Method and apparatus for delivering fertilizer to the soil
OwnerLauren J. Kiestinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims23
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.
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.
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.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.