JPS6112878B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

The present invention relates to a new fertilizer product in the form of composite granules, a method for its production and a method for its use.
More particularly, the present invention relates to granule fertilizer products in which the granules have a strength, size and weight suitable for mechanical distribution and application to soil. These new fertilizer granules provide a novel combination of fine particles, a particulate nitrogen source such as melamine, and a binder such as urea suitable for binding the particulate nitrogen source into the granule form. Among the most commonly used nitrogen sources are ammonium nitrate and urea, but all of these nitrogen fertilizer materials can be easily dissolved in water. Therefore,
These are susceptible to leaching and their use results in rapid release of their nitrogen. There has been much development of fertilizer materials that release nitrogen slowly because they require repeated applications for sustained growth or have large leaching losses with a single application. Generally, these materials sacrifice nitrogen content for some control over nitrogen availability. Melamine and its hydrolysis products, namely ammeline, ammelide, and cyanuric acid, are
It was considered a possible nitrogen source for incorporation into fertilizer compositions or for use as a nitrogen source in itself. Melamine has a nitrogen content of 66.6%.
If melamine could be used as a fertilizer material, it would yield large amounts of nitrogen per unit weight applied. However, at present melamine is more expensive than urea. Furthermore, commercially produced melamine is only available as a finely crystalline powder. Because current commercial end markets for melamine, such as the production of melamine-formaldehyde resins and the production of flame-retardant coatings, require small particle sizes, melamine is produced in the form of very fine crystals. Ru. A typical screen analysis performed on one commercially available melamine using a US standard sieve screen is as follows. Commercially produced small crystals of melamine are desired by resin manufacturers. This is because small crystals dissolve more easily. If large particles are present,
They tend to require longer processing times. Large particles are therefore undesirable. In the flame retardant paint market, melamine crystals are dispersed in paints, where the finer particle sizes currently used produce a smoother texture in dry paints than the larger particles. The fine particle size of commercially available melamine products makes melamine a significantly unattractive product for the agricultural sector. Additionally, the fine particle size of currently produced commercial melamine makes it impractical as a fertilizer material. If fine particles are applied to the earth's surface, even a gentle breeze will blow them away. If applied by air from an airplane or helicopter, drift would be a serious problem and would cause uneven application. If applied by a mechanical applicator, the fine particles will tend to form bridges and thus block the transport and distribution lines. The above-mentioned problems in handling commercially available melamine solids make large-scale agricultural applications impractical. Another important reason why melamine was not used as a fertilizer in the past is that melamine itself is not effective as a fertilizer for crops such as rice (e.g., Japanese Journal of Soil Fertilization Vol. 15, No. 10, p. 559).
574 pages, Agricultural Technology Research Institute Report B No. 18, pages 129-130
251-267, 299-303, etc.). In one aspect, the invention is a fertilizer product in granule form. The fertilizer granule has a strength, size and weight suitable for mechanical distribution for application to the soil. The preferred size range is
The size range is about 1 mm to about 10 mm, with the most preferred size range being 3 mm to 5 mm. The above fertilizer granule consists of a particulate nitrogen source and a binder. Nitrogen sources are characterized by a fine particle size not exceeding about 10 mesh, poor solubility in water with a pH of 7 at 20°C, and gradual conversion in the soil to a form useful for the life of plants growing in the soil. It will be done. The nitrogen source is selected from the group consisting of melamine, its inorganic salts and mixtures thereof. The binder is present in an amount at least sufficient to bind the microcrystalline or powder particulate nitrogen source to form a granule of desired strength. Preferably, the binder is a readily soluble material that releases the nitrogen source particles after distribution of the granules into the soil, allowing the action of water and microorganisms on the particles. The binder is selected to be compatible with the soil, and the remainder of the binder should be inert, microbially degradable, soil conditioning, or have phytonutrient value. Binding agents include urea, ammonium sulfate, potassium sulfate, ammonium nitrate, ammonium phosphate,
selected from the group of substances consisting of potassium nitrate, potassium chloride, ammonium chloride, potassium dihydrogen phosphate, lignin sulfonates, urea formaldehyde resins, melamine formaldehyde resins, starches, latexes and mixtures thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the granule comprises up to 80 parts by weight particulate nitrogen source and at least 20 parts by weight binder. In a more preferred embodiment, the granules are 60
Consists of ~80 parts by weight of melamine and 20-40 parts by weight of urea. In another preferred embodiment, the granules are
It consists of 67-80 parts by weight of melamine and 20-33 parts by weight of urea. In the most preferred embodiment, the granules are about
