IN SITU PRODUCTION OF FERTILIZER

• US 20120297673A1
• Filed: 05/15/2012
• Published: 11/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Russell J. Keller
• Original Assignee: Russell J. Keller
• Inventors: Keller, Russell J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,951,481 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 47/57.7
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 7/00 Botany in general
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/088 giving rise to electric discharges for heating purposes H05B7/00; for the production of ozone C01B13/11, H01T19/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0849 Corona pulse discharge
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0883 Gas-gas
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 13/11 by electric discharge
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2201/14 Concentric/tubular dischargers
• CPC Class Codes: C05C 5/00 Fertilisers containing other nitrates
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/473 Cylindrical electrodes, e.g. rotary drums

Abstract

A system for creating a nitrate combined with a liquid. A corona discharge cell to generate an electrical field. The corona discharge cell further comprising a conduit to pass air through the electrical field to produce nitric oxide NO, wherein the air comprises a mixture of at least nitrogen N₂ and oxygen O₂, the conduit for combining the nitric oxide NO with the oxygen O₂ to form nitrogen dioxide NO₂. The corona discharge cell further comprising an injector for combining the nitrogen dioxide NO₂ with the liquid to generate nitric acid HNO₃ which combines with the liquid to generate the nitrate comprised of nitrate radical NO₃ mixed with the liquid.

Claims

1. A system for creating a nitrate combined with a liquid, comprising:

a corona discharge cell to generate an electrical field, said corona discharge cell further comprising;

a conduit to pass air through said electrical field to produce nitric oxide NO, wherein said air comprises a mixture of at least nitrogen oxygen N₂ and oxygen O₂, said conduit for combining said nitric oxide NO with said oxygen O₂ to form nitrogen dioxide NO₂; and

an injector for combining said nitrogen dioxide NO₂ with said liquid to generate nitric acid HNO₃ which combines with said liquid to generate said nitrate comprised of nitrate radical NO₃ mixed with said liquid.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said corona discharge cell further comprises:

an inner portion that is electrically conductive;

an outer portion that is electrically conductive wherein said outer portion surrounds said inner portion without contacting said inner portion and forms said conduit to pass said air in a substantially tubular shape; and

a power source coupled with said inner portion and said outer portion to produce said electrical field in said conduit.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said corona discharge cell further comprises:

an outer conductor substantially tubular in shape and comprising a first length;

an insulator substantially tubular in shape and surrounded by said outer conductor;

an inner conductor comprising a second length surrounded by said outer conductor and said insulator, wherein said second length is longer than said first length and wherein said inner conductor comprises a first diameter along said first length and second diameter at an edge of said first length, wherein said first diameter is longer than said second diameter; and

an air gap between said inner conductor and said insulator, wherein said air gap has a first thickness at said first diameter of said inner conductor and a second thickness at said second diameter of said inner conductor, wherein said air gap forms said conduit to pass said air through said electrical field generated by said outer conductor and said inner conductor.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein said inner portion comprises a material selected from the group of materials consisting of:

copper, iron, and a blend of metals that allow ionization to occur in said corona discharge cell.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein said inner portion is substantially cylindrical in shape and said outer portion is substantially tubular in shape.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said corona discharge cell comprises a control for controlling a feature wherein said feature is selected from the group of features consisting of:

a pressure of said corona discharge cell, a frequency of a power supply, a current of a power supply, a temperature, a voltage of a power supply, an alternating current of a power supply, and a direct current of a power supply.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a power supply to control said corona discharge cell at a resonant frequency.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein said power supply is to de-tune said corona discharge cell off of said resonant frequency to a predetermined offset after a startup of said corona discharge cell.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said liquid comprises water H₂O.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said injector is a porous media allowing said nitrogen dioxide NO₂ to mix with said liquid.

11. The system of claim 1, said system further comprising:

a plurality of corona discharge cells, conduits, and injectors connected in series.

