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
Tip: Use the colored bars corresponding with each section to easily navigate through the book.
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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