Fertilizer Granule Reactor Recirculation and Grinding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing fertilizer granules are cost-intensive and prone to clogging due to inert raw material particles, which affect the quality and efficiency of the process.
Innovation Solution
A device with a reactor unit that includes a recirculation device and grinding unit to increase the dwell time and surface area of phosphate-containing raw materials, reducing clogging risks and enhancing reaction kinetics, combined with dry and wet grinding processes for optimal phosphate conversion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the phosphate-containing raw material is mixed with acid to form a suspension for granulation, then fertilizer granules can be produced, but the inert raw material particles tend to clog at narrow points in the device
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by introducing a recirculation device that returns a portion of the suspension from the reactor outlet back to the reactor inlet. This allows raw material particles to be pre-treated and ground multiple times before exiting the reactor, reducing their inertness and preventing clogging at narrow points downstream during granulation.
2Manufacturing precision
If the residence time of suspension in the reactor is increased to improve phosphate conversion, then the reaction completeness increases, but the production throughput decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the residence time adjustable and variable through the recirculation ratio. By controlling the proportion of suspension recirculated versus discharged, the system can dynamically optimize between residence time for complete conversion and throughput for productivity, allowing flexible adaptation to different production requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The recirculation device enables continuous useful action by maintaining a constant flow of suspension through the reactor. The recirculated portion ensures that raw material particles continuously undergo reaction and grinding until they reach the desired conversion level, while the continuous discharge maintains production throughput.
3Reliability
If a grinding unit is added to comminute the phosphate-containing raw material, then the reaction kinetics are accelerated and clogging risk is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the grinding function with the existing reactor and recirculation system. The grinding unit is integrated into the recirculation loop, utilizing the same suspension flow path. This combination allows the grinding function to be added without creating separate independent systems, thereby reducing the overall device complexity compared to having separate grinding and reaction units.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution improves the quality and efficiency of fertilizer granule production by increasing phosphate conversion, reducing clogging risks, and optimizing energy consumption, leading to higher throughput and product fineness.
Implementation Method 1
the reactor unit has a reactor recirculation device for the suspension. The recirculation of the suspension extends the average dwell time of the suspension in the reactor unit
Implementation Method 2
the reactor unit has a grinding unit for the phosphate-containing raw material. The grinding process that takes place before the granulation by means of the grinding unit increases the process stability, in that the phosphate-containing raw materials having large raw material particles are comminuted by the grinding process
Implementation Method 3
a suspension is produced from a phosphate-containing raw material and an acid
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a device (1) for the production of fertilizer granules comprising a reactor unit (6) having a raw material inlet (2), an acid inlet (3) and a reactor outlet (4), a reactor (5) for producing a suspension from the phosphate-containing raw material and an acid, and a granulator (7) for granulating the produced suspension, wherein the reactor unit (6) has a reactor recirculation device (11) for the suspension.