With the rapid development of ecological agriculture, the market demand for organic fertilizers continues to rise, and the corresponding production methods are also becoming increasingly diversified. Based on differences in fermentation methods and production scale, the current mainstream organic fertilizer production methods mainly include the windrow composting method, the fermentation tank method, and the Bokashi method.  Each method has its own focus in terms of process design, equipment requirements, and applicable scenarios, respectively adapting to large-scale commercial production, precise customized production, and small-scale home/garden planting needs, collectively promoting the resource utilization of agricultural waste.

The windrow composting method is the mainstream choice for large-scale aerobic composting and is widely used in large organic fertilizer production enterprises, especially suitable for processing large quantities of agricultural waste such as crop straw and livestock manure from large-scale farms. The core advantage of this method lies in its strong large-scale processing capacity. Through dedicated windrow turning equipment (such as crawler-type windrow turners and trough-type windrow turners), automated turning of tens of thousands of tons of compost piles can be achieved, significantly improving labor efficiency and precisely controlling the aeration and temperature distribution of the compost pile. In the production process, the compost pile is usually stacked in windrows, with a height of 1.5-2 meters and a width of 3-5 meters. The windrow turner regularly turns the pile to maintain a stable temperature of 50-60℃, ensuring the killing of pathogens and the complete decomposition of organic matter. In addition, the equipment investment of the windrow composting method is relatively controllable, and the production process is mature, making it suitable for producing general-purpose organic fertilizers. The products are mainly supplied to large-scale planting bases and grain-producing areas, effectively reducing the reliance of large-scale agricultural production on chemical fertilizers and solving the problem of disposing of large quantities of agricultural waste. However, this method is subject to significant site limitations, requiring sufficient composting space, and the fermentation cycle is relatively long, usually requiring 25-35 days.

The fermentation tank method uses closed tank equipment as its core and is suitable for aerobic or anaerobic fermentation production requiring a highly controlled fermentation environment, especially widely used in the production of liquid organic fertilizers, such as amino acid liquid fertilizers and humic acid liquid fertilizers. The greatest advantage of this method lies in the precise and controllable fermentation process. The sealed tank effectively isolates the process from external environmental interference.  Through an intelligent control system, parameters such as temperature, oxygen content, and pH value are adjusted in real time, ensuring that microorganisms remain in their optimal metabolic state. This results in a fermentation efficiency increase of over 30% compared to traditional methods. In anaerobic fermentation mode, the fermentation tank can efficiently process high-concentration organic wastewater and livestock manure, producing organic fertilizer while simultaneously recovering biogas, achieving a dual output of energy and fertilizer. The aerobic fermentation mode can be used to produce high-quality powdered organic fertilizer. By precisely controlling the carbon-nitrogen ratio and fermentation time, the organic matter content and nutritional stability of the product are improved. The fermentation tank method is suitable for small and medium-sized fine fertilizer production enterprises. The products are mostly customized formulations, supplied to facilities such as greenhouse agriculture and fruit and vegetable planting bases that have high requirements for fertilizer quality. However, the initial investment in equipment is high, and the technical requirements for operators are also more stringent.

The Bokashi method is a small-scale anaerobic fermentation composting method.  With its advantages of simple operation and short fermentation cycle, it has become an ideal choice for home gardening, backyard vegetable gardens, and small farmers. This method uses specific functional microorganisms (such as EM bacteria) as the core. Kitchen waste, household plant residues, and a small amount of animal manure are mixed with molasses and EM bacterial agents and placed in a sealed container for anaerobic fermentation.  Composting is completed in only 7-15 days, shortening the composting cycle by more than half compared to traditional methods. The fermentation products of the Bokashi method are divided into solid fertilizer and fermentation liquid. The solid fertilizer can be directly applied to the soil or used as a seedling substrate, and the fermentation liquid can be diluted and sprayed as a foliar fertilizer, achieving full resource utilization. In addition, this method does not require large equipment, has a low operating threshold, and can effectively treat household organic waste, reducing the amount of household waste, thus possessing both economic value and environmental significance. However, the Bokashi method has a small processing scale and is not suitable for large-scale commercial production.  Furthermore, strict control of sealing conditions is required during the fermentation process; improper sealing can easily lead to fermentation failure and produce unpleasant odors. The differentiated development of different production methods allows organic fertilizer production to adapt to different needs, providing diversified technical support for green agricultural development.

