Effect of Selected Artificial Binding Agents on the Pelletability of Organic Fertilizer

D.A. Fadare; O.A. Bamiro

D.A. Fadare Mechanical Engineering Department University of Ibadan, P.M.B. 1, 20002, Ibadan
O.A. Bamiro Mechanical Engineering Department University of Ibadan, P.M.B. 1, 20002, Ibadan

Keywords: Organic fertilizer pellet, binder, mechanical properties, kaolin, bentonite, corn starch

Abstract

Selection of appropriate binder and its concentration poses great challenge in the application of artificial binding agents for pelletizing of organic fertilizer. In this paper, effects of three (3) artificial binders (kaolin, bentonite and corn starch) at three concentrations (2.5, 10 and 15% by weight) on the mechanical properties (crushing strength, brittle fracture index, axial elastic recovery, durability disintegration time and specific energy requirement) of organic fertilizer pellets were investigated. Cylindrical pellets of 25 mm diameter and 20 mm long were formed using a uniaxial compression machine. The L9 Taguchi orthogonal array design experiment was used to determine the percentage influence of type and concentration of the binders on the variability of the mechanical properties of the pellets. Results showed that the type of binder had the greatest percentage influence of 90.4% (disintegration time), 67.9% (crushing strength), 56.2% (durability), 40.5% (axial elastic recovery), 85.5% (specific energy requirement), while the concentration of the binder showed no significant effect except on the brittle fracture index where the concentration had the highest influence of 36.8%. Corn starch was found to be the best binder with optimal concentrations of 15% for crushing strength, axial elastic recovery, durability and disintegration time, and 10% for brittle fracture index.

Author Biographies

D.A. Fadare, Mechanical Engineering Department University of Ibadan, P.M.B. 1, 20002, Ibadan

Mechanical Engineering Department

University of Ibadan, P.M.B. 1, 20002, Ibadan

O.A. Bamiro, Mechanical Engineering Department University of Ibadan, P.M.B. 1, 20002, Ibadan

Mechanical Engineering Department

University of Ibadan, P.M.B. 1, 20002, Ibadan

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