# US 11,307,130 B2 · Indicating soil additives for improving soil water infiltration and/or modulating soil water repellence > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,307,130 B2 - Document ID: US11307130B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/758,075 - Filed: 2018-11-05 - Published: 2020-11-19 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-11-06 - Assignees: BASF SE - Applicants: BASF SE - Inventors: David Edward Mainwaring; Pandiyan Murugaraj; Rohan Davies; Klaus Däschner; Alexander Wissemeier; Hao Hao - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11307130B2 ## CPC - G01N 15/08: Investigating permeability, pore-volume, or surface area of porous materials - G01N 15/0826: {and measuring fluid flow rate, i.e. permeation rate or pressure change} - G01N 33/24: Earth materials (G01N33/42 takes precedence) - G01N 33/245: {for agricultural purposes} - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract The present invention is related to a method for indicating soil additives for improving soil water infiltration and/or modulating soil water repellence, a corresponding arrangement and the use thereof. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for indicating soil additives for improving soil water infiltration and/or modulating soil water repellence, the method comprising the steps of: providing (S1) at least one soil sample; preparation processing (S2) of the at least one soil sample; providing (S3) at least one predefined amount of water to the at least one soil sample; determining (S4) an absorbed amount of water of the at least one soil sample due to contact of the at least one soil sample with the at least one provided and predefined amount of water; calculating (S5) an infiltration rate of the at least one soil sample based on the determined absorbed amount of water and degree of water saturation; and indicating (S6) at least one soil additive to be used out of a list of multiple soil additives based on the calculated infiltration rate of the at least one soil sample. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of preparation processing (S2) comprises: sieving the at least one soil sample; and/or air drying the at least one soil sample. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the steps of the method is performed by high-throughput screening. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein the method further comprises: filling of at least one column of multiple columns of an array of soil samples. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining (S4) the absorbed amount of water of the at least one soil sample due to contact of the at least one soil sample with the at least one provided and predefined amount of water comprises: recording of a wetting front over time by optical sample inspection; and/or using an infiltrometer; and/or using a permeameter. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to anyone of the claim 1, wherein the step of calculating (S5) the infiltration rate of the at least one soil sample based on the determined absorbed amount of water comprises: calculating a water infiltration time; and/or calculating a water holding capacity. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of indicating (S6) at least one soil additive to be used based on the calculated infiltration rate of the at least one soil sample out of a list of multiple soil additives comprises: indicating a type of the at least one soil additive to be used; and/or indicating a concentration of the at least one soil additive to be used; and/or indicating an amount of the at least one soil additive to be used. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the step of providing at least one soil condition and wherein the indicating (S6) of the at least one soil additive to be used is further based on the provided, at least one soil condition. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one soil additive indicated in step (S6) is selected from surfactants, or from surface active substances. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the at least one soil additive indicated in step (S6) is a non-ionic surfactant. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein the non-ionic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of ethylene oxide/propylene oxide block copolymers and C6-C20-alkylpolyglycosides. ### Claim 12 An arrangement (100) for indicating soil additives for improving soil water infiltration and/or modulating soil water repellence, the arrangement comprising: sample providing means (101) configured to provide at least one soil sample; sample preparation means (102) configured to perform preparation processing of the at least one soil sample; water providing means (103) configured to provide at least one predefined amount of water to the at least one soil sample; water amount determining means (104) configured to determine an absorbed amount of water of the at least one soil sample due to contact of the at least one soil sample with the at least one provided and predefined amount of water; infiltration rate calculating means (105) configured to calculate an infiltration rate of the at least one soil sample based on the determined absorbed amount of water and degree of water saturation; indicating means (106) configured to indicate at least one soil additive to be used out of a list of multiple soil additives based on the calculated infiltration rate of the at least one soil. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The arrangement (100) according to claim 12, wherein the arrangement is a handheld arrangement. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The arrangement (100) according to claim 12, wherein the arrangement is configured to perform high-throughput screening. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The arrangement (100) according to claim 12, wherein the sample preparation means (102) are configured to sieve the at least one soil sample; and/or perform air drying of the at least one soil sample.