From Fermentation to Finished Product: The Industrial Pathway

The diverse composting methods—windrow, tank, and Bokashi—each serve as the starting point for transforming organic waste into valuable amendments. To scale these processes for commercial markets, the compost produced must be integrated into a formal organic fertilizer manufacturing system, which standardizes and enhances the final product.

For large-scale operations utilizing windrow composting, the mature compost is processed through a complete organic fertilizer production line. The initial stage relies on advanced fermentation composting turning technology, often using equipment like a chain compost turning machine. To create a market-ready product, this compost undergoes organic fertilizer production granulation. Producers can choose specialized systems like an organic fertilizer disc granulation production line for uniform pellets or a more flexible organic fertilizer combined granulation production line. If microbial inoculants are added, this entire system becomes a sophisticated bio organic fertilizer production line, ensuring the survival and efficacy of beneficial microbes in the final product. This integration bridges the gap between raw composting and commercial-grade fertilizer.Ultimately, the choice of initial composting method defines the feedstock, while the subsequent industrial processing line defines the quality, consistency, and scalability of the fertilizer that reaches the farmer, enabling sustainable practices at every scale.

In August 2024, four flat die pelleting production lines, custom-designed for a Qingdao client by Zhengzhou Huaqiang Heavy Industry Technology Co., Ltd., completed full-process installation and commissioning, successfully entering the large-scale production stage. This production line focuses on the high-efficiency granulation needs of organic fertilizers and compound fertilizers, integrating core processes such as crushing, mixing, granulation, drying, coating, and screening. With multi-equipment collaboration, highly automated configuration, and stable operating performance, it has become a benchmark project for high-end flat die pelleting machine equipment applications in China, providing local fertilizer production enterprises with a one-stop mass production solution.

Production Line Full-Process Configuration and Process Analysis

The entire production line follows a closed-loop design of “raw material pretreatment – precision granulation – post-processing and finishing – finished product output.” The equipment layout is scientific, the connections are smooth, and the functions of each unit are complementary, fully ensuring production efficiency and product quality.

Raw Material Pretreatment Unit: Laying the Foundation for Uniform Granulation

Raw Material Feeding and Crushing: The production line starts with a loader-loaded hopper, adapting to the rapid feeding requirements of bulk raw materials. The feed inlet features a spill-proof design to reduce raw material loss. Raw materials are conveyed via a 7-meter belt conveyor to a 60×50 type double-stage crusher. This equipment adopts a “coarse crushing + fine crushing” double-stage crushing structure. The cutter disc is made of high-strength alloy material, which can crush large raw materials (particle size ≤100mm) into uniform particles ≤3mm, with a crushing efficiency of 5 tons/hour, meeting the stringent requirements for raw material fineness in subsequent granulation.

Precision Mixing Process: The crushed raw materials are transferred via a 7-meter belt conveyor to a 50 type twin-shaft mixer. The equipment adopts an anti-rotating blade design with a wear-resistant coating on the blade surface. During the mixing process, the material forms strong convection and shearing action, ensuring uniform mixing of main raw materials such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium with trace elements, with a mixing uniformity error ≤2%. The mixer is equipped with a variable frequency speed control system, which can adjust the mixing speed (15-30 r/min) according to the characteristics of the raw materials. It also supports automatic feeding and unloading control to ensure continuous production.

