SOIL STABILIZER CARRIER

Abstract

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

Claims

1) A method of applying water-soluble soil stabilizer (WSSS) to soil comprising: Impregnating said WSSS in a solid carrier, applying said WSSS onto a solid carrier, or any combination thereof; leaching said WSSS out from said solid carrier when water is applied; binding said WSSS to said soil once it leaches out from said solid carrier; wherein the amount of WSSS placed in or on said solid carrier is based on an intentional amount of WSSS to be leached out of said solid carrier to stabilize said soil; wherein said WSSS leached out from said solid carrier stabilizes said soil.

2) The method of claim 1 wherein said WSSS is a water-soluble polyacrylamide.

3) The method of claim 1 wherein said WSSS consists of a water-soluble polyacrylamide, starch xanthate, acid hydrolyzed cellulose microfibrils, chitin, gypsum, hydrocolloidal polysaccharide, starch, glycogen and cellulose, acrylic copolymers, sodium acrylate, guar gum, polyethylene-imines, polyamides-amines, polyamines, polyethylene-oxide, sulfonated compounds, or any combination thereof.

4) The method of claim 1 wherein said solid carrier comprises a fibrous mulch, fertilizer, gypsum, mineral, soil amendment, soil conditioner, waste product, or any combination thereof.

5) The method of claim 1 wherein said solid carrier further comprises a viable seed.

6) The method of claim 1 wherein said WSSS is selected from the group consisting of: polyacrylamide, polyethylene-imines, polyamides-amines, polyamines, polyethylene-oxide, guar, and sulfonated compounds.

7) The method of claim 1 wherein said WSSS binds nutrients within said soil to reduce runoff of said nutrients from said soil, leaching of said nutrient from said soil, or any combination thereof.

8) The method of claim 7 wherein said nutrients comprise calcium, magnesium, or any combination thereof.

9) The method of claim 7 wherein said nutrients comprise iron, sulfur, manganese, boron, copper, zinc, molybdenum, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, or any combination thereof.

10) The method of claim 1 wherein said WSSS binds an herbicide within said soil to reduce runoff of said herbicide from said soil, leaching of said herbicide from said soil, or any combination thereof.

11) The method of claim 1 wherein said WSSS binds a pesticide within said soil to reduce runoff of said pesticide from said soil, leaching of said pesticide from said soil, or any combination thereof.

12) The method of claim 11 wherein said pesticide is an insecticide.

13) The method of claim 1 wherein said WSSS binds microbes within said soil to reduce runoff of said microbe from said soil, leaching of said microbe from said soil, or any combination thereof.

14) The method of claim 1 wherein said WSSS binds soil particles together.

15) The method of claim 1 wherein said solid carrier is an erosion control best management practice (BMP); said BMP is a seed, a mulch, an erosion mat, gypsum, or any combination thereof.

16) The method of claim 14 wherein said soil particles bind together to increase infiltration of water into said soil.

17) The method of claim 7 wherein said nutrients are iron; said solid carrier is calcium and sulfur; said solid carrier is an agglomerate; said agglomerate is formed by an agglomeration process; and said agglomeration process is an agitation agglomeration process, pressure agglomeration process or any combination thereof.

18) The method of claim 14 wherein said binding of soil particles reduces time for seed emergence within said soil, reduces soil borne diseases within said soil, improves survival and growth of plants, improves root growth of plants within said soil, improves crop yield within said soil, expedites crop maturity within said soil, deepens plant rooting in said soil; increases germination rates of seed in said soil, increases viability of shrub, tree, and/or vegetable transplants in said soil, or any combination thereof.

19) The method of claim 1 wherein said solid carrier is an agglomerated mulch product.

