Calcium Sulfate Urea Adduct Fertilizer for Stable Nitrogen Blends
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fertilizers containing urea face stability issues due to unwanted reactions with calcium phosphate and sulfate hydrates, leading to clumping and increased water production, making them difficult and expensive to produce, and urea hydrolysis causes nitrogen loss in the soil.
Innovation Solution
A UCS-based fertilizer is developed by combining calcium sulfate urea adduct with urea-free nitrogenous fertilizers like ammonium sulfate and ammonium nitrate, providing a stable nitrogen source in various forms and incorporating trace elements, with a composition optimized for specific plant, regional, and soil needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If urea is mixed with calcium phosphate and sulfate hydrates in fertilizers, then nitrogen content is increased, but unwanted reactions occur producing water that causes clumping and instability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses calcium sulfate as an intermediary substance that reacts with urea to form a stable adduct compound. This adduct acts as a mediator that provides nitrogen release without the harmful side reactions that occur when urea directly contacts calcium phosphate and sulfate hydrates, thereby preventing water production and clumping while maintaining fertilizer stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite fertilizer system by forming a calcium sulfate urea adduct - a new composite material with distinct properties from its components. This composite structure provides controlled nitrogen release and prevents unwanted reactions between urea and other fertilizer ingredients, resolving the stability issue while maintaining high nitrogen content.
2Stability of the object's composition
If urea reacts with calcium sulfate to form adduct, then stability is improved, but production complexity increases due to additional reaction steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the urea and calcium sulfate components into a single adduct compound through a chemical reaction. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate storage and handling of multiple ingredients, simplifying the overall production process despite the initial reaction step, as the adduct can be directly used as a stable fertilizer product.
3Quantity of substance
If water is produced during urea reactions in fertilizer production, then nitrogen content is maintained, but moisture removal difficulty and production cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the potentially harmful water production from urea reactions into a beneficial feature by using calcium sulfate to react with urea in a controlled manner. The reaction produces a stable adduct with controlled moisture content that actually improves fertilizer stability and prevents clumping, turning what would be a manufacturing burden into a quality enhancement.
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 UCS-based fertilizer offers enhanced stability, reduced moisture content, and efficient nutrient distribution, addressing the need for tailored nutrient blends that minimize nitrogen loss and improve plant growth.
Implementation Method 1
reacting a urea-sulfuric acid solution with phosphate rock
Implementation Method 2
These reactions can produce water that liquefies solid granules or dry mixture products
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 1C
AI summary
A fertilizer composition containing a calcium sulfate urea (UCS) fertilizer and a urea free nitrogenous fertilizer and methods for making and using the same are disclosed. The calcium sulfate urea can be a calcium sulfate urea adduct. The urea free nitrogenous fertilizer can include one or more of ammonium sulfate urea and ammonium nitrate.