Core Granulation Unit: 4 Main Units Operating in Parallel for Enhanced Efficiency

The mixed material is conveyed via a 12-meter belt conveyor to a 2200-type disc feeder. This feeder uses variable frequency speed control and automatic material level control technology to precisely regulate the feed rate, ensuring uniform feeding of the four 50-type flat die pelleting machines and avoiding fluctuations in granulation quality due to uneven feeding.

The parallel operation of the four flat die pelleting machines is the core highlight of the entire production line. Each unit has an hourly output of 1.5 tons, and the combined operation achieves the designed total capacity of 6 tons/hour. The granulator adopts a high-strength flat die design, with die hole diameters customizable according to customer needs (3-8mm). The pressure rollers are made of wear-resistant rubber and metal composite material, and the pressure is precisely controlled (8-12MPa) through a hydraulic pressurization system, ensuring a stable material forming rate of over 90% and a particle strength of 2.5MPa, making it less prone to pulverization. The equipment operates at a noise level below 75dB and is equipped with an automatic die cleaning device, effectively reducing die hole clogging and extending continuous operating time.

Post-processing and finishing unit: Improving product quality and stability

Drying and cooling stage: The wet granules after granulation are transferred to a 1.5x15m dryer via 4m and 12m belt conveyors. The equipment adopts a hot air circulation heating design, with a No. 26 hot air furnace providing a stable heat source. The drying temperature can be precisely controlled within the range of 60-120℃, reducing the particle moisture content from 30% to below 12%, with a drying efficiency of 8 tons/hour. After drying, the granules are conveyed via 5-meter and 6-meter belt conveyors to a 1.2×12-meter cooler. A counter-current cooling process is used, with the cooling time controlled within 15 minutes, rapidly reducing the granule temperature to room temperature (±5℃), effectively improving granule hardness and storage stability.

Coating and Sieving Optimization: The cooled granules are then conveyed via a 5.5-meter bucket elevator to a 130-type spiral duster. After pre-treatment to prevent moisture absorption and agglomeration, they enter a 1.2×6.0-meter coating machine. The coating machine uses a roller design and atomized spraying technology to evenly adhere the coating agent to the granule surface, forming a dense protective film, improving the slow-release effect of fertilizer nutrients and extending shelf life. The coated granules are transferred by bucket elevator to a 1.5×6.0 meter drum screen for grading and screening. Qualified granules (3-8mm in diameter) enter the finished product silo, while unqualified granules are returned to the crusher for reprocessing via 7-meter and 6-meter return conveyors, achieving a material utilization rate of 98%.

Environmental Protection and Finished Product Output Unit: Green Production + High-Efficiency Shipping

Environmental Protection System Configuration: The production line is equipped with dust collection chambers for the dryer and cooler, combined with 6C and 5C induced draft fans to form a negative pressure dust collection system. This system centrally collects and treats dust generated during production, achieving a dust emission concentration ≤10mg/m³, meeting national environmental standards. The chimney and water tank are linked for water washing and purification of the hot air furnace exhaust gas, reducing pollutant emissions and achieving green production.

Finished Product Packaging and Storage: After qualified finished products are stored in the finished product warehouse, they are quantitatively packaged by an automatic packaging scale. The equipment supports switching between multiple specifications such as 25kg and 50kg, with a measurement error of ≤±0.2kg and a packaging speed of up to 100 bags/hour, meeting the needs of large-scale shipments. The packaged finished products are directly transferred to the stacking area via conveyor belt, with fully automated operation reducing manual intervention.

Core Advantages and Adaptability of the Production Line

High-Efficiency Mass Production Capacity: Four flat die pelleting machines operate in parallel + a fully automated design, significantly improving production efficiency. The capacity is three times higher than a traditional single-unit granulation production line, meeting the customer’s daily production demand of 120 tons.

Stable, Reliable, and Durable: Key equipment (crusher, granulator, dryer) and their core components adopt standardized and wear-resistant designs. Wear parts are highly interchangeable, and the overall equipment operating rate reaches over 95%, reducing subsequent maintenance costs.

