The FEECO Innovation Center is a state-of-the-art testing facility where we can test both agglomeration and thermal processes at batch and pilot scale to assist in your R&D efforts. 

Testing in the FEECO Innovation Center allows you to gather valuable material and process data. Whether you’re looking to develop a new product, solve a material problem, develop a new process, or optimize an existing one, our process experts can work with you to develop a customized testing program around the answers you need. We can also generate small samples of product for field trials and further testing.

We use the data gathered during testing to scale up the process and manufacture custom equipment, tailored to your exact processing needs.

Bulk Solids Process Development & Optimization for the Fertilizer, Mining, and Chemical Industries

Equipped with unmatched expertise and an extensive array of process equipment, the FEECO Innovation Center is an essential resource for producers looking to develop a process to dry, thermally treat, mix, condition, or agglomerate/granulate their bulk solids. Coating of granular products can also be tested.

• Agglomeration/Granulation Testing
• Rotary Dryer Testing
• Rotary Kiln Testing

The Innovation Center serves nearly every industry, handling a wide range of materials. We regularly test:

• Adsorbents
• Animal feed products
• Carbon products
• Catalysts
• E-waste and metal recovery applications
• Fertilizers (NPK, Potash, MAP, DAP, Phosphates, etc.)
• Industrial by-products (EAF Dust, Cement Kiln Dust, Fly Ash, Syn Gyp, etc.)
• Manures and animal bedding
• Metallic ores and compounds
• Pulp and paper residuals (paper sludge, etc.)
• Soil amendments (Limestone, Gypsum, Compost, Recovered wastes and by-products, etc.)

Process Development Stages

Depending on the testing objective(s) and what is already known about the material, testing is typically conducted in the following stages:

Confirm Feasibility (Proof of Concept)

The Innovation Center can confirm feasibility and establish proof of concept of an intended process through batch-scale testing. This type of testing typically consists of an initial, non-witnessed test that explores the possibility of creating a product from a representative sample of the source material. From this, producers can gain an understanding of whether or not the intended process merits further exploration on a larger scale.

Proof of Product 

Proof of product testing consists of a more in-depth batch test in which more time is spent determining whether the source material can be made into a product that meets the desired specifications.

This may include exploration of various binding agents, equipment configurations, pretreatment requirements, as well as other process and equipment variables that influence end product specifications.

Proof of Process

Proof of process testing consists of continuous testing in our pilot plant. This pilot-scale testing aims to establish the viability of the intended process on a continuous basis, as well as the equipment setup and parameters required.  

Process/Product Optimization

Once proof of process has been established, testing moves on to process and product optimization. This stage consists of in-depth testing in our pilot plant, with tests designed to optimize product quality and process efficiency for commercial-scale production. 

PROCESS EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE FOR TESTING

From testing on a single piece of equipment, to a continuous process loop, we offer a variety of equipment types, as well as support equipment to cover the full range of process testing needs. In addition, we are capable of making on-site, large-scale modifications to our facility in order to accommodate your bulk solids testing needs.

Batch- & Pilot-Scale Testing Equipment:

The following equipment is available for testing. For those interested in testing at their own on-site R&D facility, we also offer a range of rental equipment. 

BENEFITS TO FEECO r&d TESTING

The FEECO Innovation Center provides a valuable opportunity to test your material or process in a controlled environment. Some of the many advantages to testing with FEECO include:

WASTE RECOVERY & REUSE EXPERTISE

The FEECO Innovation Center has helped companies around the world to transform various wastes and process by-products into value-added products through agglomeration and thermal processing methods. The list below looks at some of the material and waste transformations performed in recent years, as well as the processing methods used to transform each material.

