Novel technology to coat fertilizer and improve fertilizer efficiency and their associated methods

Abstract

In embodiments, the present invention relates to liquid formulations containing hydrophobic, biodegradable polymers dispersed within a Non-aqueous Organic Solvent Delivery System (NOSDS) that is designed to coat fertilizer granules with a hydrophobic film utilizing simple application equipment such as mixers, blenders and tumblers. This film can impede the dissolution of fertilizer components by water improving fertilizer efficiency. The NOSDS can be aprotic solvents, protic solvents and mixtures of protic and aprotic solvents which are environmentally friendly, have flashpoints above 145° F., and are inherently rated safe for contact with humans and animals. The hydrophobic polymers are the reaction product of aldehyde(s) and nitrogen containing compounds.

Description

[0001]The present invention claims priority under 35 USC 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 358,116 filed Jul. 4, 2016, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference in its entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]In embodiments, the present invention relates to liquid formulations containing hydrophobic, biodegradable polymers dispersed within a Non-aqueous Organic Solvent Delivery System (NOSDS) and is designed to coat fertilizer granules with a hydrophobic film utilizing simple application equipment such as mixers, blenders and tumblers. This film can impede the dissolution of fertilizer components by water improving fertilizer efficiency. The NOSDS can be aprotic solvents, protic solvents and mixtures of protic and aprotic solvents which are environmentally friendly, have flashpoints above 145° F., and are inherently rated safe for contact with humans and animals. The hydrophobic polymers are the reaction product of aldehyde(s) and nitrogen containing compoun...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0002]In embodiments, the present invention relates to liquid formulations containing hydrophobic, biodegradable polymers dispersed within a Non-aqueous Organic Solvent Delivery System (NOSDS) and is designed to coat fertilizer granules with a hydrophobic film utilizing simple application equipment such as mixers, blenders and tumblers. This film can impede the dissolution of fertilizer components by water improving fertilizer efficiency. The NOSDS can be aprotic solvents, protic solvents and mixtures of protic and aprotic solvents which are environmentally friendly, have flashpoints above 145° F., and are inherently rated safe for contact with humans and animals. The hydrophobic polymers are the reaction product of aldehyde(s) and nitrogen containing compounds.

Problems solved by technology

Fertilizer efficiency has become a major issue in the world.

One of the main factors for the low efficiency of fertilizers is due to the excellent water solubility of many of its components.

Low efficiency of fertilizer not only increases the cost of fertilization, but also contributes significantly to environmental pollution.

In the case of nitrogen based fertilizers, one of the major mechanisms for its poor efficiency is the impact of biologically driven processes on water solubilized sources of nitrogen.

In the case of phosphate fertilizer, phosphate fertilizer in the soil can be eroded into the river causing eutrophication, which can pose severe damage to the whole water body (Bennett EM 2001).

Over usage of potassium fertilizer has been associated with deterioration of soil structure, The other problem associated with the over usage of potassium fertilizer is the disruption of the balance of nutrients in the soil such as Ca, Fe and Zn, that are in a plant available form (S 2012).

However, this approach will incur increased labor cost and is not economically practical, especially in developed countries, where the labor cost tends to be higher.

While sulfur represents a low cost coating, it still required separate manufacturing steps, high temperatures (>120 C) and is not attrition resistant during processing, packaging, storage and transporting without the addition of other additives.

As these solvents are flashed off, their fumes create a low flash point hazard and can result in pinhole imperfections on the coated fertilizer.

While many of these inventions have been shown to slow down the dissolution of urea, the processes, equipment and chemistries result in a coated urea that is very expensive when compared to uncoated urea and is mainly used for expensive crops and turf industry (LAL 1998).

Many of these coatings also provide no nutritional value for plants.

Although the listed inventions claim to provide a coating to limit dissolution of other fertilizers components such as phosphorus, potassium and micronutrients, the cost of the application of such technologies has impaired their entry into the agricultural marketplace.

While many of the coating technologies have strategies to overcome the attrition of coverage of the urea particle, the inorganic nature of the other fertilizer components causes difficulties in the adhesion of the coatings to the inorganic particles.

Natural based fertilizers such as manure are also not coated due to the cost of the coating operations, the quick loss of nitrogen value due to existing bacteria population and manure's amorphous physical nature.

While all these technologies can slow down the dissolution of water soluble inorganic fertilizer components, the cost of the specialized equipment, chemistries and processing to produce the coated particle and the attrition of the coating coverage during processing, packaging, storage and transport has severely limited their utility for agriculture.

Moreover, all these fertilizer must be made according to certain specifications in large volume and cannot be tailored to customer's specific needs.

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