Wear-Resistant Materials Use alloy steel or carburized rings to improve wear resistance and extend service life. Apply surface hardening to rollers to reduce friction and replacement frequency.
By rationally adjusting the ring die parameters, optimizing raw material processing, and strengthening equipment maintenance, the output and stability of the fertilizer granulator can be significantly improved. This improves efficiency while lowering operating costs, delivering greater value for producers.
Organic fertilizer production lines use scientific processes to transform agricultural and livestock waste into high-quality fertilizer, achieving resource recycling. The entire production process revolves around four core steps: raw material processing – composting – forming – packaging, and each step directly impacts fertilizer quality.
The first step is raw material pretreatment. The production line collects raw materials such as livestock manure, straw, and mushroom residue, and uses screening equipment to remove impurities such as stones and plastic to prevent them from affecting subsequent processes. Next, a crusher is used to pulverize the straw and other coarse fiber materials to a particle size of 5-10mm. The material is then mixed with livestock manure in a ratio of approximately 3:7. A small amount of fermentation inoculant is added, adjusting the carbon-nitrogen ratio to 25:1-30:1 and controlling the moisture content to 50%-60%, laying the foundation for fermentation and composting.
The second step is fermentation and composting. The mixed raw materials are transported to the fermentation workshop and stacked in windrow or tank-type fermentation equipment. During the fermentation process, a compost turning machine regularly turns the material to ensure adequate oxygen and regulate the temperature. The entire fermentation cycle lasts approximately 20-30 days. After composting, the material transforms into a dark brown, odorless humus. It then passes through a cooling device to a temperature below 30°C to prevent nutrient loss during subsequent processing. The third step is further processing and shaping. The cooled composted material is first crushed to a particle size of 2-3mm in a fine grinder. It is then mixed with a small amount of auxiliary materials such as bentonite and humic acid in a mixer to enhance the fertilizer’s stability. The material then enters the granulation stage, where a rotary drum or disc granulator physically agglomerates the material into 2-5mm granules. The granules are then dried (controlled at 60-80°C) to reduce moisture to below 15%, cooled in a cooler, and screened to separate unqualified particles. The fine powder is then returned to the granulator for reuse. The finished product is then packaged. Qualified pellets are transported to the packaging workshop, where an automatic packaging machine weighs and seals them into 25kg or 50kg packages, producing finished organic fertilizer. In short, the organic fertilizer production line, through standardized and mechanized full-process control, efficiently transforms waste into high-quality fertilizer, contributing to environmental protection while providing green nutrients for agriculture.
Organic fertilizer production is an ecological cycle of “turning waste into treasure.” Organic fertilizer production lines transform agricultural waste into nutrients that nourish the soil, and the entire process is guided by a green and environmentally friendly philosophy. The first step in production is the collection and mixing of raw materials. Common raw materials include plant residues such as crop straw, rice husks, and peanut shells, as well as livestock manure such as chicken, cow, and sheep manure. These raw materials must be strategically combined to achieve a carbon-to-nitrogen ratio of approximately 30:1, for example, a straw-to-manure ratio of approximately 3:1. A small amount of wood ash is added to adjust the pH and create a suitable environment for microbial activity. Next, the fermentation and composting stage begins, the core of organic fertilizer production. The mixed raw materials are transferred to a fermentation silo where they are regularly stirred by a turning device to maintain a temperature of 55-65°C. This temperature not only kills pathogens, insect eggs, and weed seeds, but also stimulates microbial activity. After 20-30 days of composting, the raw materials will gradually darken and soften, emitting a faint earthy odor, indicating that the organic matter has been fully decomposed. The composted material needs to be refined. First, it is crushed into a fine powder by a crusher to remove impurities and large particles. Then it enters the granulation stage, where a granulator is used to make the powder into granules with a diameter of 2-5 mm for easy storage and application. Finally, it is screened by a screening device to separate the qualified granules, and the unqualified crushed materials are returned for reprocessing. The finished product also undergoes quality inspection, testing for organic matter content, pH, and heavy metal content to ensure compliance with national standards. Qualified organic fertilizer granules are uniform, have a moderate moisture content (approximately 20%), and slowly release trace elements such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and calcium and magnesium. The entire production process utilizes agricultural waste as a resource, addressing environmental pollution while replenishing natural nutrients to the soil. This “take from the field, return to the field” model is the key to the sustainable development of organic agriculture.
