Soil stabilizer carrier

• US 7,874,101 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2010
• Issued: 01/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Skyline Encap Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Encap LLC (FEECO International, Inc.)
• Inventors: Madigan, Daniel Paul, Krysiak, Michael Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): Palo; Francis T
• Application Number:
  US12/660,804
• Publication Number:
  US 20100166507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 327 Days
• Field of Search: 47/581.SC
• US Class Current: 47/58.1SC
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 1/046 Carrier compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C05F 9/00 Fertilisers from household or town refuse
• CPC Class Codes: C05G 3/80 Soil conditioners
• CPC Class Codes: C05G 5/12 Granules or flakes
• CPC Class Codes: C05G 5/40 Fertilisers incorporated into a matrix
• CPC Class Codes: C05G 5/45 Form not covered by groups C05G5/10 - C05G5/18, C05G5/20 - C05G5/27, C05G5/30 - C05G5/38 or C05G5/40, e.g. soluble or permeable packaging
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 17/22 Polyacrylates; Polymethacrylates
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 17/52 Mulches
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/20 Fertilizers of biological origin, e.g. guano or fertilizers made from animal corpses

Abstract

A method for applying a water soluble soil stabilizer to soil wherein the soil stabilizer is added to a solid carrier.

Claims

1. A method of applying a water-soluble soil stabilizer to soil comprising:

adding said water-soluble soil stabilizer to a solid carrier;

releasing said water-soluble soil stabilizer out of said solid carrier into said soil;

binding said water-soluble soil stabilizer to said soil;

wherein application rates of said solid carrier to said soil is based on a desired amount of said water-soluble soil stabilizer to be metered to said soil.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said solid carrier is applied to said soil through conventional means, such as, spreaders.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein water is added to said solid carrier to release said water-soluble soil stabilizer out of said solid carrier.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said solid carrier is comprised of:

fertilizers and/or soil amendments.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said solid carrier comprises fibrous material.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said solid carrier further comprises a seed.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

adding pesticides, herbicides and/or insecticides to said solid carrier.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said weight of said water-soluble soil stabilizer of the total solid carrier weight is less than 50%.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said solid carrier is in the form of a granule, extruded pellet, woven mat, flake and/or formed bale.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said solid carrier further comprises disease causing microbes.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said solid carrier further comprises aluminum sulfate and/or calcium oxide.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said water-soluble soil stabilizer is selected from the group consisting of:

polyacrylamide, polyethylene-imines, polyamides-amines, polyamines, polyethylene-oxide, guar, and sulfonated compounds.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein said solid carrier is comprised of a material that was previously treated with an ingredient that has soil stabilizing properties.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said material is derived from potable water treatment, dewatering of sewage sludges, washing and lye-peeling of fruits and vegetables, clarification of sugar juice and liquor, adhesives and paper in contact with food, animal feed thickeners and suspending agents, cosmetics, paper manufacturing, various mining and drilling applications.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein said solid carrier contains mineral elements.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said water-soluble soil stabilizer holds mineral elements in said soil.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein said water-soluble soil stabilizer is anionic, cationic and/or neutral.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein said water-soluble soil stabilizer reduces need for erosion mats in slope applications prior to establishment of permanent vegetation;

increases permeability of said soil;

binds to said soil to increase infiltration of said fertilizer and water within said soil;

improves water infiltration of said soil, thereby improving soils ability to absorb water; and

or

improves water infiltration of said soil, thereby reducing the amount and/or frequency of water needed for said soil.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein said water-soluble soil stabilizer reduces soil packing and cracking;

improves soil tillability;

reduces rilling of said soil;

reduces runoff and leaching of microbes in said soil;

reduces total fecal coliform bacteria and fecal strep leaching and runoff from said soil;

reduces runoff of pesticides, herbicides, insecticides and/or fertilizers;

reduces time for seed emergence within said soil; and

/or

reduces soil borne diseases within said soil.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein said water-soluble soil stabilizer is an anticrusting agent in said soil.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein said water-soluble soil stabilizer binds to fertilizer to reduce leaching of said fertilizer within said soil;

binds to said soil and fertilizer to reduce runoff of said fertilizer from said soil; and

/or

binds to said soil and fertilizer to hold said fertilizer in said soil.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein said water-soluble soil stabilizer reduces erosion of said soil, thereby reducing erosion of said fertilizer, thereby reducing fertilizer usage and fertilizer cost per acre;

and/or

improves water infiltration of said soil, thereby reducing erosion of said fertilizer, thereby reducing fertilizer usage and fertilizer cost per acre.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein said water-soluble soil stabilizer holds nutrients in said soil, thereby reducing fertilizer usage and cost per acre;

prevents movement of sediment containing nutrient, pesticides and other matter; and

/or

controls erosive forces by holding soils in place and ionically bonding them together to increase particle size.

26. The method of claim 1 wherein said water-soluble soil stabilizer improves survival and growth of plants;

improves root growth of plants within said soil; and

/or

improves crop yield within said soil.

27. The method of claim 1 wherein said water-soluble soil stabilizer results in a cleaner harvest of root crop;

expedites crop maturity;

increases viability of shrub, tree, and/or vegetable transplants;

deepens plant rooting in said soil;

advances planting dates by drying said soil faster; and

increases germination rates of seed in said soil.

34. The method of claim 1 wherein said water-soluble soil stabilizer acts as a flocculating agent and/or as a settling agent.

