PROCESS SYSTEMS

ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING

HANDBOOK Revised Edition

TOMORROW'S PROCESSES, TODAY.

FEECO.com
EXPERTS IN CUSTOM EQUIPMENT AND MATERIAL PROCESSING
SINCE 1951

© Copyright FEECO International, Inc. 2019 | All rights reserved.

Value: $75 USD.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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ABOUT FEECO

A Message from the President.............................................................................................................................................1

Introduction ...........................................................................................................................................................................2

Experience..............................................................................................................................................................................3

Industries & Materials.............................................................................................................................................................4

Engineering Capabilities.......................................................................................................................................................5

In-House Manufacturing Capabilities..................................................................................................................................6

Automation ...........................................................................................................................................................................7

THE INNOVATION CENTER

Customized Testing Solutions................................................................................................................................................9

Agglomeration Testing................................................................................................................................................10

Testing Particle Characteristics...........................................................................................................................11

Thermal Testing.............................................................................................................................................................14

Rotary Dryer Testing.............................................................................................................................................15

Rotary Kiln Testing.................................................................................................................................................18

Table: Material Transformations..........................................................................................................................................20

Table: Commonly Tested Materials....................................................................................................................................22

Tolling.....................................................................................................................................................................................24

Rental Equipment................................................................................................................................................................25

AGGLOMERATION

About Agglomeration.........................................................................................................................................................27

Types of Agglomeration......................................................................................................................................................29

NON-PRESSURE AGGLOMERATION

Pelletizing......................................................................................................................................................................30

Disc Pelletizers.......................................................................................................................................................31

Disc Pelletizers - Operating Principles..........................................................................................................33

Project Profile: Glass Pelletizing.....................................................................................................................34

 Project Profile: EAF Dust.................................................................................................................................35

Project Profile: Limestone & Gypsum Pelletizing.........................................................................................36

Project Profile: Gypsum Pelletizing...............................................................................................................37

Project Profile: Limestone Pelletizing System...............................................................................................38

Project Profile: Nickel Ore Pelletizing............................................................................................................39

Project Profile: Chicken Litter to Fertilizer.....................................................................................................40

Agglomeration/Granulation Drums...................................................................................................................41

Drive Assembly Options.................................................................................................................................43

Pipe Reactors.................................................................................................................................................44

Project Profile: Iron Ore Balling Drums..........................................................................................................46

Project Profile: Copper Ore Heap Leaching Drums...................................................................................47

Project Profile: Gold Ore Rotary Drum Agglomerator...............................................................................48

Project Profile: Ore Rotary Agglomerator...................................................................................................49

Project Profile: DAP Fertilizer Granulation Drum & Dryer............................................................................50

Project Profile: Fertilizer Granulation Pilot Plant...........................................................................................51

Project Profile: Complete System - Waste to Value...................................................................................52

Drum or Disc?.................................................................................................................................................53

Conditioning.................................................................................................................................................................54

Project Profile: Phosphate Rock Conditioning Drum.................................................................................57

Pug Mills.................................................................................................................................................................58

Project Profile: Pug Mill for De-dusting Fly Ash............................................................................................60

Project Profile: Pug Mills for Copper Concentrates....................................................................................61

Project Profile: Pug Mills for Steel Mill By-Products......................................................................................62

Project Profile: Animal Feeds Granulation...................................................................................................63

Project Profile: Bio-Fertilizer Processing........................................................................................................64

Project Profile: On-Farm Manure Granulation Plant..................................................................................65

Micro Pelletizing............................................................................................................................................................67

Pin Mixers...............................................................................................................................................................69

Project Profile: Pin Mixers for De-Dusting Coal............................................................................................70

Project Profile: Carbon Black Agglomeration............................................................................................71

Choosing an Industrial Mixer: Pin Mixer vs. Pug Mill..................................................................................................72

PRESSURE AGGLOMERATION

Compaction Granulation...........................................................................................................................................74

Roll Compactors...................................................................................................................................................76

Project Profile: Ammonium Sulfate Granulation.........................................................................................77

Pelletizing vs. Compaction Granulation....................................................................................................................78

Briquetting.....................................................................................................................................................................80

Briquetters.............................................................................................................................................................81

Table: Agglomeration Equipment Summary....................................................................................................................82

CONSIDERATIONS IN AGGLOMERATION

Preconditioning....................................................................................................................................................................83

Choosing a Binder...............................................................................................................................................................84

The Role of Drying................................................................................................................................................................85

Coating ................................................................................................................................................................................86

Project Profile: Coating Drum for Ammonium Sulfate.............................................................................................89

Size Reduction......................................................................................................................................................................90

Hammer Mills.................................................................................................................................................................91

Project Profile: Hammer Mill for Manure Granules............................................................................................93

THERMAL PROCESSING
DRYING ................................................................................................................................................................................95

How Rotary Dryers Work......................................................................................................................................................96