It consists of 67 parts by weight of melamine and about 33 parts by weight of urea. In another aspect, the invention resides in a granule made by a method that includes an annealing step that imparts enhanced strength to the granule, making it suitable for use as a nitrogen source for fertilizers. The method includes mixing a particulate nitrogen source selected from the group of materials described above with an effective amount of a binder suitable for binding the nitrogen source into granules of a size and weight suitable for mechanical application. Accompany. The mixture is then contacted with an aqueous solution of binder or a spray of water. The water-containing mixture is flocculated, dried and annealed. In a preferred embodiment, the above method requires a drying temperature of 93°C or less and an annealing temperature of 135°C to 149°C. In the most preferred embodiment, the granules are made from a mixture of 50 to 80 parts by weight of melamine and 50 to 20 parts by weight of urea. In another aspect, the invention is a fertilizer in prill form. The prill is made by mixing an effective amount of a molten binder selected from the group of binder materials described above with fine powder particles of a particulate nitrogen source selected from the group described above. The droplets of this mixture are then cooled to form prills. In a preferred embodiment, the prills consist of 40 to 65 parts by weight of melamine as a particulate nitrogen source and 35 to 60 parts by weight of a urea binder. In another preferred embodiment, the prill consists of 50-60% by weight melamine and 40-50 parts by weight urea. In another embodiment, the invention involves a method of making a fertilizer product in granule form suitable for use as a nitrogen source for fertilizers. The method involves mixing a particulate nitrogen source selected from the above group with an effective amount of a binder selected from the above group. The method involves contacting the mixture with an aqueous solution or water spray of a binder, flocculating the aqueous mixture to form an agglomerate, and drying the agglomerate. This agglomerate is sieved to produce a product agglomerate having a size preferably in the range of 1 mm to 10 mm. Particles with a non-standard size can be crushed to a predetermined size, and the fine powder can be recycled. In another preferred embodiment, the above method uses 50 to 80
It is necessary to mix parts by weight of melamine with 50-20 parts by weight of urea binder. In a most preferred embodiment, the above method comprises about 67 parts by weight of melamine and about 33 parts by weight of melamine.
It involves mixing with parts by weight of urea. In another embodiment, the present invention provides a method for producing granule agglomerates suitable for use as a nitrogen source for fertilizers, comprising an annealing step following the mixing, contacting, flocculating and drying steps of the aforementioned method. accompanied by. In a preferred embodiment, the invention provides that the aggregates
It involves drying at a temperature below 93°C and annealing the dry aggregate at a temperature of 135°C to 149°C. In another preferred embodiment, the above method comprises mixing 50 to 80 parts by weight of melamine and 50 to 20 parts by weight of urea. In principle, crush strengths of 1000 g or more can be obtained when granules made from melamine and urea are subjected to an annealing step heated to 135° C. to 149° C. In another aspect, the invention comprises dispensing into the soil a granule product comprising a particulate nitrogen source selected from the group described above and an effective amount of a binder selected from the group of binders described above. It is a method of fertilizing crops. In a preferred embodiment, the method involves dispensing into the soil a granule product comprising up to 80 parts by weight of a particulate nitrogen source and at least 20 parts by weight of a binder. In a most preferred embodiment, the method involves dispensing a granule product comprising up to 80 parts by weight of melamine and at least 20 parts by weight of urea. In another aspect, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a nitrogen source formed by mixing an effective amount of a binder selected from the group of binders described above with a particulate nitrogen source selected from the group of nitrogen sources described above. suitable strength for distribution and application,
A method of fertilizing crops that involves distributing a granule product of size and weight into the soil.
After the mixing step, the method involves contacting the mixture with an aqueous solution or water spray of a binder, flocculating the aqueous mixture, drying the agglomerates, and annealing the dry agglomerates. In a preferred embodiment, the method comprises mixing melamine as a particulate nitrogen source and a urea binder. In another preferred embodiment, the method involves fertilizing a corn, potato or rice crop. In the method of fertilizing crops, the total rate of application is such as to ensure sufficient long-term nitrogen fertilization over the entire growing season. A major advantage of this method and the use of composite granule fertilizers made in accordance with the present invention is that the fertilizer application rates generally yield comparable results when applied as a solution by an irrigation sprinkler system using ammonium sulfate as the sole nitrogen source. The ratio should be less than 1/2 of that required for In another aspect, the present invention provides a source of nutrients for crops by inserting and distributing a nitrogen fertilizer source in soil in particulate form into the root zone characterized by poor solubility in water at 20° C. and pH 7. This is a method of slowly releasing nitrogen fertilizer into the soil. This slow-release nitrogen source can be melamine, or its minerals, or mixtures thereof. After applying the solid form of the nitrogen source to the soil surface, a portion of the soil is tilled to insert and distribute the fertilizer to the desired depth range of the soil. In another aspect, the present invention provides slow release fertilizer particles in the form of a solid chiller suspended in a nitrogen source liquid vehicle in an amount effective to enable slow release fertilizer particles to be applied to the soil and distributed in the soil. This method uses a slowly releasing nitrogen source. The term “substances with poor solubility in water”
Substances that dissolve in water at 20°C and pH 7 to an extent of 5g per 100g or less, that is, they form a solution with a concentration of 5% or less. 20
The term "poor solubility" in water at 0.degree. C. and PH 7 has the same meaning. The term “substances readily soluble in water” refers to
It refers to a substance that dissolves at a rate of 20g per 10g or more in water at temperature and pH 7, i.e. forms a solution with a concentration of 20% or more. Based on the available information, the solubility in water (g/100g) at 20°C, PH 7 of some materials useful in connection with the present invention is shown in Table 1.

