Experimental Study of Granulation Process Parameters Based on the Size and Strength Analysis of Urea Fertilizer Particles

The effectiveness of granulated urea fertilizer is well known and several granulation methods have been proposed and implemented recently. The rotary drum type granulator is based on the principle of spraying and coating urea melt in seed kernel, drying and cooling it by using a fluidized layer, and producing granulated urea fertilizer of the desired size by repeating this process. Rotary drum type granulators are widely used due to their safety of manufacture and operation, and high productivity and many studies on rotary drum type granulators have been reported. However, when establishing a new granulation process, many process parameters must be determined by difference in productivity and realizing method. The aim of this paper is to identify process parameters for future industrial applications by investigating the size distribution and strength of fertilizer particles in a laboratory-scale granulation process. First, the accuracy of the working principle was examined by determining if the fertilizer particles produced by the experimental device reached the desired size. And the effect of the temperature inside the granulator on the strength of the fertilizer particles and urea consumption was analyzed to determine the optimum temperature. And the effect of seed uniformity on the uniformity of granule fertilizer was analyzed and the time to product granule fertilizer was measured after device operation. Keywords: Slow-release fertilizer; Granulator; Fluidized Layer; Rotary drum.

Slow-release fertilizer; Granulator; Fluidized Layer; Rotary

1. J.N. Galloway, J. D. Aber, J. W Erisman, S.P. Seitzinger, R. W. Howarth, E.B. Cowling and B. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. J. Cosby, "The nitrogen cascade. BioScience" 53(4): 341–356, 2003. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. J. N. Galloway, W. H. Schlesinger, I. I. H. Levy, A. Michaels and J. L. Schnoor, "Nitrogen fixation: anthropogenic enhancement – environmental response. Global Biogeochem. Cycles" 9: 235–252, 1995. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. A. Alamdari, A. Jahanmiri, N. Rahmaniyan, "Mathematical modeling of the urea prilling process", Chemical Engineering Communication, 178, 185-198, 2000. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Trenkle, M. E. Slow and Controlled Release and Stabilized Fertilizers, an Option for Enhancing Nutrient Use Efficiency in Agriculture. International Fertilizer Industry Association: Paris,1997. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Abraham, J.; Rajasekharan Pillai, V. N.J. Appl. Polym. Sci.1996, 60, 2347. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Fertilizer Manual, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), Kluwer Academic Publishers, The Netherlands, 1998. 7. Litster, J.D.; Ennis, B. The Science and Engineering of Granulation Processes; Kluwer Academic Publishers: Dordrecht, The Netherlands, 2004; Volume 15. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Herce, C.; Gil, A.; Gil, M.; Cortés, C. A CAPE-Taguchi combined method to optimize a NPK fertilizer plant including population balance modeling of granulation-drying rotary drum reactor. Comput. Aided Chem. Eng. 2017, 40, 49–54. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Ramachandran, R.; Immanuel, C.D.; Stepanek, F.; Litster, J.D.; Doyle III, F.J. A mechanistic model for breakage in population balances of granulation: Theoretical kernel development and experimental validation. Chem. Eng. Res. Des. 2009, 87, 598–614. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Valiulis, G.; Simutis, R. Particle growth modelling and simulation in drum granulator-dryer. Inf. Technol. Control. 2009, 38, 147–152. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Wang, F.Y.; Ge, X.Y.; Balliu, N.; Cameron, I.T. Optimal control and operation of drum granulation processes. Chem. Eng. Sci. 2006, 61, 257–267. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Cameron, I.T.; Wang, F.Y.; Immanuel, C.D.; Stepanek, F. Process systems modelling and applications in granulation: A review. Chem. Eng. Sci 2005, 60, 3723–3750. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Litster, B. Ennis, L. Liu, The Science and Engineering of Granulation Processes. Particle Technology Series, Dordrecht, Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2004 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. K.Y. Fung, K.M. Ng, S. Nakajima, C. Wibowo, A systematic iterative procedure for determining granulator operating parameters, AIChE Journal 52 (9) (2006) 3189–3202. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. I.T. Cameron, F.Y. Wang, C.D. Immanuel, F. Stepanek, Process systems modelling and applications in granulation: a review, Chemical Engineering Science 60 (2005) 3723–3750. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. M. Hasltensen, P. de Bakker, K.H. Esbensen, Acoustic chemometric monitoring of an industrial granulation production process—a PAT feasibility study, Chemo-metrics and Intelligent Laboratory Systems 84 (2006) 88–97. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• Assessment of the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Repositioning TVET for Economic Development in Nigeria
• Teachers’ Use of Assure Model Instructional Design on Learners’ Problem Solving Efficacy in Secondary Schools in Bungoma County, Kenya
• “E-Booksan Ang Kaalaman”: Development, Validation, and Utilization of Electronic Book in Academic Performance of Grade 9 Students in Social Studies
• Analyzing EFL University Students’ Academic Speaking Skills Through Self-Recorded Video Presentation
• Major Findings of The Study on Total Quality Management in Teachers’ Education Institutions (TEIs) In Assam – An Evaluative Study