Small Vertical Disc Granulator: On-Farm Organic Fertilizer Processing Equipment

Large-scale integrated crop-livestock farms face a pressing need to process manure and waste on-site for their own fertilizer use. Purchasing organic fertilizer is costly and often ill-suited to specific soil needs, while large-scale granulation equipment requires significant space, consumes high energy, and entails high investment costs—making it unsuitable for family farms or small-to-medium-sized agricultural bases. Tailor-made for farms, this small vertical disc granulator aligns with operational needs for small-batch production, on-demand use, and simple maintenance. Featuring an integrated vertical structure and a granulation process designed for raw agricultural and livestock materials, it enables on-site granulation of mixtures—such as cattle, chicken, or sheep manure combined with chopped straw—creating a closed-loop system for self-produced fertilizer. It is specialized equipment that helps farms reduce costs and achieve ecological circularity. This machine features a lightweight, vertical disc granulator, distinguishing it from large industrial horizontal models. Its granulation principle strictly adheres to national standards for wet agglomeration in organic fertilizers, relying on the combined forces of gravity, disc-surface friction, and centrifugal force to form granules naturally. It avoids forced extrusion and structural damage to organic matter, thereby preserving the fertilizer's inherent biological activity. The equipment is compatible with standard farm-composted materials; a mixture of composted manure and straw with a moisture content of 28%–35% can be processed directly without the need for fine grinding or complex pre-treatment, making it ideal for simple farm-based composting piles. Key specifications are tailored to farm operating conditions: a thickened vertical disc with a 1.2m diameter and a manually adjustable tilt angle (35°–55°) that is easy for novices to operate; a low rotation speed (12–18 rpm) ensuring quiet, energy-efficient performance; and a dual-compatible motor (single-phase/three-phase) suitable for temporary farm power supplies. It delivers an hourly output of 0.4–0.6 tons of granular fertilizer with a stable formation rate of 85%–88%. The finished granules meet hardness standards and feature adjustable diameters (2–6 mm), catering to the diverse fertilization needs of both fruit/vegetable crops and field crops. This machine has been specifically optimized for the open-air and simple shed environments typical of farms. It features a vertical, floor-standing design with a footprint of only 4 square meters; it is easily movable, making it suitable for the scattered processing sites often found on farms. The granulation pan is coated with an anti-corrosive, wear-resistant finish to withstand the acidic and alkaline nature of manure, and is equipped with a simple floating scraper to prevent coarse straw fibers from clinging to the walls or wet manure from sticking to the pan, eliminating the need for daily disassembly and cleaning. The equipment eschews complex electronic control systems in favor of purely mechanical adjustments for angle and rotation speed; requiring no complex programming, it is easy for farmers with no technical background to operate. With few wear parts and simple maintenance requirements, it does not necessitate professional repair personnel. It can be paired with small crushers and simple fermentation piles to process crop and livestock waste entirely on-site, removing the need for off-site waste disposal. In summary, this small vertical disc granulator addresses the essential on-farm need for self-produced fertilizer. Distinct from industrial mass-production models, it offers the combined advantages of portability, low investment costs, and ease of operation. The fertilizer production process is compliant with standards and preserves the organic matter content of the fertilizer. It enables the on-site processing of livestock manure and crop straw into eco-friendly organic fertilizer for use in planting areas, thereby closing the loop between crop cultivation and livestock farming. It is ideally suited for regular, self-use fertilizer production on small-to-medium-sized integrated crop-livestock farms across the country.