Direct Heating in Fertilizer Manufacturing

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America (Free-Press-Release.com) January 11, 2012 -- Since the beginning of farming, people have been using substances to enhance agricultural yields. Different organic items have been used in the past to fertilize plants such as animal excrement and clay. As people began to learn more about plants, it was discovered that fertilizers could be produced from the following minerals: nitrogen, saltpeter, lime, phosphoric acid and potash. Shortly after this discovery, inorganic fertilizers were developed using synthetic minerals.

Inorganic fertilizers still represent the majority of commercial fertilizers produced. Today, most fertilizer production uses compounded forms of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium which have been made with various raw materials. Ammonia, an inexpensive raw material that is produced from air and natural gas, is commonly used as the synthetic source of nitrogen. The second component of fertilizer, phosphorus, is typically derived from phosphate rock. The third mineral, potassium, is derived from potassium chloride.
In order to create fertilizer, each of these compounds are granulated and blended together. The blend is then passed over a screen to separate composite pieces that are inadequately sized. A protective coating is then applied to the particles to keep each compound discrete and to stop them from retaining moisture. The particles are then put through an industrial dryer, which utilizes a direct fired air heater. Finally, other nutrients may then be added into this composite mixer in order to enhance the fertilizer before being sent to the bagging machine.

It is important to note that many intermediate materials can be produced along the way of the fertilizer manufacturing process with minimal to no extra processing. These materials include: potash, urea, ammonium sulphate, calcium ammonium nitrate, and many others. The manufacturing equipment used from plant to plant will slightly differ, based on the goal end product(s) of the fertilizer manufacturing facility. For example, depending upon the end product, the industrial dryer implemented into the manufacturing process can range from fluid bed dryers, rotary dryers, flash dryers, ring dryers, and many others. However, because fertilizers are not chemically sensitive, direct fired air heaters will always be implemented into the production system over indirect fired air heaters.

For more information about direct fired air heaters, please call Stelter & Brinck at 513-367-9300 or visit http://www.stelterbrinck.com/direct-fired-air-heaters.htm

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