Comparative study of the cleaning system of the technological line for the production of organomineral fertilizers

Relevance. The high agronomic efficiency of organomineral fertilizers, due to the humic substances they contain, is offset by the presence of insoluble ballast residues. These residues lead to equipment malfunctions, uneven application, and reduced nutrient availability by plants. The implementation of effective methods for cleaning organomineral fertilizers is critical to ensuring consistent product quality, increasing their competitiveness, and ensuring the smooth operation of agricultural machinery, which determines the practical significance of this work.
The study methods included a comparative evaluation of the efficiency of three cleaning systems (cassette filters, a hydrocyclone, and a centrifugal separator) on a modernized organomineral fertilizer production line. Ballast residue content in the processed samples was monitored using sieve analysis and optical microscopy, followed by weighing of the ballast residue and statistical data processing.
Results. The study compared the effectiveness of systems for removing ballast from organomineral fertilizers. It was found that cassette filters do not provide sufficient purification of organomineral fertilizers, leaving up to 13% ballast. Rational hydrocyclone design parameters were determined, ensuring impurity reduction to 8% with minimal product loss of 5.5%. The high efficiency of a centrifugal separator, ensuring impurity reduction to values in the range of 1–4%, was confirmed, but its dependence on preliminary load reduction was revealed. As a result, a two-stage combined process flowsheet for removing ballast from organomineral fertilizers was proposed.

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