Beginning Material	Final End Product	Agglomeration	Drying	Blending	Thermal	Roll Compaction
Sulphur Stack Emissions	Granulated Fertilizers	x	x			x
Calcium Sulfate	Fertilizer Pellets	x	x		x
Ash (Wood, Fly)	Fertilizer Pellets	x	x
Bentonite Clay	Cat Litter Granules	x	x			x
Calcium Chloride	Ice Melt Pellets	x	x
Calcium Carbonate	Fertilizer Pellets	x	x
Carbon Black Dust	De-dusted Pellets	x	x
Cement Kiln Dust	Calcium Fertilizer Pellets	x	x
Cell Phone Batteries	Lithium, Zinc Metal Recovery				x
Clay	Cat Litter, Oil Dry Granules, Encapsulate Seeds	x	x	x
Coal Dust	De-dusted Coal Pellets	x	x			x
Composts (Yard Waste)	Fertilizer Pellets	x	x	x
Copper Dust	Metal Recovery Pellets	x	x	x
Corn Cobs	Cat Litter, Oil Dry Pellets	x	x	x
Clay	Proppants				x
Dredge Sludges	Non-leaching Granules	x	x	x
Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) Dusts	Metal Recovery	x	x	x
Ethanol Plant Waste (DDG)	Animal Feed	x	x	x
Foundry Dust	Metal Recovery	x	x	x
Gold Ore Dust	Precious Metal Recovery	x	x	x
Grain Dust	Non-explosive Pellets	x	x	x
Gypsum Wallboard Waste	Fertilizer, Cat Litter Pellets	x	x	x
Humate	Fertilizer Pellets	x	x	x
Iron Oxide	Metal Recovery Pellets	x	x	x
Lime (Waste Water Treatment Sludge)	Calcium Fertilizer Pellets	x	x	x
Limestone	Calcium Fertilizer Pellets	x	x	x
Talc Ore	Sterilized Baby Powder				x
Manure – Cattle/Chicken/Hog	Fertilizer Pellets	x	x	x
Soda Bottles	Recycled Plastic				x
MAP Fertilizers	Fertilizer Pellets	x	x	x
Municipal Wastes	Fertilizer, Fuel Pellets	x	x	x
Nitrogen Fertilizers	Fertilizer Pellets	x	x	x
NPK Blends	Fertilizer Pellets	x	x	x		x
Paper Sludge	Fertilizer, Cat Litter	x	x	x
Petroleum Coke Dust	Fuel Pellets	x	x	x		x
Phosphates Powder	Fertilizer Pellets	x	x	x
Potassium Chloride	Fertilizer Pellets	x	x	x		x
Saw Dust	Cat Litter, Fuel Pellets	x	x	x		x
Soy Flour	Animal Feed	x	x	x
Steel Dusts and Sludges	Metal Recovery Pellets	x	x	x		x
Sugar	Sugar Pellets	x	x	x
Sulphur Dust	Non-explosive Pellets	x	x	x
Tar Sands Waste Sludge	Substitute Fuel Pellets	x	x	x
Titanium Metal Shavings	Metal Recovery	x	x	x
Iron Ore	Metal Recovery Pellets	x	x
Glass Batch	Glass Blend	x	x	x
Ceramic / Aluminum	Refractory	x	x
Paper Sludge	Bright White Clay				x
Gypsum	Fertilizer Pellets	x	x
Zinc Oxide	Metal Recovery Pellets	x	x			x
Nickel Ore	Metal Recovery Pellets	x	x
Kaolin Clay	Coating Paper	x	x
Tungsten Oxide	Metal Recovery Pellets	x	x			x
Raw Coal	Purified Coal				x
Bone Meal	Fertilizer	x	x
Ammonium Sulfate	Fertilizer					x
Diatomaceous Earth	Filter Agent	x	x
Titanium Dioxide	Pigment Pellets	x	x			x
Urea Fertilizers	Coated to prevent moisture absorption	x	x	x

PROCESS DATA COLLECTION

FEECO is a Rockwell Automation Partner, providing integrated process control solutions, both as a service in the Innovation Center and as part of a system purchase.

During testing, we can monitor, trend, and adjust various data points in real-time, all from a single interface or mobile device, giving you an aerial view of your process and equipment performance. Depending on the type of testing being conducted, tracked data might include:

• Current (Amps)
• Feed Rate
• Flow Rates/Product Flow
• Fuel Usage
• Horsepower
• System Pressure
• Temperature
• Torque
• Gas Sampling & Analysis (Oxygen, Carbon Monoxide, Nitric Oxide, Nitrogen Dioxide, Sulfur Dioxide, and combustibles discharged from various thermal

These capabilities provide unmatched data collection and reporting capabilities.

Ready to Test Your Process? 

Contact us today to discuss your batch- or pilot-scale testing needs!