Agricultural Liquid Injection System for Ammonia Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Anhydrous ammonia, when applied to soil, quickly turns into a gas, leading to significant dispersion into the air and reduced efficiency in nitrogen retention in the soil.
Innovation Solution
An agricultural implement equipped with a liquid injection system and an anhydrous ammonia application system, where anhydrous ammonia is applied to the soil and immediately mixed with a liquid, forming an ammonia solution with lower vapor pressure, thereby increasing nitrogen retention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If anhydrous ammonia is applied directly to the soil, then nitrogen content is increased, but significant portion disperses into the air reducing efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces liquid water as an intermediary substance that reacts with anhydrous ammonia to form ammonium hydroxide solution. This intermediary reaction prevents direct volatilization of ammonia gas into the atmosphere, thereby reducing air dispersion losses while maintaining nitrogen content in the soil.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical-chemical parameters of nitrogen application by converting anhydrous ammonia (gas phase) into ammonium hydroxide solution (liquid phase) through reaction with water. This parameter change from gaseous to liquid state significantly reduces volatility and air dispersion, improving both nitrogen retention and application efficiency.
2Quantity of substance
If anhydrous ammonia is applied to soil, then nitrogen content increases, but it quickly turns into gas reducing retention
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state and chemical composition parameters by converting unstable gaseous anhydrous ammonia into a more stable liquid ammonium hydroxide solution through reaction with water. This parameter transformation increases the stability of nitrogen retention in soil by preventing rapid gas-phase transitions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transition from gas (anhydrous ammonia) to liquid (ammonium hydroxide solution) through exothermic reaction with water. This phase transition stabilizes the nitrogen compound in the soil, preventing it from quickly returning to gaseous state and improving retention stability.
3Quantity of substance
If liquid is injected into soil before anhydrous ammonia, then ammonia conversion to solution is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the fertilizer application process into two separate sequential operations: first liquid injection system delivers water to soil, then anhydrous ammonia application system delivers ammonia. This segmentation allows each subsystem to be simpler and more specialized, while together they achieve the beneficial chemical reaction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by injecting liquid water into the soil before applying anhydrous ammonia. This preliminary preparation of the soil environment enables the subsequent ammonia to react and form ammonium hydroxide solution in place, improving conversion efficiency without requiring a complex integrated system.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively increases the amount of nitrogen retained in the soil by converting anhydrous ammonia into a more stable ammonia solution, reducing air dispersion and enhancing fertilizer application efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The liquid injection outlet passage is configured to output a jet of a liquid toward the soil to inject the liquid into the soil
Implementation Method 2
The anhydrous ammonia application outlet passage is configured to apply the anhydrous ammonia to the soil
Implementation Method 3
Anhydrous ammonia is stored as a liquid, but quickly turns into a gas when released into the soil
Implementation Method 4
anhydrous ammonia is applied to the soil and immediately mixed with a liquid, forming an ammonia solution with lower vapor pressure
Data Source
AI summary
An agricultural implement includes a ground engaging tool. The agricultural implement also includes a liquid injection system having a liquid injection conduit and a liquid injection outlet passage. The liquid injection outlet passage is fluidly coupled to the liquid injection conduit. The liquid injection outlet passage is configured to output a jet of a liquid toward soil to inject the liquid into the soil at a liquid location behind the ground engaging tool relative to a direction of travel of the agricultural implement. The agricultural implement also includes an anhydrous ammonia application system having an anhydrous ammonia application conduit and an anhydrous ammonia application outlet passage. The anhydrous ammonia application outlet passage is fluidly coupled to the anhydrous ammonia application conduit. The anhydrous ammonia application outlet passage is configured to apply the anhydrous ammonia to the soil at an anhydrous ammonia location behind the ground engaging tool relative to the direction of travel of the agricultural implement.