What’s New in Fertilizer Bulk Blending
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Date
1981-10
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Abstract
The material summarizes "What's New in Fertilizer Bulk Blending," presented at the TVA Fertilizer Conference in 1981. The authors, Herman J. Bauer and Frank P. Achorn discuss the advancements and innovations in the bulk blending industry for fertilizers. They highlight various new concepts and developments in materials, equipment, additives, and application techniques. The authors mention the increasing use of urea instead of other nitrogen sources and the development of a granular form of urea. They also discuss using monoammonium phosphate (MAP) as a phosphate source and the growing demand for sulfur-coated urea (SCU) and controlled-release nitrogen materials. Additionally, they note the shift towards using ammonium sulfate (AS) as a source of sulfur and the emergence of granular sulfur. Regarding equipment, the authors highlight the use of corrosion-resistant materials and the incorporation of egg crate bin dividers for reducing segregation in bulk blends. They also mention the addition of micronutrients and pesticides to the blending process and use programmable calculators, microcomputers, and pocket computers for formulating fertilizers and performing other tasks like inventory control and accounting. Applying bulk blends with micronutrients and pesticides requires careful distribution to ensure optimal results. The authors suggest using overlapping applications and a minimum fertilizer material for proper particle distribution. They mention the development of an applicator that uses pressurized air for dry fertilizer application. The authors also address challenges and considerations in bulk blending, emphasizing the importance of particle size matching to reduce segregation. They discuss the potential issues related to the addition of fluid materials, the sensitization of ammonium nitrate (AN) by certain pesticides and the segregation tendencies of bagged materials.
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Keywords
Micronutrients, Fertilizers