35. The method of claim 1 wherein said water-soluble soil stabilizer is in a dry granular form and/or emulsified state.

36. The method of claim 1 wherein said water-soluble soil stabilizer is in a liquid form.

37. The method of claim 1 wherein said solid carrier comprises fibrous material, a seed, a mulch, and/or a material that was previously treated with water-soluble soil stabilizer;

wherein said material includes material from mineral and coal processing, petroleum production, paper making, water treating, and food processing.

38. The method of claim 1 wherein said solid carrier is comprised of nitrogen, phosphorus and/or potassium.

39. The method of claim 1 wherein said solid carrier is an erosion control BMP such as seed and mulch or erosion mat.

40. The method of claim 1 wherein said solid carrier is comprised of an amendment, soil conditioner and/or waste product.

41. The method of claim 1 wherein said solid carrier is made by a size reduction and/or an agglomeration process, including agitation, pressure, liquid and/or thermal;

wherein said agitation process includes the methods of;

tumbling, mixing, granulation, pelletizing, balling, conditioning, and/or instantizing;

wherein said pressure process includes the methods of briquetting, compacting, extrusion, pelleting, molding, tabletting and/or isostatic pressing;

wherein said liquid process includes the methods of spray drying, spray granulation, fluid bed granulation, prilling, agglomeration in liquid media, oil agglomeration and/or globulation;

wherein said thermal process includes the methods of sintering, induration, nodulizing, calcining, drying/solidification, partial gasification/charring and flaking.

43. The method of claim 1 wherein said soil stabilizer further comprises cross-linked soil stabilizers.

8. A method of applying a water-soluble soil stabilizer to soil comprising:

adding said water-soluble soil stabilizer to a solid carrier;

releasing said water-soluble soil stabilizer out of said solid carrier into said soil;

binding said water soluble soil stabilizer to said soil;

wherein application rates of said solid carrier to said soil is based on desired amount of said water-soluble soil stabilizer to be metered to said soil;

wherein said solid carrier is an agglomerate.

16. A method of applying water-soluble soil stabilizer to soil:

adding said water-soluble soil stabilizer to a solid carrier, said solid carrier comprised of at least about 25% particles in excess of 1 mm in diameter;

applying said solid carrier to said soil;

releasing said water-soluble soil stabilizer out of said solid carrier into said soil;

binding said water soluble soil stabilizer to said soil;

wherein application rates of said solid carrier to said soil is based on desired amount of said water-soluble soil stabilizer to be metered to said soil.

28. A method of improving soil penetration comprising;

applying to said soil by conventional application equipment a solid carrier;

said solid carrier comprising water-soluble soil stabilizer;

releasing said water-soluble soil stabilizer into said soil;

binding said water soluble soil stabilizer to said soil;

wherein application rates of said solid carrier to said soil is based on desired amount of said water-soluble soil stabilizer to be metered to said soil.

29. A method of reducing soil erosion comprising;

applying to said soil by conventional application equipment a solid carrier;

said solid carrier comprising water-soluble soil stabilizer;

releasing said water-soluble soil stabilizer into said soil;

binding said water soluble soil stabilizer to said soil;

wherein application rates of said solid carrier to said soil is based on desired amount of said water-soluble soil stabilizer to be metered to said soil.

30. A method of reducing fertilizer runoff and leaching comprising;

applying to said soil by conventional application equipment a solid carrier;

said solid carrier comprising water-soluble soil stabilizer;

releasing said water-soluble soil stabilizer into said soil;

binding said water soluble soil stabilizer to said soil;

wherein application rates of said solid carrier to said soil is based on desired amount of said water-soluble soil stabilizer to be metered to said soil.

31. A method of applying a water-soluble soil stabilizer to soil comprising:

adding said water-soluble soil stabilizer to a solid carrier;

applying said solid carrier to soil;

leaching said water-soluble soil stabilizer out of said solid carrier into said soil;

binding said water soluble soil stabilizer to said soil;

wherein said solid carrier consists essentially of a fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphorus and/or potash;

wherein application rates of said solid carrier to said soil is based on desired amount of said water-soluble soil stabilizer to be metered to said soil.

32. A method of applying a water-soluble soil stabilizer to soil comprising:

adding said water-soluble soil stabilizer to a solid carrier;

applying said solid carrier to soil;

leaching said water-soluble soil stabilizer out of said solid carrier into said soil;

binding said water soluble soil stabilizer to said soil;

wherein said solid carrier comprises a fibrous material;

wherein application rates of said solid carrier to said soil is based on desired amount of said water-soluble soil stabilizer to be metered to said soil.

33. A method for applying water-soluble soil stabilizer to soil comprising;

impregnating and/or applying water-soluble soil stabilizer to a solid carrier;

leaching said water-soluble soil stabilizer out of said solid carrier with water into said soil;

binding said water-soluble soil stabilizer to said soil;

wherein application rates of said solid carrier to said soil is related to desired amount of said water-soluble soil stabilizer to be metered to said soil.

42. A delivery system used to apply water-soluble soil stabilizer to soil comprising:

a solid carrier and water-soluble soil stabilizer;

wherein said solid carrier is made by an agglomeration process, including agitation, pressure, liquid and thermal;

wherein application rates of said solid carrier to said soil is related to desired amount of said water-soluble soil stabilizer to be metered to said soil;

wherein said water-soluble soil stabilizer binds to said soil.