Table: According to the invention, the fertilizer product is in granule form with a size ranging from about 1 mm to 10 mm, preferably from 3 mm to 5 mm. They are made to have good drillability, a desired apparent specific gravity, and to be substantially dust-free. Granules are also made suitable for mechanical dispensing and soil application using modern tools. Granule fertilizer products made in accordance with preferred embodiments of the invention may be in the form of agglomerates or prills. Agglomerates can be made by conventional techniques of agglomerating fertilizer products using the poor or slightly soluble fertilizer nitrogen source of the present invention, followed by annealing to provide sufficient crushing strength. Thus, the poor or slightly soluble nitrogen source in the aggregates is melamine, its inorganic salts,
and mixtures thereof.
These salts include hydrogen chloride, hydrogen iodide, metaphosphate, nitrate, orthophosphate, orthophosphate dihydrate, polyphosphate, potassium dihydrogen phosphate, hydrogen sulfate, sulfite, and Preferably, it is selected from the group consisting of a mixture of. The above substances are characterized by poor or slight solubility in water at 20° C., pH 7, and by a slow conversion in the soil to a form in which nitrogen is useful for the life of plants growing in the soil. Generally available or commercially produced nitrogen source materials are in the form of very fine particles. In the case of melamine, for example, commercially available products are smaller than 10 mesh US standard sieve sizes and generally have crystal grains smaller than 40 mesh. These extremely fine powdered nitrogen source materials are agglomerated through the use of binders.
Generally, the binder is at least 1% by weight of the powdered particles, preferably at least 2% by weight of the powdered particles;
More preferably it forms at least 5% by weight of the powdered particles. Binders can be selected from a wide range of materials, but are preferably chosen to be compatible with the soil, so that the binder and its residues are inert, microbially degradable, and soil conditioning. or have some phytonutrient value. The binder used should be strong enough to give the granules a crush strength of at least 454 g after curing. This crushing strength is measured by 10 randomly selected 3 mm
Results are average values as determined by tests on agglomerates in the size range .about.4 mm.
However, the crushing strength is preferably at least 680g, more preferably 908g or more. The crushing strength of approximately 454g is comparable to that of ordinary commercial prilled urea, and is suitable for broadcast casting equipment,
It is strong enough to be used in most forms of commercial applications, including spreaders, planter shank applicators, and strong enough to be dispensed from airplanes and helicopters. Among the preferred binders are those selected from the group consisting of lignin sulfonates and their salts, starch, urea, urea-formaldehyde resins, melamine-formaldehyde resins and latexes of synthetic polymeric materials. These binders include urea, urea-
Most preferred are those with plant nutritional value, such as formaldehyde resins and melamine-formaldehyde resins. In one preferred agglomeration technique, melamine powder is combined with 5 to 25 weight percent powdered urea to form a blend. This blend is then sprayed with a solution of water or urea in an agglomeration device, such as a rotating disk or drum. In the case of a solution of binder, the particles are coated. In the case of a water spray, the urea either goes into solution or becomes sticky due to its moisture content, and in either state it sufficiently coats the powdered melamine particles and causes agglomeration. The agglomerate is dried and cooled to form a hard composite having a size primarily in the range of about 1 mm to about 10 mm, preferably 3 mm to 5 mm. These composites have good crush strength and are virtually dust-free. Any conventional aggregation technique may be used. Thus, all binders can be applied in solution. When the binder is a material such as a lignin sulfonate, urea-formaldehyde resin, or melamine-formaldehyde resin, solution form application is usually also convenient. The binder may also be a material such as a phenolic resin applied from a solution, but while such materials have excellent properties as a binder, they do not have any nutritional value to contribute and are therefore less desirable. isn't it. The same tells about synthetic latex. Fertilizer particles of the invention can also be made in the form of prills. In the prilling operation,
Melamine powder is added to a molten binder material, preferably urea, to form a slurry of melamine powder particles in molten urea. The molten slurry is solidified by dropping the molten slurry droplets through a prilling tower in the conventional manner. Urea is the preferred material for use in making prills because of its nitrogen content and easy solubility in water, and melamine is slightly soluble in molten urea, but other materials such as sulfur and mixtures of these materials can also be used. In the formation of urea-bound prills,
Preferably, the prill product contains at least 33% by weight urea. If less urea is present than this, it is difficult to create a liquid thriller.
