A fluidized bed granulator for production of urea-containing or nitrate-containing granules may include a granulator interior having granulator interior walls with a first granulator side wall, a second granulator side wall, a granulator front wall that extends transversely to the granulator side walls, and a granulator back wall that likewise extends transversely at the opposite end of the granulator interior from the granulator front wall, a horizontal perforated plate that bounds the granulator interior in a downward direction, a seed entry opening, and a granule exit opening that is disposed at a distance in front of the granulator back wall. A process for producing urea-containing or nitrate-containing granules may utilize the fluidized bed granulator.

The present invention relates to a process for preparing a formulation F for reducing nitrification. The present invention also relates to a formulation F obtainable by the process of the invention. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a process of preparing a fertilizer-nitrification inhibitor mixture, and to a fertilizer-nitrification inhibitor mixture obtainable by this process. Moreover, the present invention relates to a method of fertilizing agricultural soil.

A method, comprising: heating at a temperature of at least 90° C. for a time of at least 10 minutes and a pressure of at least one atmosphere: 1) a potassic framework silicate ore; 2) at least one material selected from the group consisting of an oxide, a hydroxide, and a carbonate of at least one of an alkaline earth metal and an alkali metal; and 3) water, thereby producing a first product; combining the first product with a source of a component to form a second product; and drying the second product to provide a composition comprising an MPM and the component, wherein the source of the component comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of KCl, a macronutrient source, a micronutrient source and a source of a beneficial element. A composition, comprising: an MPM; and a component selected from the group consisting of a KCl, a macronutrient, a micronutrient and a beneficial element, wherein the MPM comprises at least two phases selected from the group consisting of K-feldspar phase, tobermorite phase, hydrogrossular phase, dicalcium silicate hydrate phase and amorphous phase.

A method, comprising: heating at a temperature of at least 90° C. for a time of at least 10 minutes and a pressure of at least one atmosphere: 1) a potassic framework silicate ore; 2) at least one material selected from the group consisting of an oxide, a hydroxide, and a carbonate of at least one of an alkaline earth metal and an alkali metal; and 3) water, thereby producing a first product; combining the first product with a source of a component to form a second product; and drying the second product to provide a composition comprising an MPM and the component, wherein the source of the component comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of KCl, a macronutrient source, a micronutrient source and a source of a beneficial element. A composition, comprising: an MPM; and a component selected from the group consisting of a KCl, a macronutrient, a micronutrient and a beneficial element, wherein the MPM comprises at least two phases selected from the group consisting of K-feldspar phase, tobermorite phase, hydrogrossular phase, dicalcium silicate hydrate phase and amorphous phase.

Apparatus and methods for desulfurization and decarbonization of a process gas containing sulfur oxides and CO.sub.2. Ammonia may be used as a desulfurizing and decarbonizing agent. The gas may enter a desulfurization apparatus for desulfurization, and to produce an ammonium sulfate fertilizer. The desulfurized gas may enter a decarbonization apparatus to remove carbon dioxide in the gas, and to produce an ammonium bicarbonate fertilizer. The decarbonized gas may contain free ammonia. The decarbonized gas may be washed with a desulfurization circulating fluid and then with water. The washing fluid may be returned to the desulfurization apparatus for use as an absorbing agent for desulfurization. Acidic desulfurization circulating fluid may be used to wash ammonia, thereby achieving a high ammonia washing efficiency, and a low ammonia slip during the decarbonization process.

Apparatus and methods for desulfurization and decarbonization of a process gas containing sulfur oxides and CO.sub.2. Ammonia may be used as a desulfurizing and decarbonizing agent. The gas may enter a desulfurization apparatus for desulfurization, and to produce an ammonium sulfate fertilizer. The desulfurized gas may enter a decarbonization apparatus to remove carbon dioxide in the gas, and to produce an ammonium bicarbonate fertilizer. The decarbonized gas may contain free ammonia. The decarbonized gas may be washed with a desulfurization circulating fluid and then with water. The washing fluid may be returned to the desulfurization apparatus for use as an absorbing agent for desulfurization. Acidic desulfurization circulating fluid may be used to wash ammonia, thereby achieving a high ammonia washing efficiency, and a low ammonia slip during the decarbonization process.

The invention is a coating for agricultural products, which includes at least 10% of renewably sourced and biodegradable sugar esters. The invention is also a method of making a coated agricultural product, including the steps of providing a coating composition comprising at least 10% of a renewably sourced and biodegradable sugar ester, heating the coating composition to a temperature to reduce its viscosity to below about 100 cP, adding the coating composition to an agricultural product to form a mixture, and cooling the mixture to produce a coated agricultural product. The invention is also a method of reducing dust released from an agricultural product that includes the step of providing a coating composition comprising at least 10% of a renewable sourced and biodegradable sugar ester. Enough of the coating composition is added to the agricultural product to reduce the amount of dust released from the agricultural product by at least half. Finally, the invention is also a method of reducing caking in a granular agricultural product.

The present invention relates to novel nitrification inhibitors of formula (I), which are pyrazole propargyl ether compounds. Moreover, the invention relates to the use of compounds of formula (I) as nitrification inhibitors, i.e. for reducing nitrification, as well as agrochemical mixtures and compositions comprising the nitrification inhibitors of formula (I).

The present invention relates to novel nitrification inhibitors of formula (I), which are pyrazole propargyl ether compounds. Moreover, the invention relates to the use of compounds of formula (I) as nitrification inhibitors, i.e. for reducing nitrification, as well as agrochemical mixtures and compositions comprising the nitrification inhibitors of formula (I).

Methods, systems, and apparatuses for coating a material by contacting the material with a coating material and a solvent are disclosed herein. The coated material can be obtained by evaporating the solvent: by heating the coated material directly or indirectly with electromagnetic radiation; by heating with heat generated from a heat source that heats an internal container for the material to be coated and/or coated material; and/or in an interior volume of a coating container having a side wall, by heating a portion of the side wall of the coating container and/or internal container with a heat source that is positioned outside of the interior volume of the coating container.