Chapter 6: Fertilizer Formulation, Storage, and handling

1. Chapter 6: Fertilizer Formulation, Storage, and handling • Three systems available: • Bulk Blend or Prescription mix nutrients. • Direct application of homogeneous product. • Fluid fertilizer (from clear liquid solutions to suspensions

2. Bulk Blend or Prescription mix nutrients • May use homogeneous products as part of the blend, along with other granular, prilled, or crystalline fertilizer materials to meet desired nutrient requirements. • Should use uniformly sized products to minimize segregation in storage & handling.

3. Direct application of homogeneous product. • Benefit is that each pellet has the same chemical make up. • Can be in bulk form or ordered in bagged form.

4. Fluid fertilizer • Its main benefits are the ease of handling, uniform composition, and compatibility with crop protection chemicals. • Suspension can have a twice the nutrient content than clear. • Large amounts of secondary nutrients and micronutrients can be used in suspensions.

5. Formulations • Bulk/Bagged Blends • Are physical mixes of two or more dry products. • Examples of products used are: ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, urea, diammonium phosphate, monoammonium phosphate, potassium materials, and elemental sulfur.

6. Bulk/Bagged Blends Problems • Segregation or separation of one component or raw material from another. • Segregation may happen when storing finished products in cone shape piles or when loading in a truck or trailor.

7. Homogeneous product problems • One problem is that specific grades are not produced to meet every soil or plant condition.

8. Fluid fertilizer problems (Clear) • Although high N-P grades can be produced, the addition of other fertilizer material raises the salting-out temperature, thus limiting the nutrient content. • As the salting-out temperature is raised. The solution becomes unstable.

9. Fluid fertilizer problems (Suspension) • Applications can be hampered by the clogging of the nozzles • Failure to agitate the tank

10. Storage and Handling Refer to Table 6-3 for humidity and temperature data on each fertilizer.

11. Storage and HandlingAmmonium nitrate • Keep it away from open flames • Avoid contaminating it with foreign matter. • Sweep up & dispose of all contaminated material. • Do not store it in close proximity to steam pipes or radiators. • Keep it separate from other materials stored in the same warehouse, especially combustible organic materials and urea.

12. Urea • Keep it away from open flames • Avoid contaminating it with foreign matter. • Sweep up & dispose of all contaminated material. • Do not store it in close proximity to steam pipes or radiators. • Keep it separate from other materials stored in the same warehouse, especially combustible organic materials and ammonium nitrate.

13. Why keep the two apart? • Urea is less hygroscopic than ammonium nitrate. It will absorb moisture at 18% relative humidity if stored with ammonium nitrate.

14. Ammonium sulfate • Easy to store due to its high critical relative humidity of 79% at 860F • It is corrosive, so store in concrete or wood structures.

15. Phosphorus and potassium materials • By the most part they require no specialized storage. • Use common sense. • It is corrosive, so store in concrete or wood structures.

16. Fluid Materials Anhydrous ammonia • Potentially hazardous due to the high pressures that it is stored under.

17. Aqua ammonia • Since ammonia vapor is constantly leaving the solution a pressure-vacuum relief value must be installed on storage tanks.

18. Urea-ammonium nitrate solutions • Store in mild steel or poly tanks with appropriate secondary containment. • Brass, copper, or galvanized materials should not be used for handling systems.

19. Ammonium nitrate solution • Store in mild steel or poly tanks with appropriate secondary containment. • ***NOTE that this is more corrosive to mild steel. • Brass, copper, or galvanized materials should not be used for handling systems.

20. Urea solutions • Store in mild steel or poly tanks with appropriate secondary containment. • Brass, copper, or galvanized materials should not be used for handling systems. • Have a higher salt-out temperatures.

21. Phosphoric & superphosphoric acids • Corrosive acids that require rubber or plastic lined stainless steel or plastic tanks and plumbing are required. • A silica-gel breather should be installed to prevent moisture from entering the tank due to superphosphoric when it absorbs moisture produces a more corrosive acid.

22. Cont. • External jacketing or steam tracing will prevent freezing in long lines. • Prevent contact with skin and eyes due to the fact that it is a strong dehydrating agent that can cause blistering.

23. Clear liquid & fluid suspensions • If neutral solutions – mild steel or poly storage can be used.

24. Sulfuric Acid • Storage tanks must be vented to maintain the tanks atmospheric pressure. • When added to water it becomes more corrosive and the use of non-reactive liners are suggested. • Should not be stored near other organic materials. It may cause ignition.

25. Urea-acid combinations • Storage tanks must be vented to maintain the tanks atmospheric pressure. • When added to water it becomes more corrosive and the use of non-reactive liners are suggested. • Should not be stored near other organic materials. It may cause ignition.

26. Sulfur materials for formulation of liquids • These types of fertilizers are corrosive. Thus one should use storage facilities that are not degraded when they come in contact with these substances.