Subsurface soil injection method

• US 7,255,049 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2002
• Issued: 08/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Arysta LifeScience North America LLC (Element Solutions Inc)
• Original Assignee: Arysta Lifescience North America Corporation (Element Solutions Inc)
• Inventors: Allan, Michael A., Schiller, Charles T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Novosad; Christopher J.
• Application Number:
  US10/163,295
• Publication Number:
  US 20020148396A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,894 Days
• Field of Search: 111/118, 111/119, 111/120, 111/123, 111/124, 111/129
• US Class Current: 111/123
• 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 applying a product to soil, comprising the steps of:

providing a storage tank, which stores the product, in fluid communication with a reservoir;

providing a plurality of injectors connected to the reservoir by a fluid conveying member, said plurality of injectors being disposed proximate to a plurality of shanks;

priming a discrete, predetermined amount of the product, which is supplied from the storage tank, in the reservoir by a priming member which pressurizes the discrete, predetermined amount of the product in the reservoir to a predetermined pressure level;

releasing the discrete, predetermined amount of the product, which is pressurized in the reservoir at the predetermined pressure level, in response to a control signal; and

injecting the discrete, predetermined amount of the product, which is released from the reservoir via the fluid communication member, under pressure at the plurality of injectors,

wherein each injector intermittently injects the product at a series of locations in a pass through the soil by priming the discreet, predetermined amount of the product to the predetermined pressure level in the reservoir after each injection point, the product diffusing into the soil from each of the injection points to provide diffusion patterns of the product in the soil,

wherein the injecting comprises releasing the discrete, predetermined amount of the product as a single charge of the reservoir, which is pressurized by the priming member, at a point in the soil, the product volatilizing from that point to form a diffusion pattern of the product in the soil that is touching, overlapping or intermittent with diffusion patterns from adjacent points of releasing the product as single charges of the reservoir at the injection points.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the product is a fumigant.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the series of locations are substantially equidistant.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the injectors is independently operable.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the product is a liquid.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the product is a gas.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the priming member is a source of compressed gas which forces the discrete, predetermined amount of the product from the reservoir through the fluid conveying member to the plurality of injectors when the discrete, predetermined amount of the product is released in response to the control signal.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the priming member is a pump which pressurizes the discrete, predetermined amount of the product in the reservoir to the predetermined pressure level.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of injectors are provided at a distal end of the fluid conveying member and disposed on the plurality of shanks which respectively place the distal end of the fluid conveying member to each injector at a predetermined depth in the soil.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the product is iodomethane.

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

providing a storage tank, which stores the product, in fluid communication with a reservoir;

providing a plurality of injectors connected to the reservoir by a fluid conveying member, said plurality of injectors being disposed proximate to a plurality of shanks;

priming a discrete, predetermined amount of the product, which is supplied from the storage tank, in the reservoir by a priming member which pressurizes the discrete, predetermined amount of the product in the reservoir to a predetermined pressure level;

releasing the discrete, predetermined amount of the product, which is pressurized in the reservoir at the predetermined pressure level, in response to a control signal; and

injecting the discrete, predetermined amount of the product, which is released from the reservoir via the fluid communication member, under pressure at the plurality of injectors,

wherein each injector intermittently injects the product at a series of locations in a pass through the soil by priming the discreet, predetermined amount of the product to the predetermined pressure level in the reservoir after each injection point, the product diffusing into the soil from each of the injection points to provide diffusion patterns of the product in the soil

wherein the method further comprises determining whether an injection apparatus, which includes the storage tank, the reservoir, the fluid conveying member, the plurality of injectors, and the plurality of shanks, is located at one of a plurality of injection points in the pass through the soil,

wherein the reservoir is controlled by the control signal to release the discrete, predetermined amount of the product if the injection apparatus is determined to be located at one of the plurality of injection points in the pass through the soil,

wherein release of the discrete, predetermined amount of the product is prevented if the injection apparatus is determined to be located between injection points,

wherein the determining whether the injection apparatus is located at one of the plurality of injection points is determined by a global positioning satellite (GPS) sensor provided on the injection apparatus and the discrete, predetermined amount of the product is injected if the GPS sensor indicates that the injection apparatus is located at an injection point among the plurality of injection points.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the product is a fumigant.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the product is iodomethane.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the injecting comprises releasing the discrete, predetermined amount of the product as a single charge of the reservoir, which is pressurized by the priming member, at a point in the soil, the product volatilizing from that point to form a diffusion pattern of the product in the soil that is touching, overlapping or intermittent with diffusion patterns from adjacent points of releasing the product as single charges of the reservoir at the injection points.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of injectors are provided at a distal end of the fluid conveying member and disposed on the plurality of shanks which respectively place the distal end of the fluid conveying member to each injector at a predetermined depth in the soil.

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

providing a storage tank, which stores the product, in fluid communication with a reservoir;

providing a plurality of injectors connected to the reservoir by a fluid conveying member, said plurality of injectors being disposed proximate to a plurality of shanks;

priming a discrete, predetermined amount of the product, which is supplied from the storage tank, in the reservoir by a priming member which pressurizes the discrete, predetermined amount of the product in the reservoir to a predetermined pressure level;

releasing the discrete, predetermined amount of the product, which is pressurized in the reservoir at the predetermined pressure level, in response to a control signal; and

injecting the discrete, predetermined amount of the product, which is released from the reservoir via the fluid communication member, under pressure at the plurality of injectors,

wherein each injector intermittently injects the product at a series of locations in a pass through the soil by priming the discreet, predetermined amount of the product to the predetermined pressure level in the reservoir after each injection point, the product diffusing into the soil from each of the injection points to provide diffusion patterns of the product in the soil,

wherein the product is a fumigant,

wherein the product is applied to the soil in a quantity from about 3 gal/treatment acre to about 12 gal/treatment acre.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the product is iodomethane.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the priming member is a source of compressed gas which forces the discrete, predetermined amount of the product from the reservoir through the fluid conveying member to the plurality of injectors when the discrete, predetermined amount of the product is released in response to the control signal.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the plurality of injectors are provided at a distal end of the fluid conveying member and disposed on the plurality of shanks which respectively place the distal end of the fluid conveying member to each injector at a predetermined depth in the soil.