The rotary drum granulator, with its strong adaptability to various materials and high granulation rate, has become a core piece of equipment in organic fertilizer production lines. It can process organic materials from multiple sources, covering various fields such as livestock farming, agriculture, and industrial processing.
Livestock and poultry manure is the most common suitable material, including chicken manure, pig manure, cow manure, and sheep manure. These materials are rich in basic nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. After fermentation and composting, they have a loose texture and a certain viscosity, which meets the granulation requirements of the rotary drum granulator. The rotating agitation of the drum allows the manure material to be fully mixed with auxiliary materials, resulting in granules with moderate strength, effectively solving the problems of seedling burning and environmental pollution caused by the direct application of livestock and poultry manure.
Agricultural straw materials can also be processed by the rotary drum granulator, such as corn stalks, wheat stalks, and rice stalks. Straw is rich in cellulose and organic matter. After crushing and fermentation, it needs to be used in combination with viscous materials such as livestock and poultry manure. The rolling granulation of the drum allows the straw powder to be evenly coated and formed, which not only increases the organic matter content of the organic fertilizer but also realizes the resource utilization of agricultural waste.
In addition, the rotary drum granulator can also process industrial organic waste materials, such as distiller’s grains, vinegar residue, furfural residue, and pharmaceutical waste. These materials are rich in nutrients, but their composition is complex and their moisture content fluctuates greatly. The rotary drum granulator can adapt to the characteristics of different wastes by adjusting the rotation speed and material ratio, converting them into qualified organic fertilizer granules. At the same time, urban and rural organic waste such as kitchen waste and garden fallen leaves, after sorting and fermentation, can also be granulated and recycled through the rotary drum granulator.
NPK compound fertilizers, widely used in modern agricultural production, undergo a precise and systematic industrial processing procedure. From basic chemical raw materials to uniformly shaped granules, this NPK fertilizer production line integrates chemical synthesis and physical processing technologies, forming a standardized manufacturing system.
Production begins with the precise measurement and synthesis reaction of raw materials. Different proportions of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium base materials undergo chemical reactions under controlled conditions to generate a complex containing the target nutrients. This chemical stage establishes the core nutrient content and ratio of the product.
The synthesized slurry then enters the crucial physical molding stage. The rotary drum granulator plays a vital role in this process. By precisely controlling temperature and humidity, these granules achieve a stable physical morphology, preparing them for subsequent processing.
The newly generated granules require complete post-processing. After drying and cooling, the sieving process grades the granules according to their specifications. At this point, lumps with excessively large particle sizes are returned to the previous process, re-crushed in a fertilizer crusher, and then re-granulated. This cycle ensures high raw material utilization and uniform product particle size.
It is worth mentioning that some of the large-particle base fertilizers obtained after drying and screening can be used as raw materials to directly enter another flexible production path—through bulk blending fertilizer machines, they can be quickly and physically mixed with other single-element fertilizers or micronutrients according to actual field needs to produce customized blended fertilizers.
The combination of a cage crusher and a cyclone dust collector is a golden combination for the pretreatment of raw materials in fertilizer production. It achieves both fine crushing of large raw materials and efficient dust collection, purifying the production environment. It is widely applicable to the processing of raw materials for various fertilizers, including organic fertilizers and compound fertilizers, and is especially suitable for large-scale production scenarios requiring strict dust pollution control.
Core Equipment Functions and Synergistic Advantages
Cage Crusher: The Core Equipment for Precise Raw Material Crushing
Working Principle: Utilizing a “double-cage rotor collision + shearing” crushing mode, the inner and outer cage bars are driven by a motor to rotate at high speed (speed up to 1500-2000 r/min). After entering the chamber, the raw material is rapidly crushed through impact, shearing, and mutual collision between the cage bars. The particle size after crushing can be flexibly controlled between 0.5-3 mm.
Suitable Raw Materials: Perfectly processes inorganic fertilizer raw materials such as urea, monoammonium phosphate, and potassium chloride, as well as organic raw materials such as fermented livestock and poultry manure, straw charcoal, and mushroom residue. It can crush large materials with a particle size ≤80mm, with a crushing efficiency of 5-15 tons/hour (adjusted according to machine specifications).