Highly adaptable: Supports granulation of various materials such as organic fertilizer, compound fertilizer, and bio-organic fertilizer. Die diameter, coating formula, and packaging specifications can all be flexibly adjusted to meet the personalized production needs of different customers.

The successful commissioning of four flat die pelleting machine production lines in Qingdao fully demonstrates Huaqiang Heavy Industry’s professional strength in granulation equipment R&D and production line integration design. In the future, the company will continue to focus on market demand, optimize equipment performance and process solutions, and provide more domestic and international customers with efficient, stable, and environmentally friendly customized granulation production line solutions, contributing to the high-quality development of the agricultural industry.

Integrating Granulation Options into a Complete Production Ecosystem

This Qingdao project highlights the effective application of a high-capacity flat die pelleting machine system, demonstrating its role as a key fertilizer processing machine for specific material types and production scales. It represents one successful pathway within the diverse field of fertilizer granulation technology.

The flat die pelleting production line serves a specific niche, particularly well-suited for organic materials. For producers requiring a different approach, alternative technologies are available within the broader npk manufacturing process. For instance, a roller press granulator production line utilizes a fertilizer compaction machine (or fertilizer compactor) to perform fertilizer granules compaction via dry pressure. Conversely, a rotary drum granulator employs a wet agglomeration process. These choices complement other essential equipment, such as a windrow composting machine for producing the raw organic feedstock. Each piece of equipment represents a specialized solution, allowing manufacturers to select the optimal combination of fertilizer granulation technology based on their raw material properties, desired product form, and economic considerations.Ultimately, the success of a fertilizer production operation lies in matching the right granulation technology—whether flat die, roller press, or rotary drum—to the specific characteristics of the input materials and the requirements of the target market.

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“A crop’s growth depends entirely on fertilizer,” goes the saying. Fertilizer is the “nutritional meal” for crops, and fertilizer machinery is the “precise dispenser” and “efficient deliveryman” of this meal. From traditional manual fertilization to today’s intelligent fertilizer blending and precision fertilization, the iterative upgrades of fertilizer machinery have not only solved the long-standing problems of “difficult and uneven fertilization,” but also propelled agricultural production towards cost-effectiveness, efficiency, and green sustainability. Today, we’ll unveil the mystery of fertilizer machinery and see how these “agricultural marvels” are changing our planting methods.

To understand fertilizer machinery, we must first understand its core mission: to ensure fertilizer is used effectively. In traditional planting, farmers often rely on experience to fertilize, either “over-fertilizing for high yields,” leading to fertilizer waste and soil compaction, or “under-fertilizing for fear of reduced yields,” impacting crop growth. Fertilizer machinery, through standardized and precise operations, perfectly solves this problem. Its family of models comprises many members, each with its own specific “job responsibilities.” In the fertilizer production stage, these “transformation masters” are responsible for converting various raw materials into qualified fertilizers. Taking organic fertilizer production as an example, the compost turner is an indispensable core piece of equipment. Through rotating blades or spiral blades, it continuously turns and tosses the fermenting materials, reducing moisture, promoting the growth of beneficial microorganisms, and ensuring more uniform decomposition, transforming polluting livestock manure and crop straw into loose, fertile organic fertilizer. The granulator, like a “shaping artist,” processes powdered fertilizer into granules through rotating discs and extrusion, facilitating storage and transportation, controlling nutrient release rates, and improving fertilizer efficiency.

In the field application stage, the “distribution experts” showcase their skills. The most common fertilizer spreader has long since moved beyond the extensive “spread as you go” approach. Modern solid fertilizer spreaders, through precise transmission systems and spreading mechanisms, can evenly distribute granular fertilizer in the field, with uniformity errors controlled within ±5%. For complex terrains such as mountains and hills, tracked mobile fertigation machines are particularly adept at maneuvering. They can easily navigate steep orchards and scattered plots, integrating irrigation and fertilization. The work time for 10 acres has been reduced from the traditional 3 people per day to just 2 hours, significantly lowering labor costs.

