Project Overview
A fertiliser manufacturing plant in Alexandria, Egypt, operates a continuous production process for Ammonium Sulphate, using a large rotating granulator drum to convert fine material into uniform granules. As part of this process, sulphuric acid, ammonia solution, steam, and fines are introduced into the drum, creating a highly aggressive environment with continuous operating temperatures of 150°C and very low humidity.
The granulator drum is internally lined with rubber panels that are mechanically fastened. These liners are bolted to the shell with reinforcing strips that act as lifter bars. As the drum rotates, the rubber sheets lift and flex away from the shell when they reach the upper zone, helping to break off any material build-up and maintain clean internal surfaces for consistent pellet formation.
The Challenge
Aggressive Processing Conditions Caused Premature Rubber Liner Failure
The plant had been using standard EPDM rubber liners, but the combination of sustained high temperature, chemical exposure, abrasion, and mechanical flexing caused several problems:
- Continuous chemical attack from sulphuric acid and ammonia
- Thermal degradation from constant 150°C operation
- Steam and reaction humidity accelerating rubber breakdown
- Tearing and mechanical fatigue during repeated flexing
- Abrasive wear from granules <4 mm circulating inside the drum
These conditions weakened the existing EPDM liners, causing them to crack, tear, and fail well before their intended service life, typically lasting less than 12 months.
The customer required a durable, chemically resistant, high-temperature rubber lining solution that could survive the extreme conditions and maintain the performance of the granulator
Solution: Reglin Developed a Custom High-Performance Rubber Lining Solution
Because none of Reglin’s standard lining products could withstand this unique combination of heat, chemical attack, and abrasion, our technical team engineered a purpose-designed compound specifically for this plant’s process.
Key features of the customised lining solution included:
- A specialised EPDM/NBR blend to provide:
- high-temperature resistance
- superior chemical resistance
- improved abrasion and impact resistance
- moderate oil resistance for mixed processing conditions
- Two plies of PN160 fabric reinforcement for exceptional tear strength and dimensional stability under continuous flexing
- Custom-manufactured rolls sized precisely for the granulator:
- 690 mm wide × 18 m long
- Mechanical fastening compatibility, allowing installation using the plant’s existing lifter-bar bolt system
This tailored compound provided the right balance of heat resistance, elasticity, tear strength, and chemical durability required for Ammonium Sulphate granulation conditions.
Result
The custom rubber lining delivered a significant improvement in service life and overall drum performance.
Compared to the previous standard EPDM liners, which failed in under a year, the Reglin engineered compound achieved:
- More than double the service life
- Over 2 years of continuous performance in high-temperature, chemically aggressive conditions
- Reduced unplanned maintenance and liner change-outs
- Improved internal cleanliness due to consistent flexing and release of build-up
- Increased operational reliability and production stability
The success of this project established Reglin’s customised rubber lining as a long-term solution for the plant, meeting both performance expectations and operational demands.
Conclusion
Reglin delivered a purpose-built high-performance rubber lining system that solved the severe wear, chemical, and temperature challenges of an Ammonium Sulphate granulator drum. Through material engineering, reinforcement selection, and custom manufacturing, the lining now provides more than twice the service life of the previous solution and ensures reliable, efficient granulation performance.
This project highlights Reglin’s capability to develop specialised rubber lining solutions for demanding fertiliser, chemical, and mineral processing applications where standard compounds cannot survive.