12. The system of claim 1, said system further comprising:

a plurality of corona discharge cells, conduits, and injectors connected in parallel.

13. A system for fertilizing and irrigating, comprising:

a corona discharge cell to generate an electrical field, said corona discharge cell further comprising;

a conduit to pass air through said electrical field to produce nitric oxide NO, wherein said air comprises a mixture of at least nitrogen N₂ and oxygen O₂, said conduit for combining said nitric oxide NO with said oxygen O₂ to form nitrogen dioxide NO₂;

an injector for combining said nitrogen dioxide NO₂ with a liquid to generate nitric acid HNO₃ which combines with said liquid to generate a nitrate comprised of nitrate radical NO₃ mixed with said liquid; and

a delivery system for delivering said nitrate radical NO₃ mixed with said liquid to a crop for watering and fertilizing said crop.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said corona discharge cell further comprises:

an inner portion that is electrically conductive;

an outer portion that is electrically conductive wherein said outer portion surrounds said inner portion without contacting said inner portion and forms said conduit to pass said air in a substantially tubular shape; and

a power source coupled with said inner portion and said outer portion to produce said electrical field in said conduit.

15. A system for creating a nitrate combined with a liquid, comprising:

a microwave generator to expose a gaseous nitrogen N₂ and oxygen O₂ mixture to microwaves in a cavity to produce nitric oxide NO;

a mixing chamber for combining said nitric oxide NO with said oxygen O₂ to form nitrogen dioxide NO₂; and

an injector for combining said nitrogen dioxide NO₂ with said liquid to generate nitric acid HNO₃ which combines with said liquid to generate said nitrate comprised of nitrate radical NO₃ mixed with said liquid.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said microwave generator generates high energy radio frequencies outside of a range of said microwaves.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein said liquid comprises water H₂O.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein said injector is a porous media allowing said nitrogen dioxide NO₂ to mix with said liquid.

19. The system of claim 15, said system further comprising:

a plurality of corona discharge cells, conduits, and injectors connected in series.

20. The system of claim 15, said system further comprising:

a plurality of corona discharge cells, conduits, and injectors connected in parallel.

21. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a delivery system for delivering said nitrate radical NO₃ mixed with said liquid to a crop for watering and fertilizing said crop.

22. A method for producing a fertilizer, comprising:

passing air through a corona cell to produce nitric oxide NO, wherein said air comprises a mixture of at least nitrogen N₂ and oxygen O₂;

combining said nitric oxide NO with said oxygen O₂ in a conduit to form nitrogen dioxide NO₂;

injecting said nitrogen dioxide NO₂ into a liquid to generate nitric acid HNO₃ which combines with said liquid to generate a nitrate radical NO₃ mixed with said liquid; and

providing said liquid mixed with said nitrate radical NO₃ for fertilization and watering.

23. The method of claim 22, said method further comprising:

distributing said liquid mixed with said nitrate radical NO₃ to a crop.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein said liquid is water H₂O.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein said corona cell comprises an electrode composed of a material that releases an ion of said material to combine with said liquid during an operation of said corona cell, wherein said material is selected from the group of materials consisting of:

copper, iron, and a blend of metals that allow ionization to occur in said corona discharge cell.

26. The method of claim 22 wherein said injecting said nitrogen dioxide NO₂ into said liquid occurs via a porous media allowing said nitrogen dioxide NO₂ to mix with said liquid.

27. The method of claim 22 wherein said corona cell comprises an air chamber with two electrodes and a power supply, and is controlled by controlling a control feature of said corona cell wherein said control feature is selected from a list of control features consisting:

a pressure of said corona cell, a frequency of said power supply, a resonant frequency of said corona cell, a current of said power supply, a temperature, a voltage of said power supply, an alternating current of said power supply, and a direct current of said power supply.

28. The method of claim 22 wherein said method is repeated using a plurality of corona cells and conduits connected in series.

