How to Process Biogas Residue into High-Value Fertilizer Pellets?

If you operate a biogas plant in Ecuador, you know that managing the leftover biogas residue can be a major challenge. But what if you could turn this waste problem into a profitable product? At Fude Machinery, we specialize in helping businesses like yours convert biogas residue into high-value organic fertilizer pellets. This guide provides a clear, step-by-step method to transform wet biogas slurry and solids into a dry, easy-to-use fertilizer, creating a new revenue stream for your operation.

Last updated: July 2025 | Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

This article will explain:

• Why is processing biogas residue a great opportunity in Ecuador?
• What is the full process for making fertilizer pellets from it?
• What are the essential machines for the production line?
• How can our direct-from-factory solutions help you succeed?

Why Should You Process Your Biogas Residue?

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Processing biogas residue resolves a significant waste management issue while creating a sought-after agricultural product. The residue from biogas production is rich in plant nutrients, but its high water content makes it difficult and costly to handle. By converting it into dry organic fertilizer pellets, you create a stable, valuable product that improves soil health.

For many biogas plant operators in Ecuador, the semi-liquid biogas residue is a logistical headache. It’s heavy, which makes transportation expensive, and improper storage can lead to nutrient loss and environmental concerns. Transforming this residue into dry pellets changes it from a liability into a valuable asset. You lower your environmental impact, eliminate disposal costs, and produce a fertilizer that can be easily sold. This creates a perfect circular economy model, benefiting your business, local farmers, and the environment.

Understanding the Two Types of Biogas Residue

After anaerobic digestion, your biogas plant produces two forms of residue: a liquid and a solid. The first step is always to separate these two components.

• Liquid Residue (Biogas Slurry): This is the watery fraction, loaded with easily absorbed nutrients like nitrogen. It’s an excellent liquid fertilizer for direct application on nearby fields but is impractical to transport over long distances.
• Solid Residue: This is the fibrous organic material left after the liquid is pressed out. It’s rich in organic matter and phosphorus, making it the perfect raw material to be composted and turned into high-quality fertilizer pellets.

By separating the liquid and solid parts, you can maximize the value of both. The slurry can be used for on-site irrigation, while the solid fraction is processed into a stable, marketable product. This approach ensures no part of your biogas output goes to waste.

How Do You Turn Biogas Residue into Fertilizer Pellets?

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The journey from wet biogas residue to finished fertilizer pellets is a straightforward industrial process. Each stage is designed to improve the quality and usability of the final product. As Fude Machinery, we provide everything you need for a complete production line, making this transformation efficient for your business.

Step 1: Dewatering the Biogas Slurry

The first essential step is to significantly reduce the water content of the raw biogas residue. A dewatering machine, such as a screw press, effectively separates the solid fibers from the liquid, resulting in a solid cake with a moisture level of about 50-60%.

Raw biogas residue can be more than 90% water, making it impossible to process directly. Our screw press dewatering machine  is specifically designed to handle this task. It squeezes the residue, separating the nutrient-rich liquid (biogas slurry) from the valuable solid fibers. This step dramatically reduces the material’s weight and volume, making it easy to handle and preparing it for the composting stage. The collected liquid is a fertilizer in its own right, perfect for immediate use on your farm.

Step 2: Composting the Solid Residue

After dewatering, the solid biogas residue must be composted. Composting is a biological process that stabilizes the nutrients, kills any remaining pathogens, and breaks down the organic matter into a rich, humus-like substance.

This is where the material is truly transformed into a safe and effective fertilizer. To manage this process efficiently, you need a compost turner. A compost turner machine  regularly turns and aerates the piles of solid residue, creating the perfect environment for beneficial microbes to thrive. This aerobic composting process is much faster than static piling and ensures a consistent, high-quality end product. After a few weeks of composting, the material becomes stable, odorless, and packed with slow-release nutrients ready for granulation.

Step 3: Crushing and Blending

The composted material may have some hardened clumps that need to be broken down. A crushing machine grinds the compost into a fine, uniform powder. This is also the stage where you can blend in additional minerals to create a custom fertilizer formula.

Uniformity is key to producing high-quality pellets. Our semi-wet material crusher is perfect for this task because it works well with the moisture content of composted material. After crushing, you can use a mixing machine to enhance the fertilizer’s nutrient profile. For example, you can add sources of potassium or phosphorus to create a balanced NPK fertilizer targeted for specific crops like bananas or coffee, adding significant value and market appeal.

Equipment Stage	Its Role in the Process	Direct Benefit to Your Operation
Dewatering Machine	Separates liquid slurry from solid residue	Reduces waste volume, makes material manageable.
Compost Turner	Aerates compost for fast decomposition	Creates a safe, stable, nutrient-rich base.
Crusher & Mixer	Creates a fine powder and allows blending	Ensures uniform pellets and valuable custom formulas.
Granulator Machine	Forms powder into dense pellets	Produces a dust-free, easy-to-apply fertilizer.
Dryer & Cooler	Sets the pellets for long-term storage	Guarantees product stability and shelf life.
Screening & Packing	Final quality control and bagging	Ensures a premium, market-ready product.

