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Pan Pelletization of Bone Char Fertilizer: An Evaluation of Process Parameters and Their Effect on Granule Strength

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Abstract

Rock phosphorous (P) resource reduction, a high-cost increment of fertilizer bears pressure for developing countries' small-scale farmers. Extracting P from slaughterhouse waste through pyrolysis and producing bone char is a promising solution, although handling of bone char is an issue. Thus, the objective of this research was, to produce bone char fertilizer granules to avoid wide size variation of bone char particles, easy handling and transportation, and easy application of the bone char fertilizer. Primarily, bone char used for pelletization was produced in wood-fueled, barrel type pyrolysis kiln, and the samples were ground into a powder (0.25 mm) subsequently. Then, pelletization was done using DP-14 model pelletizer and using 5% solution of Corn starch as a binder. To produce the durable bone char pellet, more than 50 trials have been conducted and above 200 samples passed through different testing. Therefore, this research asserts, durable bone char fertilizer granule can be produced and the granulation technique is the possible way to produce bone char fertilizer.

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Acknowledgements

Financial support from the McKnight Foundation “Indigenous bio-fertilizer development for agroecological intensification of sustainable enset-legume-cereal production in South and Southwestern Ethiopian smallholder farming system” as well as Cornell University and Jimma University are gratefully acknowledged.

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  1. Mechanical Engineering Department, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia

    Henok Atile Kibret

  2. Economics Department, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA

    Bourcard Nesin

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Kibret, H.A., Nesin, B. Pan Pelletization of Bone Char Fertilizer: An Evaluation of Process Parameters and Their Effect on Granule Strength. Waste Biomass Valor 12, 5599–5610 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-021-01387-0

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