29. The method of claim 22 wherein said method is repeated using a plurality of corona cells and conduits connected in parallel.

30. The method of claim 22 wherein said liquid is already mixed with a quantity of a nitrate radical NO₃ generated using said method for producing said fertilizer previous to said injecting.

31. The method of claim 22 incorporating other gases with said air before said passing.

32. The method of claim 22 wherein said injecting is controlled by controlling a pressure of said liquid.

33. A method for producing a fertilizer, comprising:

passing air through a cavity, wherein said air comprises a mixture of at least nitrogen N₂ and oxygen O₂;

exposing said air to microwaves from a generator in said cavity to produce nitric oxide NO;

combining said nitric oxide NO with said oxygen O₂ in a mixing chamber to form nitrogen dioxide NO₂;

injecting said nitrogen dioxide NO₂ into a liquid to generate nitric acid HNO₃ which combines with said liquid to generate said fertilized comprised of a nitrate radical NO₃ mixed with said liquid; and

providing said liquid mixed with said nitrate radical NO₃ for fertilization and watering.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein said liquid is water H₂O.

35. The method of claim 33 wherein said cavity comprises a material that releases an ion of said material to combine with said liquid, wherein said material is selected from the group of materials consisting of:

copper, iron, and a blend of metals that allow ionization to occur in said cavity.

36. The method of claim 33 wherein said injection of said nitrogen dioxide NO₂ into said liquid occurs via a porous media allowing said nitrogen dioxide NO₂ to mix with said liquid.

37. The method of claim 33 wherein said method is repeated using a plurality of cavities, microwave generators, and mixing chambers connected in series.

38. The method of claim 33 wherein said method is repeated using a plurality of cavities, microwave generators, and mixing chambers connected in parallel.

39. A method for in situ production of a fertilizer, comprising:

generating nitric oxide NO from an air source comprising a gaseous nitrogen N₂ and oxygen O₂;

combining said nitric oxide NO with said oxygen O₂ in a conduit to form nitrogen dioxide NO₂;

manufacturing said fertilizer by injecting said nitrogen dioxide NO₂ into a liquid to generate nitric acid HNO₃ which combines with said liquid to generate a nitrate radical NO₃;

said manufacturing said fertilizer occurs in situ proximate to an intended area of use such that transportation of said fertilizer from a site of preparation to said area of use is reduced compared to conventional manufacture processes for said fertilizer; and

providing said liquid mixed with said nitrate radical NO₃ for fertilization and watering.

40. The method of claim 39, said method further comprising:

releasing an ion of a material to combine with said liquid, wherein said material is selected from the group of materials consisting of;

copper, iron, and a blend of metals that allow ionization of said material to occur.

41. A method for reducing revenue expenditures associated with an in situ production of a fertilizer, comprising:

generating nitric oxide NO from an air source comprising a gaseous nitrogen N₂ and oxygen O₂;

combining said nitric oxide NO with said oxygen O₂ in a conduit to form nitrogen dioxide NO₂;

manufacturing said fertilizer by injecting said nitrogen dioxide NO₂ into a liquid to generate nitric acid HNO₃ which combines with said liquid to generate a nitrate radical NO₃;

reducing said revenue expenditures associated with said manufacturing said fertilizer compared to conventional manufacture processes for said fertilizer by reducing energy requirements associated with producing said fertilizer and by reducing transportation of said fertilizer from a site of preparation to an area of use compared to said conventional manufacture processes; and

providing said liquid mixed with said nitrate radical NO₃ for fertilization and watering.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein said revenue expenditures are fixed and variable costs and are reduced by reducing equipment costs, electricity requirements, repair costs, and taxes.

43. The method of claim 41, said method further comprising:

releasing an ion of a material to combine with said liquid, wherein said material is selected from the group of materials consisting of;

copper, iron, and a blend of metals that allow ionization of said material to occur.