Prilling method

Abstract

A prilling method comprising the steps of: providing a molten first component, mixing at least a second component with the molten first component, reacting the components to form a shear-thinnable mixture; and prilling the shear-thinnable mixture wherein the prilling comprises mechanically agitating in the prill head to shear thin the shear-thinnable mixture sufficiently to permit prilling The inventive method can be used to produce fertilizer product comprising ammonium sulfate nitrate.

1 - 17 . (canceled)  
     
     
         18 . A method to prill a shear-thinnable mixture, comprising: 
 providing a first component;    mixing at least one additional component with the first component;    reacting the components at a temperature and for a time sufficient to form a shear-thinnable mixture;    agitating the mixture by an agitator in a prill head, wherein the liquid volume in the prill head is swept by the agitator to shear thin the mixture; and permitting the shear-thinned mixture to flow through holes in the prill head under the influence of a force selected from the group comprising static pressure, centrifugal force or a combination thereof.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the shear-thinnable mixture is a melt slurry.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first component is ammonium nitrate and the second component is ammonium sulfate.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the shear-thinnable mixture comprises up to about  2  weight percent water.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the shear-thinnable mixture further comprises micronutrients.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the prill head comprises a rotating bucket with a stationary blade, a stationary bucket with rotating scrappers and blades or an agitated pressurized nozzle assembly.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein agitating comprises mechanical agitation, ultrasound agitation or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the reaction time is less than about 15 minutes.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the reaction time is between about 10 and 15 minutes.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the reaction temperature is at least about 200° C.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the reaction temperature is between about 180° C. to about 200° C.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the ammonium nitrate and the ammonium sulfate are present in equimolar amounts.  
     
     
         30 . An apparatus for prilling, comprising a prill head assembly, wherein the assembly can agitate to shear thin a shear-thinnable mixture.  
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the prill head assembly comprises a rotating bucket with a stationary blade, a stationary bucket with rotating scrappers and blades or an agitated pressurized nozzle assembly.  
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the prill head assembly further comprises at least one surface wiping blade.