In recent years, with the development of smart agriculture, fertilizer machinery has also undergone an “intelligent upgrade,” giving rise to the “smart brain”—the intelligent fertilizer blender—that can “tailor-make” a nutritional meal for the land. At the intelligent fertilizer blending station in Hangjin Banner, Inner Mongolia, farmers only need to input the plot coordinates on the terminal to check the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium content of the soil. After selecting the crop variety and target yield, the system automatically generates a personalized fertilizer blending plan. The blender then precisely mixes the raw materials to produce a “custom-made” fertilizer. This model completely changes the traditional practice of “using the same fertilizer for everything.” Calculations show that using customized fertilizer can save 60-70 yuan per acre in fertilizer costs, reduce fertilizer application by 20 kg, and increase yield by about 30 kg per acre, truly achieving “supplementing what is lacking.” Beyond precision fertilizer application, variable-rate fertilization technology takes “precision” to the extreme. Intelligent fertilizer applicators equipped with BeiDou navigation and soil sensors can monitor real-time differences in soil nutrients and automatically adjust the amount of fertilizer applied while moving, ensuring every inch of the field receives the appropriate fertilizer supply. Data shows that the number of intelligent fertilizer applicators in my country has exceeded 42,000 units. In major grain-producing areas such as Heilongjiang and Henan, the coverage rate of intelligent fertilization equipment has exceeded 40%, and fertilizer utilization is 2%-3% higher than traditional fertilization.

The advancement of fertilizer machinery not only benefits farmers but also contributes to environmental protection. Problems such as groundwater pollution and soil degradation caused by excessive fertilization in the past have been effectively alleviated with the widespread adoption of precision fertilization machinery. For example, mobile fertigation machines, by precisely controlling the water-fertilizer ratio, can increase water resource utilization by 30%-60% and fertilizer utilization by 25%-40%, reducing waste and preventing soil compaction and salinization. Meanwhile, organic fertilizer production machinery promotes the resource utilization of livestock and poultry breeding waste, turning “waste” into “fertilizer” and forming an agricultural ecological cycle.

From simple mechanized operations to intelligent and precise control, the development of fertilizer machinery is a microcosm of the transformation and upgrading of modern agriculture. These “agricultural marvels” not only liberate farmers from heavy physical labor but also achieve the goals of “reducing fertilizer use and increasing efficiency, and promoting green development” through technological advancements. In the future, with continuous technological innovation, fertilizer machinery will develop towards greater intelligence, efficiency, and environmental friendliness, injecting continuous momentum into ensuring food security and promoting high-quality agricultural development.

Manufacturing Precision: From Factory to Field

The “agricultural marvels” that enable precision farming in the field—like intelligent spreaders and variable-rate applicators—are supplied by a sophisticated industrial manufacturing sector. The efficiency and precision of field application are entirely dependent on the quality and consistency of the fertilizer products themselves, which are produced in dedicated facilities using advanced professional fertilizer manufacturing equipment.

An organic fertilizer factory relies on a complete organic fertilizer production line, which begins with processing raw compost using a windrow composting machine and proceeds through granulation. Similarly, a comprehensive npk fertilizer production line encompasses the entire npk fertilizer production process. This process starts with precise formulation using an npk blending machine or npk bulk blending machine, followed by shaping the mixture using a fertilizer granulator. Granulation technology options include a disc granulation production line with a disc granulator for shaping, or a roller press granulator production line for dry compaction. The collective cost of this fertilizer manufacturing plant equipment directly influences both the organic fertilizer machinery price and the final NPK fertilizer production price. These integrated systems are what allow modern agriculture to have access to the diverse, high-quality fertilizers needed for both broad-acre and precision application.Therefore, the revolution in field application is underpinned by an equally significant revolution in manufacturing, where advanced production lines ensure a reliable supply of the tailored nutrients that smart farming equipment depends on.

