Investigation on geometrical particle parameters and aerodynamic features of granular manure fertilizers

Abstract

About 80 percent of organic biodegradable waste originates from agriculture. Valuable fertilizer is produced by recycling and organic waste is utilized. Most manure is accumulated in the farms of cattle. One way of such manure handling is to use them as secondary raw material utilization in the processing of organic products (fertilizer) graining. This paper provides the research results of granular manure compost fertilizer use and theoretical spread by standard fertilizer spreading equipment. For the research two different size granular organic compost fertilizers were used. There were investigated the particle geometrical parameters and aerodynamic features of granular organic compost fertilizers, estimated the critical particle velocity, flow rate coefficient and other parameters. A theoretical model was developed, which predicts the trajectory of individual fertilizer particles off-the-disc. The model presented herein requires validation with the data obtained from spreading tests. It was found that the organic granular fertilizer flow rate coefficient depends on the pallet diameter. For larger diameter pallets the flow rate coefficients are lower (Manure I, KsAvg = 0.32 s-1), and for smaller diameter pallets a larger flow rate coefficient is needed (Manure II, KsAvg = 0.37 s-1). After creation of the Finite element model (FEM) pellet aerodynamic and ballistic models the aerodynamic characteristics were received that can be used in selecting the spreading technological parameters.