Direct Rotary Dryers.....................................................................................................................................................98

Indirect Rotary Dryers.................................................................................................................................................100

Direct vs. Indirect Drying...........................................................................................................................................102

Sizing & Design....................................................................................................................................................................103

Combustion Chambers.............................................................................................................................................107

Rotary Dryer or Fluid Bed Dryer?.......................................................................................................................................108

Project Profile: Limestone Rotary Dryer............................................................................................................................110

Project Profile: DAP & MAP Rotary Dryer.........................................................................................................................111

Project Profile: Bedding Recovery from Manure............................................................................................................112

Project Profile: Potash Rotary Dryers................................................................................................................................113

Project Profile: Frac Sand Dryer........................................................................................................................................114

Project Profile: Rotary Dryer for Ammonium Sulfate.......................................................................................................115

COOLING ............................................................................................................................................................................116

Table: Typical Rotary Dryer & Cooler Data.....................................................................................................................117

Direct Rotary Coolers.........................................................................................................................................................118

Project Profile: Rotary Cooler for DDGS...................................................................................................................120

Indirect Rotary Coolers......................................................................................................................................................121

ROTARY KILNS

How Rotary Kilns Work.......................................................................................................................................................124

Direct-Fired Rotary Kilns.............................................................................................................................................126

Indirect-Fired Rotary Kilns..........................................................................................................................................128

Direct vs. Indirect........................................................................................................................................................130

Rotary Kiln Processes..........................................................................................................................................................131

Sizing & Design....................................................................................................................................................................132

Increasing Efficiency Through Customization.........................................................................................................135

Options in Air Flow......................................................................................................................................................139

Moisture Reduction: Dryer or Kiln?...................................................................................................................................141

Project Profile: Rotary Kiln Resource Recovery System..................................................................................................142

Project Profile: Production Line for Roofing Granules....................................................................................................143

MATERIAL HANDLING

About Material Handling...................................................................................................................................................146

CONVEYORS & ACCESSORIES

Troughed Belt Conveyors..................................................................................................................................................147

Project Profile: Frac Sand Conveyor System...........................................................................................................149

Project Profile: Gypsum and Limestone Conveyor System...................................................................................150

Project Profile: Potash Handling System..................................................................................................................151

Project Profile: Gypsum Conveying System............................................................................................................152

Project Profile: Woodchips/Biomass Handling........................................................................................................153

Project Profile: Lignite Coal Conveyors...................................................................................................................154

Project Profile: Magnesite Ore Conveyor System...................................................................................................155

Reversing Shuttle Conveyors............................................................................................................................................156

Steep Incline Conveyors...................................................................................................................................................158

Belt Trippers.........................................................................................................................................................................160

Project Profile: Belt Tripper.........................................................................................................................................161

Belt Plows.............................................................................................................................................................................162

Trippers vs. Plows................................................................................................................................................................163

Belt Feeders........................................................................................................................................................................164

Engineering Belt Conveyor Horsepower.........................................................................................................................165

Tables: Belt Conveyor Capacity......................................................................................................................................167

BUCKET ELEVATORS...........................................................................................................................................................168

Centrifugal Elevators..................................................................................................................................................170

Continuous Elevators.................................................................................................................................................170

Bucket Elevator Design......................................................................................................................................................172

Bucket Styles...............................................................................................................................................................173

Project Profile: Frac Sand Bucket Elevators.....................................................................................................................175

Project Profile: Potash Bucket Elevators...........................................................................................................................176

PARTS & SERVICE/AFTERMARKET

Aftermarket Parts & Services.............................................................................................................................................178

Annual Inspections.....................................................................................................................................................181

Laser Alignment..........................................................................................................................................................182

Tire Grinding................................................................................................................................................................183

Knocking System Options..........................................................................................................................................184

Seal Options................................................................................................................................................................186

APPENDICES

Appendix A: Unitized Base................................................................................................................................................188

Appendix B: FEECO & Rockwell Automation: Solutions in Action................................................................................189

Appendix C: FEECO & Microtrac: Advanced Particle Analysis....................................................................................191

Appendix D: Material Weights..........................................................................................................................................193

Appendix E: Metal Corrosion............................................................................................................................................200

Appendix F: Granular Fertilizer Data................................................................................................................................204

Appendix G: Engineering Constants...............................................................................................................................205

Appendix H: Metric Conversions......................................................................................................................................207

DISCLAIMER
FEECO is committed to publishing and maintaining this Handbook. As we continue to grow and evolve, information in this document is subject to change with-
out notice. FEECO does not make any representations or warranties (implied or otherwise) regarding the accuracy and completeness of this document and
shall in no event be liable for any loss of profit or any commercial damage, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damage.

Please note that some images may display equipment without the proper safety guards and precautions. This is for photographic purposes only and does not
represent how equipment should be properly and safely installed or operated. FEECO shall not be held liable for personal injuries.
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