Core Advantages: The cage bars are made of high-chromium wear-resistant alloy material, achieving a hardness of HRC60 or higher after quenching treatment, extending the service life to over 8000 hours; the equipment has a built-in grading screen, which can be replaced with different mesh sizes to ensure uniform output particle size; compact structure and low operating noise (≤75dB), suitable for compact production line layouts.
Cyclone Dust Collector: An Environmentally Friendly Solution for High-Efficiency Dust Purification
Working Principle: Utilizing centrifugal force to separate dust, dust-laden gas enters the dust collector chamber at high speed through the inlet, rotating along the inner wall. Dust particles are thrown against the wall by centrifugal force and slide down the cone wall to be collected in the ash hopper. The purified gas is discharged from the outlet, achieving a dust removal efficiency of 95%-98%.
Suitable Scenarios: Specifically designed for collecting dust generated during the operation of cage pulverizers, especially for dust particles with a diameter of 0.1-10μm in fertilizer production. It can control the dust concentration in the workshop to below 10mg/m³, meeting national environmental protection standards.
Core Advantages: Made of carbon steel or stainless steel, corrosion-resistant and easy to maintain; no need for filter cloths or other easily damaged parts, resulting in low operating costs; large air volume handling capacity (1000-5000m³/h), precisely matched to the dust generation of cage pulverizers, and can be directly connected to a fan for negative pressure dust removal.
III. Collaborative Workflow and Value
After the raw materials are crushed by the cage crusher, the resulting dust-laden gas is drawn into a cyclone dust collector under the negative pressure of a fan.
The dust is efficiently separated and collected, and the purified gas is discharged in compliance with standards. The collected dust is discharged through the ash hopper and can be recycled back to the production line for reuse, increasing material utilization by 3%-5%.
The entire system achieves integrated “crushing + dust removal” operations, ensuring that the raw material fineness meets standards, solving the dust pollution problem, reducing material waste, and lowering production losses.
Selection and Usage Precautions
Selection and Matching Key Points
Capacity Matching: Based on the hourly output of the cage crusher (e.g., 5 tons/hour, 10 tons/hour), select a cyclone dust collector with a corresponding air volume to ensure dust removal efficiency and avoid dust leakage due to insufficient air volume;
Material Compatibility: When handling corrosive raw materials (e.g., ammonium sulfate, monoammonium phosphate), the equipment should be made of stainless steel or have an anti-corrosion coating to extend its service life;
Installation Height: Sufficient installation height (usually ≥3 meters) should be reserved for the cyclone dust collector to ensure that dust settles smoothly into the ash hopper and avoids accumulation and blockage.
Daily Use and Maintenance Regularly check the wear of the cage bars in the cage crusher; replace them promptly if severely worn to avoid affecting crushing efficiency. Clean the screen regularly to prevent material from clogging the screen holes. Clean the dust collected in the cyclone dust collector’s hopper regularly to prevent excessive dust accumulation from affecting the dust removal effect. Check the air inlet and outlet for leaks to prevent a decrease in dust removal efficiency. Maintain the matching fan regularly to ensure stable negative pressure. Adjust the fan speed according to the amount of dust generated to balance dust removal efficiency and energy consumption.
A Foundational Step in the Production Chain
The cage crusher and cyclone dust collector system represents a critical early-stage process within a complete organic fertilizer manufacturing system. It ensures that raw organic materials are properly sized and cleaned before entering the core biological and shaping stages, setting the stage for high-quality final product manufacturing.
This preprocessing step is integral to an efficient organic fertilizer manufacturing operation. The crushed and cleaned material, often derived from compost processed by a chain compost turning machine using advanced fermentation composting turning technology, is ready for the organic fertilizer production granulation stage. Here, manufacturers can choose specialized equipment to shape the material. Options include a dedicated organic fertilizer disc granulation production line featuring an organic fertilizer disc granulation machine for uniform pellets, or a versatile organic fertilizer combined granulation production line that may incorporate a new type organic fertilizer granulator. This systematic integration, from efficient crushing to precise granulation, defines a modern, high-output organic fertilizer production line.Therefore, the value of the crushing and dust removal system extends far beyond its immediate function; it is an essential enabler of consistency, efficiency, and environmental compliance throughout the entire organic fertilizer production process.
