WATER-DISPERSIBLE PARTICLES FORMED WITH GRANULES EMBEDDED IN CRYSTALLIZED MATRIX

• US 20150152017A1
• Filed: 12/03/2014
• Published: 06/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Andersons, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The Andersons, Inc.
• Inventors: Lynch, James R., Schumski, Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 9,624,139 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C05B 7/00 Fertilisers based essentially on alkali or ammonium orthophosphates C05B11/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C05C 3/00 Fertilisers containing other salts of ammonia or ammonia itself, e.g. gas liquor
• CPC Class Codes: C05C 3/005 Post-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C05C 9/005 Post-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C05C 9/02 containing urea-formaldehyde condensates
• CPC Class Codes: C05D 1/02 Manufacture from potassium chloride or sulfate or double or mixed salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C05D 9/02 containing trace elements
• CPC Class Codes: C05F 11/02 from peat, brown coal, and similar vegetable deposits
• CPC Class Codes: C05G 5/12 Granules or flakes
• CPC Class Codes: C05G 5/30 Layered or coated, e.g. dust-preventing coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C05G 5/40 Fertilisers incorporated into a matrix

Abstract

A water-dispersible particle is provided that has a crystalline matrix formed of a potassium salt, a phosphate salt, of a combination thereof. Embedded in the matrix are at least 100 insoluble granules of at least one macronutrient or micronutrient. The granules, and the matrix present in a form such that contact with water causes particle dispersion into more than 100 pieces in a time period of up to 1 hour. A process of forming a fertilizer particle includes the granulation of a quantity of insoluble material to a size where the majority by weight is between 0.02 and 3 millimeters to from granules. The granules are agglomerated into the fertilizer particle containing at least 100 of the granules with a solution of a potassium salt, a phosphate salt, of a combination thereof through solvent removal to form the crystalline matrix in which the granules are embedded.

Claims

1. A water-dispersible particle comprising:

a crystalline matrix formed of a potassium salt, a phosphate salt, a soluble bioavailable nitrogen substance or a combination thereof;

at least 100 pieces of at least of one macronutrient or micronutrient as insoluble granules;

the granules, and the matrix present in a form such that contact with water causes particle dispersion into the at least 100 pieces in a time period of up to 1 hour.

2. The particle of claim 1 wherein the time period is 1 second to 1 hour.

3. The particle of claim 1 wherein the time period is less than 15 minutes.

4. The particle of claim 1 wherein the potassium salt is present and selected from the group consisting of:

sulfate of potash, muriate of potash, nitrate of potash, potassium metaphosphate, dipotassium carbonate, potassium oxide and combinations thereof.

5. The particle of claim 1 wherein the phosphate salt is present and selected from the group consisting of:

monoammonium phosphate, diammonium phosphate, super phosphate, double super phosphate, triple super phosphate, potassium metaphosphate, phosphate rock and combinations thereof.

6. The particle of claim 1 wherein the potassium salt and the phosphate salt are both present.

7. The particle of claim 1 wherein the crystalline matrix is present between 1 and 90 weight percent.

8. The particle of claim 1 wherein the particle has a density of between 880 and 1040 kilograms per cubic meter.

9. The particle of claim 1 further comprising an overcoating.

10. The particle of claim 1 wherein the macronutrient is present and includes at least one of methylene urea, struvite, or isobutylene diurea.

11. The particle of claim 10 wherein the micronutrient is present and includes at least one of magnesium, iron, manganese, and zinc;

or oxides of any of the aforementioned;

or salts of any of the aforementioned.

12. The particle of claim 10 further comprising a natural organic product selected from the group consisting of:

humic acid, blood meal, bone meal, seed meal, feather meal, soy meal, meat meal, animal waste, activated sludge, hydrolyzed animal hair, a fish byproduct, chitin, composts and combinations thereof.

13. The particle of claim 1 wherein water causes particle dispersion into between 1,000 and 10,000 pieces.

14. The particle of claim 1 wherein the mean particle domain size ranges from 0.2 millimeter to 30 millimeters.

15. A fertilizer comprising:

a plurality of particles of claim 1.

16. The fertilizer of claim 15 consisting essentially of the particles of claim 1.

17. A process of forming a fertilizer particle comprising:

granulating a quantity of insoluble material to a size where the majority by weight of 0.02 to 3 millimeters to form granules;

agglomerating said quantity of insoluble granules into the fertilizer particle containing at least 100 of the granules with a solution or a slurry of a potassium salt, a phosphate salt, a soluble bioavailable nitrogen substance, or a combination thereof with solvent removal to form a crystalline matrix in which the granules are embedded.

18. The process of claim 17 wherein the solution is formed in situ by adding water to granules of the potassium salt, granules of the phosphate salt, soluble bioavailable nitrogen substance or a combination thereof.

19. The process of claim 17 further comprising mixing the granules with the granules of the potassium salt or the granules of the phosphate salt or the soluble bioavailable nitrogen substance prior to the agglomerating.

20. The process of claim 17 wherein the agglomerating is pan agglomeration.