Compaction gains space as a fertilizer production process

Compaction is the granulation method in the production of fertilizers by dry process, that is, the processed materials have low humidity and granulometry.

The technique can dispense with the use of dryers, which automatically reduces the energy cost of the production plant and the use of binders necessary for wet processes. Compaction is also adopted for materials that are difficult to granulate and allows many solid fertilizers to be consolidated in any proportions using mechanical pressure alone.

Compaction granulation is also gaining ground due to its operational simplicity. Changing the formulation in such a unit is a quick and simple procedure.

As it is a low-cost and complex fertilizer production process, compaction can be applied for the use of raw materials that were segregated during transport or storage. In short: in this type of plant, the recovery of fines is a reality.

The flexibility of compaction plants can also be proven by their application in products that are difficult to granulate. Due to being a compact plant, it also has lower maintenance costs and greater ease of operation.

Factory setup, for example, can be done faster and batch sizes can be smaller than with wet granulation. As a dry process, dedusting and filtering are sufficient to control pollution, eliminating the use of a gas scrubber and treatment of liquid effluents.

Roller pressure agglomerates materials and increases density without using binders

Compaction involves two steps: in the first, the fine dry particles are introduced between two rollers under extreme pressure that compress the materials forming sheets or flakes, as they are technically known.

In the second phase, the flakes are broken into small particles, which are then classified into the required size. Technically, the rolls used in the plant can be smooth or grooved. The fines can be fed by gravity or pressurization screw, depending on the type of product.

The specification of compaction plants depends on a number of factors, including the grain size of the material fed (generally the particles are smaller than 1 mm and larger than 0.1 mm), temperature (which helps to increase the density of the flake), roller pressure ( each product has an ideal pressure and the higher it is, the higher the flake density), moisture and thickness.

As it is a dry granulation process, compaction normally does not require any liquid medium or binder, in some cases, however, the presence of little moisture and binders is indicated. To find out more information about fertilizer production in Brazil and more subjects, such as mineral exploration and stone, follow our articles!