The urea content of the prills may be as high as 90%, so that the melamine content may range from 10% to 67% by weight of the prills. Urea content is 35 in Prill
It is preferably from % to 60% by weight, more preferably from 40 to 50% by weight. Although preferred granule products can be made by agglomeration and prilling, satisfactory products can be made by other techniques, including extrusion techniques, compression and granulation, and bricquetting. For example, melamine powder or powdered melamine salt or the like may be combined with the urea formaldehyde resin in powder form to form a mixture. This mixture can be compressed at elevated temperatures to cure the resin, the resulting product can be granulated to form particles of desired size, and the compressed and hardened mass can be converted into flake form. Sieving and circulation can be used if necessary to develop granules of desired size. Easily soluble binders such as urea and salts such as ammonium nitrate allow rapid disintegration of the binder of the fertilizer granule in the soil with release of fine melamine or other fine particles. This may be desirable if the composite contains not only melamine but also a readily soluble, fast-release nitrogen fertilizer material. If a slow release is desired, one type of binder is usually used which loses the binder powder more slowly in the soil, such as urea-formaldehyde resins or melamine-formaldehyde resins. Not only does urea allow the production of fertilizer granules of sufficient size, strength, and weight for regular applications, but in addition, urea is readily soluble and provides a valuable fast-release nutrient material to the soil. urea is the preferred binder for aggregates and for prill production. When used with powdered nitrogen sources, which are characterized by poor or little solubility and slow addition to useful forms in the soil, urea dissolves rapidly and forms fine particles of poorly soluble nitrogen sources. is released into the soil by gradual dissolution or microbial decomposition. When the agglomerate is made from powdered melamine and a readily water-soluble binder such as urea, a preferred proportion of 60-85% melamine and 40-15% urea by weight in the resulting dry granule product is used. More preferably 67 to 80% by weight of melamine and 33 to 20% by weight of urea. The most preferred granules consist of about 67 parts by weight melamine and about 33 parts by weight urea. Insoluble or only slightly soluble, such as starch, derivatized or modified starch, lignin sulfonates, urea-formaldehyde or melamine-formaldehyde, or types of non-nutritive materials such as phenolic resins or synthetic polymers in the form of latexes. When agglomerates are created using a neutral binder, a very slow release of nitrogen from the melamine particles (or particles of other poorly soluble nitrogen sources) is obtained. In a preferred embodiment, 85 to 99 parts by weight of a particulate nitrogen source is combined with 1 to 15 parts by weight of a resin binder selected from the group consisting of lignin sulfonates, urea formaldehyde resins, melamine formaldehyde resins, latexes, or mixtures thereof. It can be done.
In a more preferred embodiment, 95 parts by weight of melamine and 5 parts by weight of the resin binder are combined. In order to create an agglomerate that allows one application per growing season, a fast-releasing nitrogenous fertilizer material, usually an ammonium salt or urea, is advantageously used as a binder for the agglomerate. Examples of such salt-type binder materials are ammonium sulfate, potassium sulfate, ammonium phosphate, diammonium phosphate, potassium phosphate, ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate, potassium chloride, and ammonium chloride. When used as a binder material in the formation of agglomerated composites, the proportion of such salt-type binder material can range from 15 to 40% by weight of the agglomerates, preferably 20% by weight of the agglomerates. ~33% by weight. Additionally, other materials may be incorporated into the granule fertilizer product made in accordance with the present invention. These substances can be micronutrients such as zinc, magnesium, iron and boron. One of the advantages of using granule fertilizer compositions made in accordance with the present invention is that application rates can be much lower in the amount of applied nitrogen per acre than would be achieved with standard fertilizers. Since little active substance is actually required, in some cases it may be desirable to incorporate inert fillers to facilitate application.
Conventional fillers can be used, such as gypsum, clay, sand, crushed shells, crushed dolomite, and crushed limestone. Another important advantage of using granule fertilizer products in accordance with the present invention is that due to the slow release characteristics it is possible to use only one application per growing season. Furthermore, especially in the case of melamine-based fertilizer products, after the initial application, the release of nitrogen values into the soil appears to continue over two growing seasons. Thus, in a second, subsequent growing season, a lower application amount than that which could be used in the first application may be used to achieve the desired results. Another aspect of the present invention is that providing most or all of the nitrogen fertilizer requirement by a nitrogen fertilizer source in accordance with the present invention clearly provides for a greater proportion of agricultural production per unit amount of nitrogen applied and per unit of growing area. This is an unexpected and surprising discovery that will lead to even more efficient production. Agricultural production units are seeds, fruits, flowers, vegetables,
These include vegetable fibers and tubers. Furthermore, it is clear that the practice of the present invention leads to overall plant yields comparable to those obtained when practiced with conventional standard fertilizers requiring the use of very high nitrogen fertilizer application levels. . Briefly, the present invention, in one embodiment, enhances the effectiveness of standard readily soluble, fast-release nitrogenous fertilizers in producing production units in agricultural crops, with slow-release, poor or minimal It can be considered as a way to increase by supplementing its effect by the use of soluble fertilizer nitrogen sources. Thus, a combination of about 10% to about 50% nitrogen in a standard readily water-soluble, rapid-release nitrogenous fertilizer is about 50%
~90% of said poorly soluble materials can be advantageously combined. Agricultural crops expected to be amenable to treatment in accordance with the present invention include virtually all crops, but particularly those in which the fruit is the harvest unit rather than the whole plant. Such crops include food grains, grasses, legumes, fiber crops, root crops, citrus plants, oil-bearing units including tubers, nuts, fruits and seeds, commercial vegetables,
Contains commercial melons, tree fruits, vine fruits, shrub nuts and flowers. Examples of food grains include wheat, rye and rice. , grasses include corn, oats, barley, and corns. Legumes include soybeans, peanuts, kidney beans, and peas. Fiber crops include cotton, hemp and jute. Root crops include sweet potatoes and sugar beets. Citrus crops include tangerines, tangerines, grapefruit, lemons and limes. Tuber crops include potatoes. Oil crops include flax, safflower, sunflowers, and castor seeds. Commercial vegetable crops include lima beans, pod beans, beets, carrots, sugar corn, cucumbers, onions, green peas, and tomatoes. Commercial melon crops include melons, honeydew melons, and watermelons. Tree fruit crops include apples, peaches, pears, cherries and plums. Fruits of vines include grapes. Bush fruits include a variety of small edible fruits, especially strawberries and bryozoans. Tree nut crops include almonds, hazel, pecans, and walnuts. These are intended for illustration only. The present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to Examples below. In these examples and the specification, all parts and percentages are by weight and temperatures are in degrees Celsius, unless otherwise indicated. Examples of Preparation of Granules Useful in the Process of the Invention In all of the following examples, the melamine used was manufactured by Melamine Chemicals, Inc. of Donaldsonville, Louisiana.
