Yara International Asa

Norsk Hydro, A.s.

Norskhydro Asa

Yara UK Limited

Torstein Obrestad

Terje Tande

Amund Myrstad

Jan Birger Isaksen

Petr Chladek

Stuart Charles Ward

Victoria Anne Butler

Lars Gustav Moland

Olav Kjohl

Tore Frogner

Jarl M Pettersen

Johanne R&oslash;dsvik

Hans Groland

Susanne G Snartland

Leif G Helleb0

Bj0rn Juliussen

Torbj&oslash;rn Legard

Lars Moland

Susanne Snartland

Arne Oksvik

The present disclosure concerns fertilizer particles comprising calcium nitrate and potassium nitrate. It is found that fertilizer particles comprising 43 to 47% w/w calcium nitrate and 46 to 54% w/w potassium nitrate can be produced by melt granulation. Due to undercooling problems, such particles were not expected to be suitable for industrial production by melt granulation. However, the present disclosure provides a composition which forms a low viscosity melt with short solidification time. This was successfully achieved by reducing the water content of a fertilizer melt comprising 43 to 47% w/w calcium nitrate and 46 to 54% w/w potassium nitrate to less than 3% w/w of the melt.

Calcium nitrate and potassium nitrate fertiliser particles

The invention relates to a conditioning agent for reducing water absorption and dust formation of a particulate fertilizer, comprising 10 to 50 weight % of wax, 40 to 90 weight % of mineral oil and 1 to 15 weight % of a resin being mineral oil-soluble and miscible with wax and mineral oil, wherein the agent further comprises 0.1 to 1 weight % of a viscoelastic elastomer selected from the group of polyisobutylene and styrene-isoprene-styrene block copolymer which is soluble in mineral oil and has an average molecular weight of 30.000 to 5.000.000. The invention further relates to a particulate fertilizer composition, preferably a urea-ammonium sulfate (UAS) fertilizer, a urea fertilizer or a calcium nitrate fertilizer, comprising a particulate substrate, preferably an hygroscopic fertilizer, preferably a nitrogen-containing fertilizer, and 0.05 to 2 weight % of said coating thereon for reducing moisture uptake and dust formation of said fertilizer.

Conditioning agent for a particulate fertilizer for reducing hygroscopicity and dust formation

A single-step method for preparing a free-flowing, non-dusting micronutrient-coated particulate solid fertiliser material, the method comprising applying a single fluid onto particulate solid fertiliser material at ambient temperature without chemical reaction or chelation, said single fluid comprising a suspension of one or more micronutrient materials in an oil.

Fertiliser coating containing micronutrients

A single-step method for preparing a free-flowing, non-dusting micronutrient-coated particulate solid fertilizer material, the method comprising applying a single fluid onto particulate solid fertiliser material at ambient temperature without chemical reaction or chelation, said single fluid comprising a suspension of one or more micronutrient materials in an oil.

The present invention relates to the use of a double salt of Ca(NO)and KNOfor the manufacture of a melt, in particular a nitrate-based heat transfer fluid (HTF) and/or thermal energy storage fluid, for example in solar energy applications, such as in solar electrical power plant systems using a parabolic through, a central receiver or a linear Fresnel, which have both a low melting temperature and a high decomposition temperature, as well as to methods for the manufacture thereof. Using said double salt, a melt could be manufactured comprising at least NaNO, KNOand Ca(NO), preferably, an eutectic ternary melt comprising Ca(NO), NaNOand KNOin a weight ratio of about 42:15:43 with an operating temperature of about 131&#xb0; C. to about 560&#xb0; C.

Use of a calcium potassium nitrate salt for the manufacture of a heat transfer fluid

The invention relates to a method for producing an anhydrous powder having a calcium nitrate content of between 92 and 99.9 weight %, a water content of between 0.1 and 8 weight %; and a particle size of between 0.05 and 1.5 mm, wherein the method comprises the step of subjecting a calcium nitrate solution having a water content of between 70 and 15 weight % and a calcium nitrate content of between 30 and 85 weight % to a drying step in an industrial turbo-dryer, resulting in the anhydrous calcium nitrate powder. The invention furthermore relates to such an anhydrous calcium nitrate powder and the use of an industrial turbo-dryer to produce such anhydrous calcium nitrate powder.