In the fermentation stage of bio-organic fertilizer production lines, the self-propelled compost turning machine is one of the core pieces of bio-organic fertilizer equipment. Compared to fixed composting equipment, its unique mobility and efficient turning capabilities allow it to easily handle complex sites and diverse pile requirements, helping to improve fermentation efficiency and organic fertilizer quality.
Flexible adaptation to complex sites is a core highlight of this bio-organic fertilizer equipment. Whether it’s scattered piles in small and medium-sized bio-organic fertilizer production lines or fermentation areas in rugged outdoor locations, its self-propelled design allows it to move freely without relying on tracks or level ground, significantly reducing site limitations. The working width can be adjusted according to the size of the compost pile, adapting to the fermentation needs of different scales of bio-organic fertilizer production lines.
Efficient turning is key to enabling high-quality fermentation in bio-organic fertilizer production lines. Through a powerful turning mechanism, it can penetrate deep into the compost pile for even turning, breaking up material compaction and ensuring ventilation, providing sufficient oxygen for microorganisms and accelerating organic matter decomposition; at the same time, it quickly dissipates heat, stabilizes the pile temperature, reduces nutrient loss, and improves the effectiveness and stability of the bio-organic fertilizer.
In addition, this bio-organic fertilizer equipment also boasts the advantages of convenient operation, environmental protection, and energy saving. It can provide customized fermentation solutions for bio-organic fertilizer production lines of different scales.
In NPK compound fertilizer production, although additives account for a small proportion of the total volume, they directly affect product quality, storage stability, and application effectiveness. Different types of additives need to be precisely matched to each stage of the NPK fertilizer production line. Scientific application can effectively solve problems such as caking, loose granules, and nutrient loss, thereby enhancing product competitiveness.
Anti-caking agents are a core category, mostly added during the raw material mixing stage in the fertilizer mixer machine or after granulation in the granulator. Common types include hydrophobic (mineral oil, silicones) and adsorbent (zeolite powder, diatomaceous earth). The former forms a protective film on the surface of the granules to isolate water and oxygen, while the latter adsorbs free moisture. Both can reduce the risk of caking, especially suitable for NPK fertilizers with high nitrogen and high humidity formulations.
Binding and conditioning agents are suitable for the granulation stage, ensuring molding quality. Binders (starch, lignin sulfonate) increase material viscosity, improving the molding rate of NPK fertilizer granulators and reducing powdering; conditioning agents optimize granule strength and smoothness, adapting to different granulation processes such as rotary drum granulator. The amount of additive needs to be adjusted according to the characteristics of the raw materials to avoid excessively hard granules or slow dissolution.
Nutrient efficiency enhancers need to be added during the mixing stage in the fertilizer mixer machine to improve fertilizer utilization. For example, urease inhibitors delay nitrogen volatilization, phosphorus activators reduce phosphorus fixation, and trace element chelating agents improve nutrient stability. Strict adherence to the formula ratio is necessary to ensure synergy with the main nutrients and avoid affecting fertilizer efficiency.
In summary, the core of additive application is “functional matching to the process stage and precise dosage.” Scientific selection based on raw materials and product requirements is essential to maximize their value and consistently produce high-quality NPK compound fertilizers.
The market competitiveness of NPK granular fertilizers hinges on granule strength, particle size uniformity, and nutrient stability. The progressive synergy of the fertilizer compaction machine, fertilizer screener machine, and NPK fertilizer granulator, from molding and strengthening to screening, builds a robust quality defense line at every stage.
The NPK fertilizer granulator is the first line of quality control. After precisely proportioned nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium raw materials are fed into the equipment, they are formed into preliminary granules through wet rolling or dry pre-molding. This ensures that the multiple nutrients are evenly distributed within the granules, preventing stratification, and also initially controls the particle size range, laying the foundation for subsequent quality improvement.
The fertilizer compaction machine undertakes the mission of strengthening the granules. The initially formed granules lack sufficient strength and are prone to pulverization in subsequent stages. After precise extrusion, the internal structure of the granules becomes denser, significantly increasing strength and resulting in a more regular shape. Especially in dry granulation scenarios, the combination of these two machines can increase the granule formation rate to over 95%, meeting the needs of storage and transportation.
