Project Overview
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Customer Background | A poultry farm and organic fertilizer processor in South Kivu, DR Congo |
| Project Location | Bukavu region, Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Core Equipment | Φ2×8m chicken manure rotary dryer + hot air furnace + dust collection system |
| Capacity | 8–10 TPD dried manure (from 65% to 18% moisture) |
| Main Challenge | High-humidity climate, sticky fresh manure, limited grid power, corrosive ammonia environment |
| Solution | Single-drum rotary dryer with anti-stick lifters, biomass hot air furnace, cyclone + wet scrubber, diesel backup generator |
Customer Pain Points
The customer operates a poultry operation near Bukavu and needed to convert raw manure into a storable, sellable organic fertilizer. The challenges were practical, not theoretical:
Climate: The region‘s high humidity meant fresh manure arrived at 65–70% moisture and ambient drying was impossible year-round.
Material behavior: Chicken manure at this moisture level is sticky and tends to clump inside a standard drum, reducing heat exchange and causing blockages.
Power reliability: Grid electricity in the area is intermittent. The dryer’s drive motor, fans, and controls needed to function without constant utility power.
Corrosion: Ammonia released during drying attacks mild steel. The customer had seen local equipment fail within a year.
Dust and odor: The site is near a residential area; visible dust and strong odor would cause complaints.
Our Solution
Henan Hongke Heavy Machinery supplied a complete drying line built around a Φ2×8m rotary drum dryer. Unlike a standard aggregate dryer, this unit was configured for high-moisture organic material.
Equipment configuration:
Rotary Drum: Φ2×8m, carbon steel shell with 12mm thickness, 3° slope, variable frequency drive (3–8 r/min), 15 kW main motor
Internal Lifters: Combination of spiral guide plates in the feed zone and staggered scoop lifters in the middle zone, designed to break up clumps before they adhere to the shell. A chain cleaning mechanism was fitted in the discharge zone to knock off buildup.
Hot Air Furnace: Biomass-fed (sawdust and agricultural residue, locally available), capable of 600–750°C outlet temperature
Dust Collection: Cyclone separator followed by a wet scrubber. The scrubber also absorbs a portion of ammonia and reduces odor.
Discharge: Rotary cooler section integrated at the drum outlet to bring material below 50°C before bagging
Power: Diesel generator backup sized for the drive motor and induced draft fan, with automatic transfer switch
Customized design notes:
The drum internals were the critical customization. Standard lifters on sticky manure create a “black hole” effect—material coats the shell and the hot gas passes through the center without contacting the material. We used a lifter geometry tested on high-moisture organic materials: shorter, wider scoops in the first third of the drum, progressing to deeper flights in the drying zone. The chain knocker at the discharge end handles the final sticky transition.
Delivery and Commissioning
Manufacturing completed in 40 days. The dryer was assembled and run with a sand load test at our Henan facility before shipment. Due to logistics to the Bukavu region, the equipment was shipped in two containers via Mombasa and trucked inland. Our engineer spent 14 days on site for installation supervision and commissioning. Local operators were trained on moisture testing and burner adjustment.
Results
| Metric | Before (open drying) | After (rotary dryer) |
|---|---|---|
| Drying time | 7–10 days (weather dependent) | 25–30 minutes (continuous) |
| Final moisture | 25–35% (inconsistent) | 16–18% (adjustable) |
| Product loss | 15–20% (rain, spoilage) | <5% |
| Fuel source | None (sun only) | Local biomass residue |
| Ammonia corrosion | N/A | Shell still intact at 18-month inspection |
Customer feedback: “The chain inside the drum was the thing that convinced us. We saw it running on sticky material during the factory test. That is why we signed.”
Why Henan Hongke Heavy Machinery
We build Rotary Dryers for real materials, not ideal ones. This project involved sticky feed, unreliable power, and a corrosive atmosphere—three problems that a catalog dryer would not solve. As a heavy machinery manufacturer with global service capability, we provide one-stop solutions from process testing to on-site commissioning. Turnkey project delivery means the customer gets a working line, not a shipment of parts.
FAQ
Q: What moisture content can this dryer handle at the inlet?
A: The Φ2×8m configuration with anti-stick lifters is designed for 60–70% inlet moisture. Higher moisture may require a pre-dewatering step or a longer drum. We test client samples before finalizing dimensions.
Q: Why use a single drum instead of a triple-pass dryer for chicken manure?
A: Triple-pass dryers are compact but harder to clean when material is sticky. For high-moisture chicken manure, a single drum with accessible internals is easier to maintain. The trade-off is footprint, which was acceptable at this site.
Q: How is ammonia corrosion managed?
A: The drum shell is carbon steel; the key is minimizing condensation. We maintain shell temperature above the dew point by controlling the hot air inlet temperature and avoiding cold starts. The wet scrubber captures ammonia before it reaches the stack.
Q: Can the dryer run on diesel if biomass is unavailable?
A: Yes, the hot air furnace can be fitted with a dual-fuel burner (biomass or diesel). This customer chose biomass for cost reasons but kept a diesel backup option.
Q: What is the lead time for a Φ2×8m dryer with this configuration?
A: 35–45 days for manufacturing, plus shipping time to Mombasa and inland transport. We provide a logistics plan during contract negotiation.
Ready to start your project? Contact our engineers for a free material assessment and quote.