Method for producing anhydrous calcium nitrate powder

The invention concerns a method for the production of nitrate containing products (fertilizers, technical products) from undercooling melts, wherein a XN&#x2014;water solution is evaporated up to a content of 50-99.8 weight % XN, where X is one or more selected from Ca, Mg, NH, Na and K, and N means nitrate. The preferred range of XN is 70-99.5 weight %. The melt is cooled down to and kept at a temperature at or below the crystallisation point and finely divided solid XN powder consisting of the equilibrium phases is added to the melt. Melt drops are then formed and allowed to cool and solidify during up to 70 seconds. It is preferred to use a cooling belt for solidification of the particles. The belt is cooled by air, water, oil or another medium.

Method for production of nitrate-containing products from undercooling melts

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a homogeneous and ammonium free calcium nitrate melt with high solidification temperature, suitable for conventional particulation methods, by mixing a potassium source with a calcium nitrate source and heating the formed mixture to 150-155&deg; C. for forming a melt comprising 1.5-5.5% by weight of K (as KNO ), 13-18% by weight of water and 70-80% by weight of Ca(NO ) . The invention further relates to homogeneous and ammonium free calcium nitrate particles where the particles are a particulated product from a melt comprising 1.5-5.5% by weight of K (as KNO ), 13-18% by weight of water and 70-80% by weight of Ca(NO ) .

Method for manufacturing a calcium nitrate melt and product thereof

The invention relates to a method for making NK-fertilizers basically from calcium nitrate fertilizers and potassium nitrate and homogeneous NK-fertilizer products. Calcium nitrate fertilizer is melted together with potassium nitrate to form a melt or suspension thereof which is particulated to form a homogeneous NK-fertilizer. The calcium nitrate fertilizer and the potassium nitrate are melted at 90-120&deg; C. and then heated to the desired particulation temperature being 160-190&deg; C. for prilling and 90-140&deg; C. for granulation. The components are mixed in ratios giving a melt or suspension comprising 40-14 weight % calcium nitrate, 55-85 weight % potassium nitrate, 0.5-6 weight % water, 0-4 weight % ammonium nitrate and 0-5 weight % magnesium nitrate.

Method for making nitrogen-potassium fertilizer containing calcium nitrate and products thereof

Homogeneous calcium nitrate based fertilizers containing sulphur, and method for their preparations. Solid gypsum and/or a slow reacting sulphate mineral is mixed with melted calcium nitrate fertilizer at a temperature of 90-110&deg; C. and kept at this temperature for 3-15 minutes and subsequently particulated at a temperature of 80-110&deg; C. The particulation by prilling is preformed at 95-110 &deg; C. and the particulation by granulation is performed at 90-110&deg; C. The fertilizer is a homogeneous composition of a calcium nitrate fertilizer and gypsum and/or a slow reacting sulphate mineral comprising 0.1-5.0 weight % SO,&mdash;S, 14-19 weight % water soluble calcium and 16-21 weight % total calcium, and 0-3.0 weight % water soluble magnesium. The fertilizer may contain microamounts of Se and/or Co. and/or micronutrients like Mn, Cu, B and Zn.

Calcium nitrate based fertilizer

The invention relates to an agricultural composition and a conditioning agent. The agricultural composition comprises a substrate, being a nitrate-containing fertilizer, and 0.1-2 weight % of a coating comprising 10-50 weight % wax, 90-40 weight % oil and 1-30 weight % resin being oil-soluble and miscible with wax. The conditioning agent is useful for reducing hygroscopicity and dust formation of fertilizers. It comprises 10-50 weight % wax, 90-40 weight % oil and 1-30 weight % oil being oil soluble and miscible with wax. When applied for nitrate of lime, this agent comprises preferably 15-30 weight % wax, 70-85 weight % white oil and/or vegetable oil and/or refined mineral oil and 2-15 weight % resin, which comprises non-crystalline tall oil resin and/or esters of stabilized resin acids.

Agricultural composition and conditioning agent for reducing

Method of manufacturing free-flowing ammonium nitrate particles applying

The present invention relates to NPK-fertilizer manufactured during application of KCl and/or K.sub.2 SO.sub.4 as potassium source and which also contains magnesium in an amount of 0.2-3.0% calculated as MgO and added in the product as MgO, and method for manufacture of this product. The special features of the method is that to an evaporated nitrogen, phosphorous solution 0.2-3.0% reactive MgO and potassium salts are added before prilling or before/during granulation. MgO is preferably added as lightly calcined MgO having an average particle size of 0.2-3.0 mm, and is added in the mixer just before the prilling means. The new product has reduced tendency to swelling and caking.

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Ulefoss, Norway

Torstein Obrestad