The fertilizer screener machine is the final quality control officer. The granules, after molding and strengthening, are graded by the multi-layer screens of the screening machine, removing oversized, undersized, and damaged unqualified products. Qualified products enter the packaging stage, while unqualified products are returned to the granulator for reprocessing, forming a closed loop that ensures uniform particle size and reduces raw material waste.
The synergy of these three pieces of equipment achieves controllable quality throughout the entire cycle of NPK granular fertilizer production, from molding to factory delivery. This not only improves the finished product qualification rate but also ensures stable fertilizer efficacy, precisely meeting the core needs of large-scale agriculture for high-quality fertilizers.
In 2025, Zhengzhou Huaqiang Heavy Industry Technology Co., Ltd. completed the full-process commissioning of a 10-unit extrusion granulation production line tailored for a customer in Guigang, Guangxi, officially entering a new stage of large-scale mass production. This production line focuses on the ultra-large-capacity production needs of compound fertilizers and organic fertilizers, integrating the entire chain of core processes including batching, crushing, mixing, granulation, screening, coating, and packaging. With its robust configuration of 10 granulation main units operating in parallel, highly automated process design, and stable and reliable operation, it has become a benchmark project for fertilizer production equipment in South China, injecting strong momentum into the upgrading of local agricultural industrialization.
Production Line Full-Chain Configuration and Core Equipment Analysis
The entire production line follows a closed-loop process of “precise batching – raw material pretreatment – efficient granulation – fine processing optimization – finished product output.” The equipment layout is compact and orderly, with seamless connections. Each unit works synergistically, ensuring both ultra-large capacity requirements and strict control over product quality stability.
Precision Batching and Raw Material Pretreatment Unit: Strengthening the Production Foundation
Multi-Compartment Collaborative Batching System: The production line starts with a 4-compartment automatic batching system. Each compartment is independently designed to store nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium as main raw materials, as well as various additives. The total storage capacity meets the requirements of continuous 12-hour full-load production. Precision metering devices are installed at the bottom of the batching compartments. Combined with a PLC intelligent control system, the system automatically adjusts the amount of each raw material fed according to the preset formula, with a batching error of ≤1%, ensuring accurate fertilizer nutrient ratios.
High-Efficiency Crushing and Uniform Mixing: Raw materials are conveyed to a 90-type horizontal semi-wet material crusher via 2.9-meter and 11-meter belt conveyors. This equipment is specifically designed for high-moisture raw materials, employing wear-resistant alloy cutter discs and a graded crushing structure. It can crush large, agglomerated raw materials (particle size ≤80mm) into uniform fine materials ≤2mm, achieving a crushing efficiency of 15 tons/hour, meeting the stringent requirements for raw material fineness in subsequent granulation. The pulverized material is transferred via a Y-shaped tee and a 14-meter belt conveyor to two 2200-type precision mixers (presumably “precision mixers”). These machines feature a dual-shaft counter-rotating design with wear-resistant coatings on the impellers. During mixing, the material forms a strong convection circulation, ensuring thorough mixing of different components with a mixing uniformity error of ≤2%, laying the foundation for high-quality granulation.
Core Granulation Unit: 10 Main Units Create Super Capacity
The mixed material is then diverted via a tee and evenly fed by two 2200-type disc feeders to ten extrusion granulators. The feeders employ variable frequency speed control and automatic material level control technology, allowing real-time adjustment of the feed rate based on the granulator’s operating status, preventing granulation quality fluctuations or equipment overload caused by uneven feeding.
The core highlight of the entire production line is the parallel operation of 10 extrusion granulators. Each machine has an hourly output of 3 tons, and their combined operation achieves a total capacity of 30 tons/hour and a daily capacity of 720 tons, far exceeding the capacity of conventional production lines. The granulators employ a high-strength roller extrusion design, with roller skins made of high-chromium alloy. After quenching treatment, the hardness reaches HRC62 or higher, exhibiting extremely high wear resistance and extending the service life to over 10,000 hours. The equipment is equipped with a hydraulic pressure regulation system, allowing precise control of the extrusion pressure within the range of 6-18 MPa to adapt to the granulation needs of raw materials with different moisture content and compositions. The granulation rate remains consistently above 93%, with uniform particle size controlled at 3-5 mm and particle strength reaching 2.8 MPa. The particles are not easily pulverized, meeting the requirements for long-distance transportation and long-term storage.