Chemicals, Inc.). This melamine was a fine white crystalline powder with screen analysis values substantially as described above for commercially available melamine. This melamine is approximately 99.9% pure and has a maximum water content
0.1%, a maximum ash content of 0.01%, and a density of approximately 1.57 g/m. As noted in some of the examples below:
A crush strength of 454g or greater is preferred.
More preferably 1362g for ease of application
or greater crushing strength is developed. Also, the bulk density of the granules should be 40 lbs/ft ₃ or greater. bulk density, crushing strength,
The preferred combination of particles and particle size contributes to flexibility in application and ease of application. 135℃～149℃
When performing an annealing process on melamine urea granules, typically 1000 g
or higher crushing strength can be obtained. Example 1 Melamine Aggregate Using Urea Binding Agent Three batches of composite granules were made.
Each contains varying amounts of urea and melamine, with urea acting as a binding agent. Three batches of agglomerated granules were made in a 9" diameter pan agglomerator. First, the urea was ground and then blended with melamine powder to create a homogeneous mixture. The powder mixture was fed into the pan agglomerator. and sprayed with a nearly saturated solution of urea and water, which added approximately 7% urea to the dry agglomerate.
The remainder of the urea content was obtained from the urea powder in the urea-melamine powder mixture. Example 2 Annealed Melamine Granule A batch of granule was made using 67 parts of melamine crystals and 33 parts of urea. Granules were made using an 18-inch disc pelletizer. Urea was first ground and then blended with melamine to form a homogeneous mixture. This mixture was fed into a pelletizer and sprayed with water. Granule at 200°F
(94°C) for approximately 20 minutes, followed by further heating in a laboratory oven at 149°C for 3 minutes. After cooling, crush strength and disintegration rate in water were measured. These values are shown in Table 1 below.

[Table] Granules This example shows the relationship between time and temperature of the annealing process. Example 3 Annealed Melamine Granules Melamine granules made according to Example 2 were heated in separate batches at 104°C, 149°C, and 172°C for varying times. A standard laboratory furnace was used. After cooling, the crushing strength was measured. The results are shown in Table 2. The maximum crushing strength at 172°C appeared after heating for 6 minutes. The maximum crushing strength at 149°C appeared after heating for 11 minutes. If a forced air dryer or oven were used in place of the laboratory oven used in these examples, shorter drying and annealing times would be possible in production.

【table】

EXAMPLE 4 Urea Powder, Melamine Agglomerated with Water Spray One batch of agglomerated granules was made as in Example 1 in a pan agglomerator. However, all of the urea was added as a powder and the spray applied in the pan consisted only of water. The resulting composite consists of 80% melamine and 20% urea;
After sieving to 3 mm to 4 mm, it was found to have a crush strength of 953 g using the same testing technique as in Example 1. Example 5 Use of other binders for melamine aggregation Using several different binders and melamine16
Granule agglomerates were made in an inch pan agglomerator. In each case, the binder in liquid form was sprayed onto the melamine. After drying, the crushing strength was measured as in Example 1. The results are shown in Table 3.

【table】

Table: Example 6 Melamine Agglomerated with Other Fertilizer Materials Melamine, ammonium phosphate and potassium chloride were blended together in a weight ratio of 70:15:15. Feed this mixture into a 16-inch pan agglomerator.
