Fertilizer Mixture Application With Compensatory Nutrient Distribution

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing fertilizer mixtures with different throwing and flight characteristics result in uneven nutrient distribution, leading to significant yield losses due to segregation and limited optimization options.

Innovation Solution

A method that involves a second application process to compensate for uneven nutrient distribution detected in a first application process by adjusting spreading parameters and using a compensating fertilizer, which can be a single-nutrient or multi-nutrient fertilizer, to achieve homogeneous application.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a fertilizer mixture with different fertilizer types is applied in a single process, then multiple nutrients are applied simultaneously, but uneven nutrient distribution occurs due to different throwing and flight characteristics

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefertilization efficiencyVSAvoidnutrient distribution uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The fertilization process is divided into multiple separate application processes, each targeting specific nutrients with different throwing characteristics. This segmentation allows each nutrient type to be applied with optimized parameters, preventing the segregation that occurs when mixing fertilizer types with different flight characteristics in a single application.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The method determines the throwing characteristics of different fertilizer types beforehand and plans the sequence of application processes accordingly. By预先 knowing the segregation behavior of different fertilizer types, the system can strategically apply nutrients in a specific order to compensate for expected uneven distribution, ensuring more uniform final nutrient distribution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Manufacturing precision

If fertilizer types with similar dispersal characteristics are selected, then homogeneous application is improved, but the selection of suitable fertilizer types is significantly limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenutrient distribution uniformityVSAvoidfertilizer type selection
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adapts the fertilization plan based on the specific throwing characteristics of the selected fertilizer types. Rather than restricting fertilizer selection to types with similar dispersal characteristics, the system adjusts the application parameters and sequence for each fertilizer type to achieve optimal distribution, thereby maintaining both precision and versatility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The method changes application parameters such as discharge rate, spreader speed, and application timing based on the specific characteristics of each fertilizer type. This allows the system to accommodate a wide variety of fertilizer types with different throwing and flight characteristics while still achieving homogeneous nutrient distribution through customized application settings for each type.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Loss of time

If a single application process is used, then time consumption is reduced, but yield losses increase due to uneven nutrient distribution

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveapplication timeVSAvoidyield loss
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements periodic application processes with strategically determined intervals. By planning multiple application processes with optimized timing and targeting specific nutrient distribution patterns in each pass, the method achieves uniform nutrient distribution without requiring excessive application passes, thus minimizing both time loss and yield loss from uneven distribution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentEP3981239B1Method for planning and/or executing a fertilizing procedure
Publication Date: 2025.10.08 AMAZONEN WERKE H DREYER GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3981239B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3981239B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3981239B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for planning and/or executing a fertilization process, comprising the steps of: planning and/or executing a first application process (10) for applying a fertilizer mixture (14) consisting of at least two types of fertilizer (16a, 16b), wherein the fertilizer mixture (14) comprises at least two nutrients; detecting inconsistencies (20a-20e) in the nutrient distribution (18a, 18b) of at least one first nutrient of the fertilizer mixture (14) according to the planned and/or executed first application process (10); and planning and/or executing a second application process (12) for applying a balancing fertilizer (24) to reduce the detected inconsistencies (20a-20e) in the nutrient distribution (18a, 18b), wherein the balancing fertilizer (24) comprises at least the first nutrient.