Granulometric Analysis of Fertilizers by Digital Image Processing

Abstract

In the fertilizer industry, granulometric analysis is an important quality control of the product. Usually, this process is done mechanically, through sieving, which makes the process slow. As an alternative to this, a methodology based on digital image processing for fertilizer classification is proposed. This approach allows to measure feret’s diameter, area, volume and mass, important indicators to characterize fertilizers. The results obtained were validated with sieved samples and demonstrate the applicability of the method as a low cost alternative to the traditional method of granulometry of fertilizers.