Screening and Coating Optimization: Granulated granules are transferred to a 15x60m drum screen (presumably a 1.5×6.0m standard size) via 7m and 11m belt conveyors. A double-layer screen design separates large, unqualified granules on the upper layer and selects qualified finished products on the lower layer, achieving a screening efficiency of 35 tons/hour. Unqualified granules are returned to the pre-processing unit via 8m and 5m return conveyors for reprocessing, achieving a material utilization rate of 99%. Qualified granules undergo anti-caking pre-treatment in a 16-type spiral duster, followed by a 1.5×6.0m coating machine. Atomized spraying technology evenly coats the granules with a coating agent, forming a dense protective film that effectively improves the fertilizer’s moisture resistance, stability, and slow-release nutrient effect.
Finished Product Storage and Automated Packaging: Wrapped finished products are conveyed to a finished product warehouse via a 12-meter belt conveyor for temporary storage. The warehouse is equipped with a material level monitoring system to provide real-time inventory status feedback. Finally, quantitative packaging is completed using an automatic packaging scale. The equipment supports rapid switching between multiple specifications such as 25kg, 40kg, and 50kg, with a measurement error ≤ ±0.2kg and a packaging speed of up to 200 bags/hour. Combined with a subsequent transfer system, it achieves rapid warehousing and shipment of finished products.
Core Advantages and Industry Value of the Production Line
Super Capacity Leading the Industry: The innovative configuration of 10 parallel granulation units breaks through the capacity bottleneck of conventional production lines, meeting the quantitative needs of large-scale fertilizer production enterprises and helping customers seize market share.
Intelligent, Efficient, Cost-Effective, and Inefficient: The entire process is integrated with a PLC intelligent control system, achieving automated control of batching, feeding, granulation, and screening, reducing manual intervention and labor intensity. The equipment’s energy consumption is 15% lower than that of conventional production lines with the same capacity, resulting in a significant reduction in overall production costs.
Stable, reliable, and highly adaptable: Core equipment adopts standardized and wear-resistant designs, key components are highly versatile, and maintenance is convenient. The production line can flexibly adapt to the production of various materials such as organic fertilizer, compound fertilizer, and bio-organic fertilizer, and supports product customization with different particle sizes and formulas, demonstrating extremely high adaptability.
The successful commissioning of 10 extrusion granulation production lines in Guigang, Guangxi, not only demonstrates Huaqiang Heavy Industry’s core strength in the R&D and integration of ultra-large capacity granulation equipment, but also provides efficient and stable equipment support for the modernization of agriculture in South China. In the future, Huaqiang Heavy Industry will continue to focus on customer needs, continuously optimize product performance and process solutions, and provide more competitive customized solutions for global fertilizer producers, contributing to the high-quality development of the agricultural industry.
Mastering High-Volume Dry Granulation
This groundbreaking 10-unit production line in Guangxi exemplifies the industrial-scale application of advanced fertilizer granulation technology. Its core innovation lies in the massive parallel deployment of extrusion granulators, a method that falls under the category of dry granulation processes.
The line is a prime example of a roller press granulator production line, where each fertilizer compaction machine (or fertilizer compactor) performs fertilizer granules compaction through high-pressure extrusion. This method of fertilizer compaction is a key fertilizer granulation processes used within the broader npk manufacturing process for specific product types. It stands in contrast to alternative fertilizer processing machine technologies, such as drum granulation using a rotary drum granulator for wet agglomeration. The successful scaling to ten parallel units demonstrates a mastery of this particular fertilizer granulation technology, enabling unprecedented production volumes of dense, low-moisture fertilizer granules.Therefore, this project is not just about capacity; it is a testament to the precision engineering and process control required to reliably scale up dry granulation, providing a model for high-output fertilizer manufacturing that prioritizes product density and energy efficiency.
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Rotary drum granulation production lines are widely used in organic and compound fertilizer production due to their wide adaptability and excellent molding effect. Their construction requires following a scientific process, considering both production capacity requirements and environmental standards.