20) The method of claim 1 wherein said solid carrier is an agglomerated product that binds phosphorus within soil: said solid carrier comprises gypsum, a phosphate containing fertilizer, and a binder to hold the respective agglomerated granules together; said gypsum is being a soil stabilizer; an intentional amount of gypsum is metered to the soil; said intentional amount of gypsum binds said phosphorus within said soil to reduce runoff of said phosphorus from said soil, leaching of said phosphorus from said soil, or any combination thereof.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0105] In an embodiment, a cross-linked polyacrylamide is added to the solid carrier which is then applied to the soil. Water is then applied to the solid carrier which releases the cross-linked polyacrylamide from the solid carrier into the soil. Superabsorbent cross-linked polyacrylamide are used in several types of applications for absorbing aqueous solutions. The polymers can be used for solidifying any water based material. These polymers act as a reservoir of water that is available to plants on demand, reducing plant shock and the effects of drought. When added to soil, plant roots grow directly into the water-swollen polymers, tapping the reserve as needed. An example of such a polymer includes a cross-linked potassium polyacrylate/polyacrylamide copolymer.

[0106] In an embodiment, a soil stabilizer is added to a solid carrier which is then applied to the soil. Water is applied to the solid carrier which then releases the soil stabilizer out of the solid carrier into the soil. Examples of soil stabilizers are: starch xanthate, acid hydrolyzed cellulose microfibrils, chitin, gypsum, PAM, hydrocolloidal polysaccharide, acrylic copolymers, and/or sodium acrylate, and any combination of the above. Three polysaccharides (starch xanthate, acid hydrolyzed cellulose microfibrils and chitin) have been shown to reduce soil loss. Polysaccharides are long chains of monosaccharides linked by glycosidic bonds. Three Important polysaccharides, starch, glycogen and cellulose are composed of glucose. Starch and glycogen serve as short term energy stores in plants and animals, respectively. The glucose monomers are linked by glycosidic bonds. These are biodegradable polymers that have similar properties to water soluble PAM. In an embodiment of the present invention these polysaccharides are used as an additive or substitute to PAM.

[0107] Gypsum when combined with PAM is effective in reducing both soil loss and water runoff. Overall results indicate that a timely combination of these surface treatments such as tillage, mulch, canopy, gypsum, and PAM are useful and effective in combating water runoff and soil loss on cultivated lands. In an embodiment of the present invention, gypsum is used as an additive to the PAM of the present invention.

[0108] Guar gum is a natural high molecular weight hydrocolloidal polysaccharide composed of galactan and mannan units combined through glycosidic linkages which may be described chemically as galactomannan. It has been commonly used as a soil stabilizer for many years. It is a white to yellowish white powder. It is dissolved in cold or hot water, and forms a slime of high viscosity. In an embodiment of the present invention guar gum is used as an additive or a substitute for the PAM of the present invention.

[0109] Acrylic copolymers are commonly used as soil stabilizers. In addition, sodium acrylate is commonly combined with water soluble PAM and used as a soil stabilizer. An acrylate is a salt or ester of propenoic acid. In an embodiment of the present invention these are used as additives or substitutes of PAM.

[0110] In an embodiment, soil stabilizer is added to the solid carrier, wherein the solid carrier is comprised of at least about 25% particles in excess of 1 mm in diameter. The solid carrier is applied to the soil. Water is then applied to the solid carrier which releases the soil stabilizer out of the solid carrier into the soil. When dealing with polymers and fertilizers, soil amendments, soil mulches, and carriers, particle size matters as it affects agronomic response, granulation and process performance, and blending, storage, handling and application properties. In general, the smaller the particle size, the more rapidly dissolution occurs. Before about 1950, almost all fertilizers were produced as relatively fine powders or small crystals. As a result, fertilizers usually were dusty during handling and very susceptible to hard caking during storage in piles or bags. The growth of granulation (agglomeration) resulted in great improvement in storage, handling and application properties. This growth was paralleled by improvement in application equipment that took advantage of the better flow properties and reduction of caking in granular products. In the United States, the typical size range of granular fertilizer products is around 1-3.35 mm. In European countries and Japan, sizes are generally in the 2-4 mm range. In a preferred embodiment, the solid carrier is in the size range of about 5/16 to about 30 mesh (0.0234 inches or 600 microns).

[0111] In one embodiment of the invention the solid carrier is a mulch made by using a paper fiber based product, which can be moist, and impregnating it with PAM. In a further embodiment, the mulch can also be impregnated with soil amendments and fortifiers. A mixer can be used to create the mulch, preferably a pin mixer, but can also be a pan pelletizer, paddle mixer, drum granulator or other type of mixer. The paper fiber based product is preferably comprised of a by-product of a paper making process. Sewage sludge can be used to create the fortified mulch rather than paper fibers.