Sprayed with 30% solids lignin sulfonate solution. Dry and sieved granules are 3
It has a crushing strength of 1000g in the size range of ~4mm,
The binder content was 3%. Example 7 Melamine in a solidified urea binder matrix Melamine and urea powder were blended in a 63:37 ratio. The blend was heated to obtain a molten slurry. The slurry was then poured onto a cooling slab to create both thin and thick films. After cooling, the thin film was broken into flakes. A thick film approximately 4 mm thick was crushed into granules. The crushing strength of 3 to 4 mm granule is
It was extremely expensive at 2500g. Example 8 Compressed Melamine-Urea Composite A melamine-urea blend was made as in Example 7. The blend was then placed in a heated flat press at 138° C. for 5 minutes at approximately 500 psi. The resulting hot composite in the form of a sheet approximately 4 mm thick was then removed from the press and allowed to cool.
Make the cooling sheet into granules and add 3 to 4 pieces of the composite.
The mm granule had a crushing strength of 2500g. Example 9 Melamine-Urea 60/40 Prill A melamine composite prill was prepared by heating 40 parts by weight of urea and 60 parts by weight of melamine. Heating was carried out in an aluminum can using electric heating tape. A slurry was formed at 135°C. A hole was then made in the bottom of the can and the slurry was dripped into it. A plastic sheet spread out on the ground caught the prill as it fell from a height of four stories. The largest prills did not cool down before landing and breaking. However, the smaller prills were cooled, solidified, and collected for strength testing. Although not measured, fairly good strength results were obtained.
The crush strength is expected to be similar to the Example 7 granules. Example 10 Melamine Agglomerated with Latex Binder 5% Union Carbide
Carbide) UCAR368 latex, 15% water,
and 80% melamine were combined into a fluid slurry. A sheet was formed from the slurry and then dried. A very strong composite was obtained which could be granulated. The dry material contained 3% latex solids and 97% melamine. 3
The crushing strength of the ~4 mm granule was 2180 g. Example 11 Pressed composite of melamine and urea-formaldehyde 25 g of urea, 70 g of melamine, and 15 m of a 27% formaldehyde solution were mixed together and heated at 149°C.
A thick sheet was created by pressing at 500 psi. 3～
The crushing strength of the 4 mm granule was 680 g. Example 12 Melamine-Urea Agglomerate for Field Trials For field trials, 16,000 pounds of melamine/urea composite was made using a 4 foot diameter pan flocculator. Melamine/urea ratio is 80/20, 75/
25, and 67/33 different composites were made. Approximately 7% of the composite was provided by urea added in the form of an aqueous binder solution, and the remaining urea was provided by powdered urea blended with melamine powder before aggregation. In the above examples, the granule fertilizer product was made from commercially available microcrystalline melamine. Similar granule fertilizer products can be made in substantially the same manner from salts made from melamine. Among these salts, the reaction product of nitric acid and melamine is a preferred material. Example 13 Corn Testing with Melamine-Urea Aggregates; Evaluation of Different Application Techniques A total of 40 acres of test plots of sandy to light colored loam and silt were treated with different amounts of melamine aggregates at several different levels. of applied nitrogen per acre. 67 parts of melamine to 33 parts of urea binder (i.e. urea as a binder) according to Example 1, 75 parts of melamine to 25 parts of urea binder, and 80 parts of melamine to 20 parts.
A melamine-urea aggregation composite with a ratio of urea binder of These compounds can be applied using different techniques: (1) spreading with a barber spreader; (2) spreading with a barber spreader and plowing into the ground; (3) pneumatic application with an airplane; (4) during planting. It has been successfully applied using shucking on the ground. The term "shocking" refers to distributing fertilizer through hollow tubes in the furrow to the side where the seeds are to be planted. A hollow tube is inserted into the soil, thereby inserting the fertilizer below the surface. This fertilizer shoveling is often done at the same time as seed planting. The observation results are summarized in Table 4 below.

【table】

TABLE All of the corn planting trials shown in these examples were done within one week of each other if not essentially at the same time if compared. The corn grown in the plots fertilized by scattering and plowing with a tight plow according to method (2) was green, strong and healthy in appearance. Corn grown in plots fertilized by scattering methods (2) and (3) had yellow and green leaves, whereas corn grown in plots fertilized by scattering methods (4) had yellow and green leaves. The corn on the outside was also green. To approximate yields that may not be available by late in the year, the fruit calculations in the same sample were recalculated using the following adjustment: full fruit = 1, small fruit = 1/ 2, and immature fruits were recorded as 0. This calculation is recorded in Table 4 as a valid actual calculation.

[Table] In another evaluation, corn plants were harvested from two test areas, weighed, and the number of kernels counted.
The weight of the fruit was recorded. The first area was fertilized with a 75/25 melamine/urea aggregate by scattering and disking. The second area is
Fertilized according to local standard fertilizer practices at 400 pounds nitrogen/acre. Standard fertilizer practices require application of a total of 350 to 400 pounds per acre. This is done in three separate steps. The first application was made as anhydrous ammonia at 200 pounds of nitrogen/acre. Second, 400 lb/acre
16-20-0 fertilizer (fertilizer containing 16% nitrogen, 20% phosphorous salts, 0% potassium) was applied (based on monoammonium phosphate). Thirdly, UN- consisting of urea and ammonium nitrate. 32 was applied by irrigation sprinkler system. The results are summarized in Table 6. All collected samples predent (pre-
dent). In addition, the term Predent is
This indicates the state of development of corn husks, and refers to the state in which the dry outer surface has not yet hollowed out and has a high moisture content.

