Investigation of Compost Fertilizer Granulation Parameters Using Response Surface Methodology

• Main Authors: Y Ghasemi, M. H Kianmehr, B Azadegan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ferdowsi University of Mashhad 2015-03-01
• Series: Journal of Agricultural Machinery
• Subjects: Granulation; Organic fertilizer; Response-Surface Methods
• Online Access: https://jame.um.ac.ir/index.php/jame/article/view/22547
• ISSN: 2228-6829; 2423-3943

Nowadays compost fertilizers are suitable alternative to chemical fertilizers, due to the threats for human health and agriculture products. The most important problems for applying the compost fertilizer in the farm are: transportation (high volume), high moisture content, spreading problem, impurity such as dust and storage. To solve the problems mentioned, pressing process such as converting the compost to pellets and granules are suggested. In this research the effects of some granulation parameters on the percent of useful granules in a laboratory scale rotating drum was evaluated. The percentage of useful granules decreased by increasing the granulation time and increased by increasing the percentage of drum filling. The optimal conditions for granules production was achieved at drum rotational speed of 40.38 rpm, granulation time of 15 min, drum filling of 10% and molasse percentage of 40.97. According to these conditions, the response for useful granule was estimated as 81.6% with R2 of 0.924.