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professional fertilizer manufacturing equipment

In the oil palm industry’s production chain, oil palm empty fruit bunches (OPEFB), once considered a waste product requiring disposal, have now become a valuable resource in sustainable agriculture due to their rich nutritional advantages. As an organic waste rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and other nutrients, oil palm empty fruit bunches, through various methods such as composting and biochar conversion, demonstrate unique value in improving soil quality and promoting crop growth, providing an effective path for the green transformation of agriculture.

The utilization of oil palm empty fruit bunches as fertilizer has diverse applications, adapting to different agricultural production needs. Composting is the most common method, where empty fruit bunches are mixed with manure or palm oil mill effluent and fermented to produce a nutritionally balanced organic fertilizer, fully activating its nutrient potential. Pyrolysis technology can convert empty fruit bunches into porous biochar. This special material not only significantly improves soil fertility, with particularly outstanding effects on peat soils, but also promotes nutrient absorption by crops. Furthermore, potassium carbonate extracted from the ash of empty fruit bunches is a key ingredient in liquid fertilizers, enabling precise nutrient recovery; untreated empty fruit bunches can also be directly applied as mulch or mixed into the soil, continuously improving soil properties through natural decomposition.

The benefits of this organic waste to soil and plants are multifaceted. At the soil level, it effectively increases the nutrient content and organic carbon content of the soil, fundamentally improving soil structure, reducing compaction, and enhancing soil water and nutrient retention capacity. More importantly, it provides a favorable living environment for soil microorganisms and beneficial animals, activating the vitality of the soil microbial community and improving the stability of the soil ecosystem. For crops, these improvements ultimately translate into growth momentum, especially at higher application rates or in combination with other treatments, significantly promoting the growth of oil palm and other crops, improving yield and quality, while reducing reliance on synthetic fertilizers and lowering the risk of agricultural non-point source pollution.

Of course, some precautions should be considered when using oil palm empty fruit bunches as fertilizer. Its most significant characteristic is the slow release of nutrients. While it provides long-term nutrient supply, it may not meet the rapid nutrient needs of crops at specific growth stages. At the same time, single-component empty fruit bunch fertilizer often fails to provide balanced nutrition and usually requires supplementation with inorganic fertilizers to fully meet the nutritional needs of crops. Furthermore, due to its high lignin and wax content, unprocessed empty fruit bunches are difficult to handle and require pretreatment methods such as composting and pyrolysis to improve utilization efficiency.

Overall, oil palm empty fruit bunches, with their diverse utilization methods and significant improvement effects, have become a sustainable soil amendment with both ecological and economic value. The rational development and utilization of this valuable resource can not only solve the problem of disposing of by-products from the oil palm industry but also promote the transformation of agricultural production towards a low-carbon, environmentally friendly, and efficient direction, injecting new vitality into ensuring food security and ecological balance.

Integrating OPEFB into Modern Manufacturing Systems

The uses of oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) as a sustainable fertilizer resource are maximized through systematic industrial processing. To transform this raw organic waste into a consistent, market-ready product, it must be integrated into a complete organic fertilizer manufacturing system.

The process begins with efficient decomposition, often accelerated by advanced fermentation composting turning technology to produce stable compost. This processed OPEFB compost then becomes the primary feedstock for a professional organic fertilizer production line. The core stage of organic fertilizer production granulation shapes the material into uniform pellets. Manufacturers can choose specialized equipment like an organic fertilizer disc granulation machine within a dedicated disc granulation line, or opt for versatile solutions such as a new type two in one organic fertilizer granulator or a comprehensive organic fertilizer combined granulation production line. These systems are designed to handle the fibrous nature of OPEFB, efficiently converting it into a high-value, easy-to-apply fertilizer that fulfills its potential in sustainable agriculture.Therefore, the true value of OPEFB is unlocked not just at the field level but through its seamless incorporation into sophisticated production lines that ensure quality, consistency, and scalability for the global organic fertilizer market.