【table】

Claims (1)

Claims: 1. A prill or agglomerated granule fertilizer product that is a source of nitrogen fertilizer in the soil, the granule being suitable for mechanical distribution for application to the soil, the granule comprising a mineral salt of melamine. , melamine, and mixtures thereof, the particles having an individual particle size in their largest dimension of 400 μm or less, in an amount of 10% to 90% by weight of the granule. and a readily water-soluble binder that binds the particles in granule form, an effective amount of a mixture of ammonium sulfate, potassium sulfate,
selected from the group consisting of ammonium nitrate, ammonium phosphate, potassium nitrate, potassium chloride, ammonium chloride, potassium dihydrogen phosphate, urea, and mixtures thereof, and the binder releases the particles after distribution of the granule into the soil. The granule has a granule strength and weight suitable for mechanical distribution, soil application, and 3 mm
A granule fertilizer product as described above, having an average crush strength of at least 1 pound (454 g) per granule as measured in granules having a size of ~4 mm. 2. A granule fertilizer product according to claim 1, wherein the granules are made by agglomerating the mixture and binding the particles into a granule form with the binder. 3. the particles consist of melamine in an amount of 10% to 67% by weight of the granule, the binder consists of urea, the amount of urea binder is 33% to 90% by weight of the granule; A granule fertilizer product according to claim 1, wherein the granule is made by heating the mixture above the melting point of urea and cooling to solidify the urea. 4 The melamine comprises 40% to 65% by weight of the product, and the urea binder comprises the granule.
Granule fertilizer product according to claim 3, comprising 35% to 60% by weight. 5. The urea binder is solidified from the molten state. A granule fertilizer product according to claim 3. 6 The particles consist of melamine in an amount of 10% to 67% by weight of the granules, the binder consists of 33% to 90% by weight of the granules, and the binder is solidified from a molten state. 2. The granule fertilizer product of claim 1, wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of ammonium and potassium salts of mineral acids and urea. 7 The particles are melamine particles, melamine comprises 40% to 65% by weight of the granule, and the binder is urea and comprises 35% to 65% by weight of the granule.
Granule fertilizer product according to claim 6, comprising 60% by weight. 8. The granule fertilizer product of claim 6, wherein the mixture comprises at least one salt providing at least one of N, P or K. 9. the particles consist of melamine in an amount of 20% to 85% by weight of the granule, the granule being made by agglomerating the mixture and binding the particles into granule form with a binder; A granule fertilizer product according to claim 1. 10 The mixture is 60% to 85% by weight of the granule
Granule fertilizer product according to claim 9, comprising particles of melamine in an amount of 15% to 40% by weight of the granule. 11 The mixture contains 67% to 80% by weight of the granule
11. Granule fertilizer product according to claim 10, comprising particles of melamine in an amount of 20% to 33% by weight of the granule. 12. The granule fertilizer product of claim 9, wherein said mixture comprises particles of melamine and said binder comprises urea. 13. The granule fertilizer product of claim 9, wherein the mixture includes at least one salt providing N, P or K. 14. The granule comprises: particles of melamine having an individual particle size of 400 μm or less in its largest dimension and in an amount of 60% to 85% by weight of the granule; and urea binding in an amount of 15% to 40% by weight of the granule. Claim 9 consisting of a mixture of agents.
Granule fertilizer products listed in section. 15 The mixture contains 67% to 80% by weight of the granule
% by weight of melamine particles, and the amount of urea binder is from 20% to 33% by weight of the granule.
15. The granule fertilizer product of claim 14, wherein the granule fertilizer product is in an amount of 16. The granule fertilizer product of claim 9, wherein the binder comprises ammonium nitrate, and the binder is present in an amount from 15% to 40% by weight of the granules. 17. The granule fertilizer product of claim 9, wherein the binder comprises a mixture of ammonium phosphate and potassium chloride, and the binder is present in an amount from 15% to 40% by weight of the granule. 18. An agglomerated granule fertilizer product that is a source of nitrogen fertilizer in the soil, the granule being suitable for mechanical dispensing for application to the soil, the granule being made from mineral salts of melamine, melamine, and mixtures thereof. particles of a substance selected from the group consisting of particles having an individual particle size in their largest dimension of 400 μm or less, in an amount of from 10% to 99% by weight of the granule; and an amount of an insoluble resin binder effective to the granules to bind the particles in granule form, the amount of the binder being at least 1% by weight of the granules, the binder comprising: , after distribution of the granules into the soil, allowing the action of water and microorganisms on the particles, the granules have a granule strength and weight suitable for mechanical distribution, application to the soil, 3 mm
The average crush strength when measured on granules having a size of ~4 mm is at least 1 pound (454 g) per granule. The above granule fertilizer products. 19 The amount of the binder is at least 2
% by weight, and the granules are made by agglomerating the mixture and binding the particles into a granule form with the binder. 20. Claim 19, wherein at least a portion of said resin binder is applied as an aqueous spray to said particles and consists of a solution of lignin sulfonate salts.
