SUBSURFACE SOIL INJECTION APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 20100269742A1
• Filed: 07/06/2010
• Published: 10/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arysta Lifescience North America Corporation (Element Solutions Inc)
• Original Assignee: Arysta LifeScience North America LLC (Element Solutions Inc)
• Inventors: ALLAN, Michael A., Schiller, Charles T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,047,146 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 111/125
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 23/02 Special arrangements for delivering the liquid directly into the soil
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 23/026 Localised non-continuous injection tools, e.g. pal injectors, spike wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 17/002 Injection of toxic gases or fluids into the soil special arrangements for delivering fertilising liquids directly into the soil A01C23/02
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 111/90 Methods of planting seeds and miscellaneous compositions

Abstract

A method for the subsurface application of fertilizers, biologicals, fumigants, non-fumigant pesticides or other chemicals to soil with reduced application rates. Discrete amounts of the materials are injected into the soil at numerous sites along a path during a pass through the soil. At the injection sites, the materials form diffusion patterns which may touch or overlapping with diffusion patterns of adjacent soil injections. The application of materials to soil in this manner maintains optimum efficacy with the use of the least amount of materials necessary per acre of soil.

Claims

1. A method for fumigating soil, comprising injecting a discrete, predetermined amount of a fumigant into the soil at a plurality of selected points in the soil, wherein for each selected point in the soil, injecting the discrete, predetermined amount of the fumigant includes:

pressurizing the fumigant in a storage tank;

positioning the shank at the each selected point;

when the shank is positioned at the each selected point, providing a first electrical signal to a switch that controls flow of the fumigant into the soil, the first electrical signal causing the switch to release the predetermined amount of fumigant into the soil, wherein the fumigant volatilizes from the each selected point into soil surrounding the each selected point; and

providing a second electrical signal to the switch, the second electrical signal causing the switch to remain in a closed state when the shank is positioned between predetermined points in the soil,

wherein the volatized fumigant forms a plurality of diffusion patterns in the soil.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein diffusion patterns formed at two of the plurality of selected points touch.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the fumigant is iodomethane.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first electrical signal comprises a pulse.

5. A method for applying a fumigating product to soil, comprising the steps of:

storing the product in a storage tank, the storage tank being maintained in fluid communication with a reservoir;

disposing a plurality of injectors in proximity to a plurality of shanks, said plurality of injectors being connected to the reservoir by a fluid conveying member;

priming the reservoir with a discrete, predetermined amount of the product from the storage tank using a priming member to pressurize the discrete, predetermined amount of the product in the reservoir to a predetermined pressure level;

releasing the pressurized, discrete, predetermined amount of the product from the reservoir in response to a control signal; and

injecting the discrete, predetermined amount of the product, under pressure at the plurality of injectors, each injector intermittently injecting the product at a series of locations in a pass through the soil to form a diffusion pattern of the product in the soil whereby the discrete, predetermined amount of the product is injected as a single charge of the reservoir and volatizes upon injection to form the diffusion pattern.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the diffusion pattern touches at least one diffusion pattern formed by releasing a different charge of the product at one or more other locations adjacent to the first location.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the diffusion pattern overlaps at least one diffusion pattern formed by releasing a different charge of the product at one or more other locations adjacent to the first location.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the diffusion pattern is intermittent with at least one diffusion pattern formed by releasing a different charge of the product at one or more other locations adjacent to the first location.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the one or more other locations includes at least two other locations and each of the at least two other locations is substantially equidistant from the first location.

10. The method according to claim 5, wherein the product comprises a fumigant.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the fumigant includes iodomethane.

12. A method for applying a fumigant to soil, comprising the steps of:

maintaining a diffusion product in a storage tank;

repetitively priming a reservoir with a predetermined amount of the diffusion product from the storage tank, and

between priming steps, injecting the predetermined amount of the diffusion product into the soil through a plurality of injectors, wherein the number of injectors, the quantity of the predetermined amount of the diffusion product and the interval between priming steps is calculated to obtain a desired diffusion pattern of the diffusion product in the soil.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of priming includes pressurizing the predetermined amount of the diffusion product.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the pressurizing is performed to obtain a pressure calculated to obtain the desired diffusion pattern of the diffusion product in the soil.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of injecting includes releasing the predetermined amount of the diffusion product through the plurality of injectors, whereby the diffusion product volatilizes from the point to form a portion of the desired diffusion pattern.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of injectors is disposed proximate to a corresponding shank.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the diffusion product includes a fumigant.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the fumigant is iodomethane.