Method and apparatus for delivering fertilizer to the soil

• US 6,269,757 B1
• Filed: 08/03/2000
• Issued: 08/07/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lauren J. Kiest
• Original Assignee: Lauren J. Kiest
• Inventors: Kiest, Lauren J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Novosad, Christopher J.
• Application Number:
  US09/632,145
• Time in Patent Office: 369 Days
• Field of Search: 111/118, 111/119, 111/127, 111/900
• US Class Current: 111/119
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 23/024 for ammonia
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 111/90 Methods of planting seeds and miscellaneous compositions

Abstract

A method and apparatus for delivering agricultural fertilizer, such as anhydrous ammonia, uniformly into the soil includes an applicator frame on which a plurality of soil-cutting knives are suspended, a supply tank of the fertilizer, a heat exchanger for cooling the fertilizer to a predetermined temperature, with the coolant being delivered to the heat exchanger from an externally powered refrigeration unit, a distribution manifold for receiving the cooled fertilizer from the heat exchanger and a plurality of distribution hoses connecting the distributor individually to the knife blades and the emission nozzles associated therewith.

Claims

1. An agricultural fertilizer applicator comprising in combination:

a frame mounted on wheels for movement across an agricultural field, said frame including a plurality of soil cutting knives for penetrating the soil, each knife having at least one fertilizer emitting nozzle through which fertilizer can be emitted into the adjacent soil,

a fertilizer supply tank operably connected to said frame for maintaining a supply of liquid fertilizer and a first exit hose from said tank,

a heat exchanger operably connected to said frame and to said first exit hose such that fertilizer can flow from said tank through said heat exchanger,

a second exit hose for carrying fertilizer from said heat exchanger,

an independently powered refrigeration unit operably connected to said heat exchanger for circulating coolant through said heat exchanger, and

a plurality of delivery hoses operably connecting said second exit hose to each nozzle on said soil cutting knives.

2. The applicator of claim 1 further including a manifold connected to said second exit hose and wherein said manifold is operably connected to said delivery hoses.

3. The applicator of claim 1 wherein said fertilizer is anhydrous ammonia.

4. The applicator of claim 1 further including a shut-off valve operably associated with said first exit hose.

5. The applicator of claim 1 further including a flow regulator device operably associated with said second exit hose.

6. The applicator of claim 5 wherein said flow regulator device is a positive displacement pump.

7. The applicator of claim 5 further including a sensor operably associated with said flow regulator device for sensing flow information.

8. The applicator of claim 7 further including a shut-off valve operably associated with said second exit hose.

9. The applicator of claim 1 further including orifice devices operatively associated with each delivery hose, said orifice devices having passages therethrough of a predetermined diameter.

10. The applicator of claim 9 further including shut-off valves operably associated with each orifice device.

11. The applicator of claim 9 further including a second orifice device associated with each delivery hose, said second orifice device being positioned immediately upstream from said two nozzles and having a passageway therethrough of a predetermined diameter.

12. The applicator of claim 1 further including needle valves operatively associated with each delivery hose, said needle valves having passages therethrough consisting of a stepped valve plug.

13. The applicator of claim 12 further including shut-off valves operably associated with each needle valve.

14. The applicator of claim 1 wherein there are two nozzles on each soil cutting knife.

15. The applicator of claim 1, further including at least one visual flow meter in each of said delivery hoses.

16. The applicator of claim 1, wherein said independently powered refrigeration unit cools said fertilizer to a temperature of approximately five degrees Fahrenheit below the temperature in the storage tank.

17. The applicator of claim 1, wherein said independently powered refrigeration unit cools said fertilizer to a temperature low enough that the fertilizer remains in a liquid state until it exits said nozzles.

18. A method of delivering anhydrous ammonia to soil comprising the steps of:

providing a frame with wheels for movement across said soil and with a plurality of soil cutting knife blades having at least one fluid delivery nozzle thereon,

providing a supply tank of said anhydrous ammonia and means for moving it across said soil with said frame,

providing a heat exchanger and a first exit hose from said supply tank to said heat exchanger,

providing an independently powered refrigeration unit and a system for circulating refrigerated coolant from said refrigeration unit through said heat exchanger to cool anhydrous ammonia passing therethrough,

providing a second exit hose from said heat exchanger,

providing a plurality of delivery hoses from said second exit hose to said nozzles, and

cooling said anhydrous ammonia in said heat exchanger to a low enough temperature such that it will remain in a liquid phase until emitted through said nozzles into said unit.

19. The method of claim 18 further including providing a manifold connected to said second exit hose and wherein said manifold is operably connected to said delivery hoses.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

providing shut-off valves downstream of said nozzles, and

closing said shut-off valves after delivering a portion of said anhydrous ammonia to prevent release of said anhydrous ammonia into the air.

21. A method of delivering anhydrous ammonia to soil comprising the steps of:

providing a frame with wheels for movement across said soil and with a plurality of soil cutting knife blades having at least one fluid delivery nozzle thereon,

providing a supply tank of said anhydrous ammonia and means for moving it across said soil with said frame,

providing a heat exchanger and a first exit hose from said supply tank to said heat exchanger,

providing an independently powered refrigeration unit and a system for circulating refrigerated coolant from said refrigeration unit through said heat exchanger to cool anhydrous ammonia passing therethrough,

providing a second exit hose for carrying fertilizer from said heat exchanger,

providing a plurality of delivery hoses from said second exit hose to said nozzles,

providing orifice devices in each of said delivery hoses with passageways therethrough of a predetermined diameter, and

cooling said anhydrous ammonia in said heat exchanger to a temperature such that the anhydrous ammonia is connected to mixed phases of liquid and gas as it flows through said orifice devices.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of providing a manifold connected to said second exit hose and wherein said manifold is operably connected to said delivery hoses.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

providing shut-off valves downstream of said nozzles, and

closing said shut-off valves after delivering a portion of said anhydrous ammonia to prevent release of said anhydrous ammonia into the air.