Granule fertilizer products listed in section. 21 the amount of the binder is at least 5% by weight of the granule, the urea-formaldehyde resin;
20. The granule fertilizer product of claim 19 selected from the group consisting of melamine-formaldehyde resins and lignin sulfonate salts. 22. The granule fertilizer product of claim 19, wherein said binder comprises at least 5% by weight of said granule and is applied as a latex. 23. Applying to the soil as a source of crop nutrition a granule fertilizer product having an average crushing strength of at least 1 pound (454 g) per granule when measured in granules having a size of 3 mm to 4 mm, said granule fertilizer product is a granular nitrogen source selected from the group consisting of mineral acid salts of melamine, melamine and mixtures thereof, with particles having an individual particle size of 400 μm or less, including ammonium sulfate, potassium sulfate, ammonium nitrate, ammonium phosphate, potassium nitrate, potassium chloride. , ammonium chloride, potassium dihydrogen phosphate, urea, and mixtures thereof with a readily water-soluble binder or an insoluble resin binder, and by slow conversion of the resulting mixture to a source of available nitrogen in the soil. When the easily water-soluble binder described above is used, the amount of the granular nitrogen source used is 10 to 90% by weight based on the granule.
A method of applying a granule fertilizer product to soil, wherein the amount of the granular nitrogen source used is in the range of 10 to 99% by weight based on the granule when the insoluble resin binder is used. 24 The above granules have a size of 1 mm to 10 mm, and contain 10% to 90% by weight of the granules.
% by weight of the above granular nitrogen source and an effective amount of 10% to 90% by weight relative to the granule at a pH of 7 at 20°C.
a binder which is soluble in water to the extent of 20 g or more per 100 g of water and which binds the granular nitrogen source in the form of granules and allows the action of moisture and microorganisms on the granular nitrogen source after distribution of the granules in the soil. 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the granules are of a granule strength and weight suitable for mechanical distribution and application to soil. 25 The binder is water-soluble at 20°C in an amount of about 20g or more per 100g of water with a pH of 7, and at least
25. The method of claim 24, comprising 15% by weight. 26 Claim 2, wherein said binder is urea and comprises at least 20% by weight of said granule.
The method described in Section 4. 27. The method of claim 24, wherein the binder is urea solidified from a molten state, and the granule is mixed into soil. 28 The binder for the granule is ammonium sulfate, potassium sulfate, ammonium phosphate, diammonium phosphate, potassium phosphate, ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate, potassium chloride,
A substance selected from the group consisting of ammonium chloride, and mixtures thereof. Claim 2
The method described in Section 5. 29 It consists of mixing the granules into the soil, and the application rate of the fine particles per growing season is
Claim 25 at a rate less than the rate of application per full growing season based on the respective nitrogen content of a conventional fast-release fertilizer substance soluble in the order of not less than 20g per 100g of water at 20°C and pH 7. Method described. 30. Claim 26, wherein the granules are aggregates, the particles are melamine particles, and consist of 60% to 85% by weight of the mixture, and the granules are mixed into soil. the method of. 31. The method of claim 26, wherein the granules are prills, the particles are melamine and comprise 10% to 67% by weight of the mixture, and the granules are incorporated into soil. 32 The granule has a size of 1 mm to 10 mm, and contains a granular nitrogen source in an amount of not more than 99% by weight relative to the granule, and an effective amount of at least 1% by weight relative to the granule. It is obtained by mixing with an insoluble resin binder that binds to the granule form and allows the action of moisture and microorganisms on the granular nitrogen source after distribution of the granule in the soil, and the granule is mechanically 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the granule strength and weight are suitable for distribution, soil application. 33 (a) is selected from the group consisting of mineral acid salts of melamine, melamine, and mixtures thereof, and the particles are
Particulate nitrogen source with individual particle size of 400 μm or less, 10% to 90% by weight of prill and molten ammonium sulfate, potassium sulfate, ammonium nitrate, ammonium phosphate, potassium nitrate, potassium chloride, ammonium chloride, diphosphate 3 mm to 4 mm, comprising mixing with a water-readily soluble binder selected from the group consisting of potassium hydrogen, urea and mixtures thereof, and then (b) cooling the droplets of said mixture to form prills. A method of making a fertilizer product in prill form having an average crush strength of at least 1 pound (454 g) per granule when measured in granules having a size. 34. The method of claim 33, wherein the binder is urea, potassium nitrate, potassium dihydrogen phosphate, or a mixture thereof. 35. The method of claim 33, wherein the mixture comprises 10 to 67 parts by weight of melamine. 36. The method of claim 33, wherein said mixture contains 35 to 60 parts by weight of urea.