Plants and systems for producing fertilizer granules with a defined size distribution

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12102976-B2
Application number	US-202217587828-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 28, 2022
Priority date	Jul 13, 2018
Publication date	Oct 1, 2024
Grant date	Oct 1, 2024

Abstract

A fluid-bed granulator system for producing fertilizer granules with a defined size including a fluid-bed granulator, a first cooler externally connected with the fluid-bed granulator or forming an internal part of the fluid-bed granulator, and a product screen connected with the first cooler. The product screen includes an exit for on-size particles; an exit for oversized particles and an exit for undersized particles. The exit for undersized particles is connected to the fluid-bed granulator and the exit for oversized particles is connected to the fluid-bed granulator via one or more crushers. The exit for on-size particles is connected to a first splitter. The first splitter is connected to the fluid-bed granulator and a post processing unit. A particle size analyzer is located between the fluid-bed granulator and the product screen.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fluid-bed granulator system for producing fertilizer granules with a defined size, comprising:
a fluid-bed granulator,
a first cooler externally connected to the fluid-bed granulator or forming an internal part of the fluid-bed granulator,
a product screen connected to the first cooler wherein the product screen comprises:
an exit for on-size particles,
an exit for oversized particles, and
an exit for undersized particles;

wherein the exit for undersized particles is connected to the fluid-bed granulator and wherein the exit for oversized particles is connected to the fluid-bed granulator via one or more crushers;
wherein the exit for on-size particles is connected to a first splitter and wherein the first splitter is connected to the fluid-bed granulator and a post processing unit; and
a particle size analyzer located between the fluid-bed granulator and the product screen;
wherein the fluid-bed granulator comprises spray nozzles above a perforated plate, a fluidization air inlet located below the perforated plate, a granulation seeds inlet, a granulator outlet opening, an air vent opening, and partition plates that divide the fluid-bed granulator.

2. The fluid-bed granulator system of claim 1 wherein the product screen comprises an exit for large on-size particles and an exit for small on-size particles.

3. The fluid-bed granulator system of claim 2 wherein the product screen comprises three inner screen meshes, the three inner screen meshes having corresponding decreasing mesh sizes.

4. The fluid-bed granulator system of claim 3 wherein the mesh sizes of the inner screen meshes is in the range of 0.1 mm to 10 mm.

5. The fluid-bed granulator system of claim 1 wherein the first splitter; the exit for oversized particles via the crusher; and/or the exit for undersized particles are ingoing connected with a second splitter, wherein an output of the second splitter is connected to recycle inlets of the fluid-bed granulator.

6. The fluid-bed granulator system of claim 5 wherein the particle size analyzer is electronically connected to the first splitter and/or the second splitter.

7. The fluid-bed granulator system of claim 6 wherein the particle size analyzer is electronically connected to the first splitter and/or the second splitter via a processing and control unit.

8. The fluid-bed granulator system of claim 5 wherein the fluid-bed granulator comprises a perforated plate and wherein the perforated plate comprises, in the direction of flow, a first growing zone and a first cooling zone, a second growing zone and a second cooling zone.

9. The fluid-bed granulator system of claim 5 wherein the fluid-bed granulator comprises a perforated plate and wherein the perforated plate comprises, in the direction of flow, a growing zone and a cooling zone.

10. The fluid-bed granulator system of claim 9 wherein the first splitter and/or the second splitter are connected to the growing zone and/or the cooling zone via recycle inlets.

11. The fluid-bed granulator system of claim 9 wherein the first splitter and/or the second splitter are connected to the first growing zone and/or the second growing zone via the recycle inlets.

12. The fluid-bed granulator system of claim 7 wherein the first splitter and/or the second splitter are electronically connected to the processing and control unit and wherein the processing and control unit is electronically connected to the particle size analyzer.

13. The fluid-bed granulator system of claim 5 wherein the second splitter is connected to the first splitter; and/or
the exit for oversized particles via the crusher; and/or
the exit for undersized particles; and
wherein the second splitter is connected to the recycle inlets of the fluid-bed granulator and wherein the recycle inlets are connected to one or more growing zones and/or cooling zone.

14. The fluid-bed granulator system of claim 5 wherein the product screen comprises four inner screen meshes with a decreasing mesh size or five inner screen meshes with a decreasing mesh size.

15. The fluid-bed granulator system of claim 14 wherein the product screen is connected to:
a third splitter and a fourth splitter connected to the fluid-bed granulator and the post processing unit; and
wherein the third splitter and the fourth splitter are controlled via a processing and control unit.

16. The fluid-bed granulator system of claim 1 wherein the product screen comprises an exit for large on-size particles and an exit for small on-size particles, wherein the exit for large on-size particles and the exit for small on-size particles are connected with the first splitter for dividing the large on-size particles and the small on-size particles between the post processing unit and a second splitter that is connected with the fluid-bed granulator.

17. The fluid-bed granulator system of claim 1 comprising:
a second splitter that feeds recycled particles to the fluid-bed granulator;
a first growing zone, a first cooling zone, a second growing zone, and a second cooling zone; and
valves that are configured to convey the recycled particles leaving the second splitter to the first growing zone, the first cooling zone, the second growing zone, and the second cooling zone.

18. The fluid-bed granulator system of claim 17 wherein the crusher is directly connected with the first growing zone.

19. A urea granulation plant comprising the fluid-bed granulator system of claim 1 .

20. A fluid-bed granulator system for producing fertilizer granules with a defined size, comprising:
a fluid-bed granulator,
a first cooler externally connected to the fluid-bed granulator or forming an internal part of the fluid-bed granulator,
a product screen connected to the first cooler wherein the product screen comprises:
an exit for on-size particles,
an exit for oversized particles, and
an exit for undersized particles;

wherein the exit for undersized particles is connected to the fluid-bed granulator and wherein the exit for oversized particles is connected to the fluid-bed granulator via one or more crushers;
wherein the exit for on-size particles is connected to a first splitter and wherein the first splitter is connected to the fluid-bed granulator and a post processing unit; and
a particle size analyzer located between the fluid-bed granulator and the product screen;
wherein the first splitter; the exit for oversized particles via the crusher; and/or the exit for undersized particles are ingoing connected with a second splitter, wherein an output of the second splitter is connected to recycle inlets of the fluid-bed granulator.

21. A fluid-bed granulator system for producing fertilizer granules with a defined size, comprising:
a fluid-bed granulator,
a first cooler externally connected to the fluid-bed granulator or forming an internal part of the fluid-bed granulator,
a product screen connected to the first cooler wherein the product screen comprises:
an exit for on-size particles,
an exit for oversized particles, and
an exit for undersized particles;

wherein the exit for undersized particles is connected to the fluid-bed granulator and wherein the exit for oversized particles is connected to the fluid-bed granulator via one or more crushers;
wherein the exit for on-size particles is connected to a first splitter and wherein the first splitter is connected to the fluid-bed granulator and a post processing unit; and
a particle size analyzer located between the fluid-b

Assignees

• Thyssenkrupp Fertilizer Tech Gmbh
• Thyssenkrupp Ag

Inventors

• Franzrahe Harald
• Krawczyk Thomas

Classifications

• C05G5/12

  Granules or flakes · CPC title

• C05C9/005

  Post-treatment · CPC title

• B01J8/1872

  Details of the fluidised bed reactor (B01J8/1836 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B01J8/1809

  Controlling processes · CPC title

• B01J8/0015

  Feeding of the particles in the reactor; Evacuation of the particles out of the reactor · CPC title