This presentation looks at the process equipment used in both phosphatic fertilizer and animal feed production. This includes major equipment such as rotary dryers, coolers, kilns, and granulation drums, as well as other equipment such as pipe reactors, hammer mills, and coating drums.

1. Equipment Overview
Experts in process design and material
processing for over 65 years.
Phosphate Processing

2. Phosphorus is essential to all life on Earth. Its
life-giving properties are key to a variety of
cellular and biological processes that allow
plants, animals, and even humans to grow
strong and healthy.

3. And as the world begins to approach peak
phosphorus, companies will increasingly be
looking to improve upon their phosphate
products and processing methods.

4. The following provides a basic overview of
the equipment commonly used in
processing phosphate rock into fertilizer and
animal feed products.

5. The following provides a basic overview of
the equipment commonly used in
processing phosphate rock into fertilizer and
animal feed products.
Some equipment features may be specific
to FEECO International.

6. Granulation Drums
Granulation drums are the backbone of
most phosphatic fertilizer processes.

7. Granulation Drums
Granulation drums are the backbone of
most phosphatic fertilizer processes.
They serve the purpose of granulating
material after reaction.

8. FEECO Granulation Drum

9. How Granulation Drums Work
Granulation drums tumble reacted
material in a rotating drum.

10. How Granulation Drums Work
Granulation drums tumble reacted
material in a rotating drum.
As the material cools and solidifies, the
tumbling action rounds it into granules.

11. Pug Mills
Also known as paddle mixers, pug mills
are used in both animal feed and
fertilizer production.

12. Pug Mills
Also known as paddle mixers, pug mills
are used in both animal feed and
fertilizer production.
In the fertilizer industry, pug mills are
used to mix recycle with raw material to
be reintroduced to the process.

13. Pug Mills
Also known as paddle mixers, pug mills
are used in both animal feed and
fertilizer production.
In the fertilizer industry, pug mills are
used to mix recycle with raw material to
be reintroduced to the process.
In animal feed production, pug mills
mix, react, and granulate feed
materials.

14. FEECO Pug Mill

15. How Pug Mills Work
Pug mills utilize dual rotating shafts
affixed with paddles to create a
kneading and folding over motion that
thoroughly mixes materials.

16. Rotary Dryers
Rotary dryers are used prolifically
throughout the phosphates industry.

17. Rotary Dryers
Rotary dryers are used prolifically
throughout the phosphates industry.
They are not only used for drying
granules in animal feed and fertilizer
production, but they are also used in
the beneficiation process to dry
phosphate rock.

18. FEECO Rotary Dryer

19. How Rotary Dryers Work
Similar to granulation drums, rotary
dryers tumble material in a rotating
drum, but in the presence of a drying air
stream.

20. How Rotary Dryers Work
Similar to granulation drums, rotary
dryers tumble material in a rotating
drum, but in the presence of a drying air
stream.
Flights, or material lifters, pick up
material, carry it over, and drop it
through the air stream to maximize heat
transfer efficiency.

21. Rotary Coolers
Rotary coolers are typically used in
fertilizer production to cool granules
exiting the dryer.

22. Rotary Coolers
Rotary coolers are typically used in
fertilizer production to cool granules
exiting the dryer.
This helps to prevent caking issues
during storage, and ensures material is
not too hot for subsequent handling.

23. FEECO Rotary Cooler

24. How Rotary Coolers Work
Rotary coolers work just like rotary
dryers, but instead of a heated air
stream, chilled or ambient air is used to
efficiently cool material.

25. Hammer Mills
Hammer mills are used in both fertilizer
and animal feed production for
crushing over-size granules so they can
be reintroduced to the process as
recycle.

26. FEECO Hammer Mill

27. How Hammer Mills Work
Hammer mills are comprised of a
spinning shaft affixed with hammers
and/or chains. The spinning of the
hammers breaks down material,
producing maximum product in the size
range of minus 4 mesh down to plus 20
mesh.

28. High Speed Mixers
The high speed mixer used in animal
feed granulation is specific to FEECO.

29. High Speed Mixers
The high speed mixer used in animal
feed granulation is specific to FEECO.
This mixer provides an improved
reaction, resulting in a more uniform
product.

30. FEECO High Speed Mixer

31. How High Speed Mixers Work
The high speed mixer is mounted atop
the pug mill. A shaft affixed with
paddles runs through the vertical
chamber, and spins at 300-400 RPMs.

32. How High Speed Mixers Work
The high speed mixer is mounted atop
the pug mill. A shaft affixed with
paddles runs through the vertical
chamber, and spins at 300-400 RPMs.
This initiates the reaction before the pug
mill, creating an improved reaction and
allowing for a more homogenous
mixture.

33. Coating Drums
Coating drums are sometimes used in
the production of MAP and DAP
fertilizers.

34. Coating Drums
Coating drums are sometimes used in
the production of MAP and DAP
fertilizers.
Coating drums facilitate the coating of
granules, typically to improve the end
product in some way, such as by
reducing dust issues, or employing an
anti-caking agent.

35. FEECO Coating Drum

36. How Coating Drums Work
Coating drums are similar to rotary
granulators; material is tumbled in the
drum, and a spray system releases the
coating agent. Tumbler flights increase
agitation and foster uniformity.

37. Rotary Kilns
Rotary kilns are employed when
phosphate rock is considered
contaminated (found in the presence
of organics) and must be purified
before it can be used as intended.

38. Rotary Kilns
Rotary kilns are employed when
phosphate rock is considered
contaminated (found in the presence
of organics) and must be purified
before it can be used as intended.
Rotary kilns are used to purify the
phosphate rock through high
temperature processing.

39. FEECO Rotary Kiln

40. How Rotary Kilns Work
Rotary kilns are similar to rotary dryers,
but operate at much higher
temperatures to cause a physical
change or chemical reaction.

41. How Rotary Kilns Work
Rotary kilns are similar to rotary dryers,
but operate at much higher
temperatures to cause a physical
change or chemical reaction.
Material is processed at the necessary
temperature for a specific amount of
time in order to accomplish the
processing goal.

42. Pipe Reactors
Pipe reactors are an acid-base reaction
vessel sometimes used in the production
of MAP fertilizer.

43. Pipe Reactors
Pipe reactors are an acid-base reaction
vessel sometimes used in the production
of MAP fertilizer.
While not required in any system, in the
right setting, they can bring significant
energy savings.

44. FEECO Pipe Reactor

45. How Pipe Reactors Work
Phosphoric acid is fed into one side of
the reactor, while gaseous or liquid
ammonia is fed into the reaction
chamber. A hot “melt” is produced,
and sprayed onto a bed of recycle in
the granulator.

46. How Pipe Reactors Work
Phosphoric acid is fed into one side of
the reactor, while gaseous or liquid
ammonia is fed into the reaction
chamber. A hot “melt” is produced,
and sprayed onto a bed of recycle in
the granulator.
The captured reaction heat helps to dry
the material as it tumbles and solidifies.

47. Material Handling Equipment
In addition to the various processing
equipment used in phosphates
production, a variety of material
handling equipment is also employed.

48. Material handling
equipment such as
conveyors, bucket
elevators, belt trippers,
and more, bring
seamless fluidity to
a process.
FEECO Bucket Elevator

49. has been working with phosphates for over 65
years, providing testing services, process
design and development, and custom
phosphate processing equipment.

50. Want to learn more?
Download our
Phosphates Processing
Handbook.
Phosphates Processing Handbook
Processing Techniques
Equipment
Considerations
Outlook
Download Now