[0112] Below is an example of how a solid carrier (seed establishment mulch) of the present invention can be made using a pin mixer.

Example

Pin Mixer:

[0113] In a pin mixer, agglomeration occurs, when radially extended pins mounted on a high velocity central rotor shaft, in a stationary cylindrical shell impart agitation forces on the material and sprayed liquid binder. This causes a tumbling movement resulting in densification.

Pin Arrangement:

[0114] Several different types of pin mixers were tested to determine the best pin arrangement for creating a mulch. The double helix pin arrangement resulted in a round more uniform pellet. The internal casing length and diameter were 23 inches and 6 inches, respectively. The dimensions of the shaft and pins included 2-inch diameter shaft and two-inch length pins. It was concluded that varying the speed (RPM) effected the pellet size. Increasing the speed caused a decrease in particle size. It was found that the pin mixer when set at 650 RPM resulted in a product that consisted largely of end-size (6, +16) product. The material created a shell, but its amperage did not increase. Mulch through the pin mixer readily agglomerated and the discharged product was uniform in size and shape.

Retention Time:

[0115] A test was conducted to determine the retention time of the mulch. Material began to discharge at 2 seconds and ended at 23 seconds. The majority of the material took 8 seconds. Small particles had short retention time while larger particles took longer.

Pin Mixer: Material Feed Rates

Ground Wet Paper:

[0116] Wet paper was added at 33 lbs/hr, but the product was not uniform and round, so the feed was decreased to 200 lbs./hr. A uniform product was achieved at this rate. It was preferable to use a rate of 200 lbs/hr, however, a rate between 200 and 300 lbs/hr is also acceptable. The wet paper bridged in the screw feeder. The 3 feeder was the most consistent.

PAM:

[0117] PAM was added at a dry granular rate of 6 lbs/hr into the pin mixer. A uniform product was received at this rate with the PAM being successfully impregnated into the mulch granules.

Water:

[0118] An added 36-lbs/hr of water was metered into the pin mixer. The percent moisture in the paper was 52.3% water. A total of 140.6 lbs/hr of moisture is introduced when 200 lbs/hr of wet sludge is metered into the pin mixer.

NPK:

[0119] Nitrogen Phosphorous Potassium fortifiers was added to the pin at a rate of 28 lbs/hr. A vibratory feeder was required to feed such a low rate. The fertilizer had to be screened prior to addition into the feed hopper.

Coating Drum Wet Mulch Pellets:

[0120] The wet mulch pellets were hand fed into a rotary drum. The drum had no apparent problem with varied low or high feed rate. The rotary dryer placed limitations onto the coating drum feed rate. The majority (>90%) of agglomeration is done in the pin mixer. Since the material sent into the coating drum was in the form of a pellet, the material readily rolled.

Dryer:

[0121] The inlet and outlet air temperatures were 100 degrees Fahrenheit and 180 F, respectively. The sample at these settings had a material outlet temperature ranging from 150 to 175 degrees Fahrenheit and moisture content of 2.5%.

Sieve Analysis:

[0122] A sieve analysis was conducted with the use of a screen. The end-size portion was between 6 and 16 mesh. A three hour continuous run was produced, dried, and screened. The results concluded a total of 300 lbs of material; 206 lbs on size (68.7%), 53 lbs, under-size (17.7%), and 41 lbs, over-size (13.7%).

[0123] Mulch was applied with a conventional spreader. The desired application rate was set and achieved at a 1 inch opening. The product was applied at a rate of 50 lbs/1,000 sq. ft. which was the desired application rate.

Example 2

[0124] A laboratory test was conducted to impregnate a fertilizer granule (DAP) with PAM at a rate of 43 to 1. The raw materials were precisely measured and fed into an ammoniator-granulator along with the metered dry PAM particles. The granulator successfully agglomerated the finished solid carrier. The solid carrier was then dried and screened to size. The solid carrier was then metered to the turf stand with a conventional drop spreader. After watering the solid carrier successfully delivered the precise amount of nutrient and PAM to the turf stand.