Step 4: Granulation — The Value-Adding Step

Granulation is the process of converting the fine powder into dense, uniform pellets. A granulator machine is the heart of the production line, transforming the processed compost into a premium fertilizer product that is easy to handle.

This step is what makes your product so marketable. For organic materials like composted biogas residue, our new type organic fertilizer granulator  is an ideal choice. It uses a combination of stirring force and pressure to form the powder into strong pellets. Farmers prefer pellets because they can be spread evenly with modern machinery, they are dust-free, and they release nutrients gradually into the soil. This granulation process is what turns your waste byproduct into a high-demand agricultural input.

Practical Tip:

• Achieve Perfect Pellets: For the best results, the moisture content of the powder entering the granulator should be between 25% and 30%. This ensures the pellets form correctly and are durable.
• Improve Pellet Appearance: For an even more premium product, a polishing machine can be added after the granulator. It tumbles the pellets, making them rounder and smoother, which enhances their visual appeal and marketability.

Step 5: Drying, Cooling, and Bagging

The pellets coming out of the granulator are still moist and warm. They must be dried to a low moisture content for storage, cooled to prevent caking, and screened for uniform size before being packaged for sale.

To guarantee a long shelf life, the pellets must be dried to a moisture level below 12%. Our rotary drum dryers are built for this purpose. Right after drying, a cooling machine brings the pellets back to ambient temperature, which hardens them and prevents moisture from re-condensing. The final quality check is a screening machine that separates out any pellets that are too big or too small. These off-spec pellets are recycled back into the crusher, ensuring no material is wasted. The perfectly sized pellets are then conveyed to an automatic packaging machine and bagged for distribution.

What Do You Need to Get Started in 2025?

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Launching a biogas residue processing line is a well-defined project. The success of your operation depends on having a complete system of reliable, purpose-built machinery. At a minimum, your line will include a dewatering machine, compost turner, crusher, granulator, dryer with a cooler, and a packaging system.

As a factory-direct manufacturer, Fude Machinery offers complete, end-to-end solutions. We design the entire plant layout based on your specific volume of biogas residue and production goals. With experience helping clients in over 120 countries and a dedicated team of 15 engineers, we ensure your production line is efficient and delivers a high return on investment. Buying directly from our factory eliminates middlemen, giving you the best possible price for top-quality equipment.

The demand for organic and sustainable farming solutions is growing rapidly in Ecuador. By investing in this technology in 2025, you are not just solving a waste problem; you are entering a booming market with a high-value product.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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Question 1: How much land is needed to build a fertilizer production plant?
The required area depends on the plant’s capacity. A smaller line producing a few tons per day might fit within 500-1000 square meters. A larger commercial operation would need 2000 square meters or more for machinery, raw material storage, and finished product warehousing. We can create a custom layout optimized for your available space.

Question 2: What is the estimated cost of a complete production line?
The investment varies depending on the production capacity and level of automation you choose. Because we are a factory, we can provide highly competitive pricing for a full fertilizer production line. Contact us with your requirements, and we can provide a detailed, no-obligation quote.

Question 3: Can I process other types of organic waste with the same machines?
Absolutely. This production line is extremely versatile. In addition to biogas residue, it can effectively process chicken manure, cattle dung, agricultural straw, and other organic materials. This flexibility allows you to expand your raw material sources and production capabilities.

Question 4: How quickly can I be up and running?
From the time the equipment is delivered to your site, installation and commissioning usually take 2-4 weeks. Our engineering team provides complete support, including installation supervision and operational training for your local team, to ensure a smooth and fast start-up.

Conclusion and Your Next Steps

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As you’ve seen, the biogas residue from your plant is not waste; it is a resource waiting to be unlocked. Through a proven process of dewatering, composting, crushing, granulating, and drying, you can convert this byproduct into valuable organic fertilizer pellets. This strategy solves a critical waste management issue for your Ecuadorian operation and creates a new and profitable business venture. The right equipment is the key to making this happen.

Are you ready to transform your biogas residue into a valuable commodity? The team at Fude Machinery is ready to guide you. We will partner with you to engineer a custom production line that fits your needs and financial goals perfectly.

About Fude Machinery
We are Fude Machinery, a specialized manufacturer of organic fertilizer equipment located in Zhengzhou, China. Established in 2015, we are dedicated to providing comprehensive, one-stop solutions for the fertilizer industry. Our reliable machines are operating in over 120 countries. Through our factory-direct model, we deliver exceptional quality and value, backed by complete engineering support from design and manufacturing to installation and after-sales service.

Contact us today for a free consultation and to receive a detailed proposal. Let’s start building your successful organic fertilizer business in Ecuador.

Last updated: July 2025