From transporting ore from mines to storing finished products, the fertilizer industry relies on bulk material handling equipment to keep processes running and products moving. This serious interest, combined with some of the special difficulties posed by fertilizers, requires equipment that is expertly designed and manufactured for optimum efficiency and unwavering quality over long distances.
Below, various kinds of heavy equipment used in fertilizer production are discussed:
Bucket Elevator
The bucket elevator is the industry standard for vertical fertilizer transport. Although equipped to handle many materials, they are not recommended for handling wet and sticky materials such as manure regularly.
Grain Bucket Elevators are highly adaptable and are available in a variety of styles to accommodate different vertical handling requirements. The main options are centrifugal belts, constant belts, and sequential chains.
Centrifugal belt conveyors are preferred in high-capacity environments that require rapid movement of large volumes of material. Centrifugal chains are commonly used at mine sites because they have a higher capacity and are stronger than belt chains. For high-capacity operation, a two-circuit configuration can be used.
While still providing a large handling capacity, the continuous lifting of the belt promotes the better handling expected regularly from the finished goods. Various bucket styles are available for custom methods.
Belt Conveyor
Belt conveyors are the norm for moving material on a flat plane, from one point to the next, in almost every industry, and fertilizers are no exception. Belt conveyors can handle up to 8,000 tones per hour and can be started at 20° (with troughed belts) or 30° with cleated/chevron belts.
Belt conveyors enable high-capacity processing while preserving the material contained in the belt. While screw conveyors offer a selection of handling devices, belt conveyors allow for better handling, help limit handling shrinkage, and may also require higher capacities than screw conveyors.
The fertilizer belt conveyor can be equipped with a large number of accessories and customizations to enhance skills. Tape measures or belt scales are often used for mass flow screening.
Trippers and Plows
Belt Trippers and plows are regularly integrated into the dirt-hauling system to further develop adaptability, especially concerning dirt collection.
Trippers and plows allow material to be dumped at key points along the conveyor, from one or both sides, and at fixed or mobile locations. The use of vibrators or plows is ideal for filling various storage containers along transport routes or for forming long permanent piles in bulk fertilizer storage buildings.
Belt Feeders
The belt feeder is another important piece of equipment that advances the slurry handling system. Conveyors allow material to be fed from the box or hopper into the frame at a controlled rate, reliably feeding the combination.
Consideration towards handling with care:
While problem-solving is usually site and material specific, there is a common theme that runs across the fertilizer industry.
Corrosion
Many fertilizer materials have corrosive properties which if not anticipated can cause excessive premature wear of processing equipment. For example, corrosion is an ongoing problem with potassium, often requiring high-wear areas such as moving ducts and conveyor-feed pile areas with wear-resistant coatings or exceptionally expandable materials. Stainless steel and galvanized materials are commonly used as approaches to combat corrosion.
Corrosion is also a problem for natural materials as they often have higher moisture levels.
Abrasion
Abrasion is a common problem for most fertilizer jobs, especially in mining and metal fabrication. Bulk material handling equipment designed for this environment must be developed from the heart from suitable development materials and often requires AR (Abrasion Resistant) liners.
Dust
Dust is a problem in almost every mass handling operation as it causes a variety of annoying problems, and can also create an unsafe working environment and lead to premature equipment failure.
To limit the fall of dust, various adjustments are usually kept for the frame. Depending on the structure in which the material is located and the level of dust resistance required, this may include a coordinated full-length cover sheet and exhaust vent at the end of the pile. Some also require a dust extraction focal point above the release cover and enclosure or fenced exhibit area.
Dust minimization also plays a role in the general design of the processing frame; transfer points and drop height must be carefully adjusted to reduce dust life.
Buildup
Like any activity, avoiding deposits is the primary goal when handling materials in fertilizer production. Materials approved for development may present the potential for corrosive wear, clogged or damaged equipment, increased maintenance time, and safety hazards. Therefore, regular inspections and cleaning are considered best practices. In situations where debris is very common, double-strip cleaners are often combined to assist in this endeavor.
New Processing Difficulty
As the fertilizer industry continues to accept the inevitable turn of events and the use of specialty fertilizers, new handling difficulties are constantly being introduced. This model supports the need for bulk material handling equipment manufacturers to be able to assess new framework requirements and meet them through careful planning and development.
Conclusion
Belt conveyors, bucket elevators, trippers, plows, and feeders are widely used throughout the fertilizer industry to process fertilizer at every step of its life cycle, from raw minerals to finished products. The significant difficulties associated with fertilizers require a designed framework and equipment plan to achieve an effective treatment framework that operates reliably.
Rancan Fertilizer System is known throughout the fertilizer industry as the best in specialty fertilizer manufacturing and processing equipment. Each bulk handling framework we configure is planned according to the site’s specific objectives and difficulties and the materials at hand. Contact us today for more information on our custom material handling equipment!