Preliminary Planning: First, clarify the production raw materials (such as organic fertilizer fermentation materials, NPK compound fertilizer raw materials) and production capacity targets. Determine the process route based on local environmental policies, such as whether drying and dust removal equipment are needed. Simultaneously, conduct a cost assessment, covering core expenses such as equipment procurement, site construction, and energy consumption.
Equipment Selection and Matching: The core equipment, the rotary drum granulator, needs to be selected according to the characteristics of the raw materials, ensuring that parameters such as rotation speed and inclination angle meet the granulation requirements; supporting equipment needs to be precisely matched. The pre-treatment stage should include fertilizer crushers and screening machines to ensure the particle size of the raw materials. After granulation, dryers and coolers should be connected to optimize particle quality, and dust collection devices should be installed.
Site Layout and Installation: The site needs to accommodate sufficient spacing and operating space for the equipment. The ground should be treated with anti-slip and anti-corrosion coatings, and areas for raw material and finished product storage should be reserved; during installation, ensure the equipment’s levelness and sealing, especially the transmission system of the rotary drum granulator, to avoid vibration or leakage problems during operation. Also, rationally plan the pipeline layout to improve production efficiency.
Commissioning and Operation: First, conduct a no-load test run to check the stability of the equipment; then conduct a load test, optimizing the granulation effect by adjusting parameters such as raw material moisture and drum rotation speed. During the test run, record key data to establish a standardized production process and ensure stable mass production.
A high-efficiency, stable organic fertilizer production line begins with the meticulous pretreatment of raw materials. While the crushing stage is at the forefront of the entire organic fertilizer production equipment system, it fundamentally determines the quality of subsequent fermentation and the finished product.
Among these processes, the half-wet material crusher demonstrates a unique advantage in handling high-moisture raw materials. It effectively crushes sticky and moist materials such as fresh poultry and livestock manure, kitchen waste, and straw, solving the pain points of traditional crushers, such as easy clogging and low efficiency. Its special anti-stick design ensures that even high-moisture materials can be smoothly broken up, creating ideal physical conditions for subsequent uniform fermentation and rapid decomposition. This is a key link in improving the adaptability of raw materials in modern organic fertilizer production lines.
From the “coarse crushing” of raw waste by the half-wet material crusher to the “fine crushing” of fermented materials by the fertilizer crusher, these two types of equipment form a highly efficient pretreatment combination at the forefront of the organic fertilizer production line. Together, they transform raw materials of varying shapes and moisture levels into materials of uniform specifications that are easy to process, ensuring the smooth operation of the entire production line and the stable quality of the final product.
Therefore, when constructing a complete organic fertilizer production equipment system, paying attention to the crushing process and investing in specialized equipment are indispensable steps to achieve the resource utilization, large-scale, and high-value utilization of organic waste.
In bio-organic fertilizer production lines, crushing hard materials such as straw clumps and dead branches is a common challenge. This can easily lead to jamming and blade wear in the core bio-organic fertilizer equipment (bio-organic fertilizer crusher), and also affect the operation of the entire production line. Efficiently processing hard materials with this equipment requires key adaptation techniques and risk avoidance strategies, balancing efficiency and equipment protection.
Technique 1: Raw material pre-treatment. First, remove impurities such as metal and stones to avoid damaging the blades; cut large pieces of material to less than 10 centimeters to reduce equipment load. Select blades according to material hardness; use wear-resistant alloy blades for high-hardness materials, and pre-soften coarse fibrous materials to ensure material compatibility with subsequent production line processes.
Technique 2: Precise equipment parameter matching. Do not use conventional parameters; slightly reduce the speed for high-hardness materials to maintain torque, and slightly increase the speed for coarse fibrous materials to facilitate secondary crushing; ensure uniform feeding to avoid overload and jamming, and ensure that the crushed material meets the requirements of subsequent processes in the production line.
Troubleshooting Guide: Immediately stop the machine and check for any abnormal noises or vibrations during operation; after operation, clean the remaining material in the chamber, check the blades and screens, and perform timely maintenance and lubrication. Scientific operation will allow the bio-organic fertilizer equipment to stably serve the production line, extend its service life, and ensure efficient and smooth production.
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