In an organic fertilizer production line, the granulation process directly determines the quality of the finished product and market acceptance. The operating status and details of the organic fertilizer production equipment are crucial to the granulation effect. Many farmers and entrepreneurs often encounter problems such as loose, unevenly sized, and easily broken granules, which not only affect sales but also waste raw materials. The root cause of this problem mainly lies in three aspects: raw material characteristics, equipment condition, and operating methods. Precise troubleshooting can lead to efficient solutions.

Raw material characteristics are the foundation of granulation, with the core issues being moisture content and proportions. The moisture content of organic fertilizer raw materials needs to be strictly controlled between 55% and 60%. If it is below 50%, the raw material lacks viscosity and cannot granulate; if it is above 65%, it will stick to the inner wall of the granulator, forming large clumps. Furthermore, an imbalanced raw material ratio also affects granulation—an excessively high proportion of coarse fibers such as straw lacks a viscous carrier; or an excessive proportion of livestock and poultry manure, with too many impurities, will result in loose granules. It is recommended to adjust the moisture content by spraying water or sun-drying, and to add 5%-10% well-rotted sawdust or rice bran as a binder to improve the stickiness of the raw materials.
Poor equipment condition is a significant cause of poor granulation. Insufficient pressure in organic fertilizer granulation machines is a common problem; for example, if the rotation speed of a disc granulator is too fast or too slow, the granules will not be compacted. Secondly, equipment wear also affects the results. Wear on the granulator die orifices and reduced smoothness of the disc's inner wall will reduce the adhesion of the raw materials, resulting in a low forming rate. Additionally, some low-priced equipment lacks speed adjustment functionality and cannot adjust parameters according to the characteristics of the raw materials, which can also lead to uneven particle size. To resolve this, first check the equipment pressure and rotation speed. Adjust the rotation speed of the disc granulator to 30-40 rpm; regularly replace worn dies, and apply anti-slip treatment to the inner wall of the disc to ensure the equipment is in optimal working condition.
Improper operation can also cause forming problems. Incomplete raw material pretreatment, such as straw not being crushed to below 5mm or insufficient mixing during blending, can lead to large impurities in the granules, affecting their overall consistency. Feeding too quickly during granulation overloads the equipment, preventing sufficient compression or rolling of the raw materials and resulting in loose granules; feeding too slowly leads to low efficiency and insufficient granule density. Furthermore, incomplete fermentation and pH imbalances in the raw materials can reduce viscosity. It is recommended to strictly follow the "crushing → mixing → fermentation" process for raw material pretreatment, adhering to the "small amounts, multiple times" principle during feeding to ensure thorough granulation within the equipment. Simultaneously, monitor the pH value of the fermentation raw materials, maintaining it between 6.5 and 7.5 to improve granulation efficiency.
By precisely controlling the characteristics of the raw materials, the condition of the equipment, and operational details, the problem of poor granulation in organic fertilizer can be effectively solved, producing uniform, firm, high-quality organic fertilizer, thereby enhancing product competitiveness and economic benefits.