High Value Organic-Enhanced Inorganic Fertilizers

Abstract

The invention is directed to manufacture of fertilizer having commercial levels of nitrogen supplemented with organic substances. The process treats organic matter with acid causing hydrolysis of organic polymers after which the mix is injected with nitrogen. The resultant sterilized and liquefied organic matter is disbursed over recycled material for the production of granules. Because the process allows for the controlled addition of acids and ammonia, desired levels of components can be achieved. The process is scalable, odor controlled and safe thereby allowing for the location of biosolid processing facilities in most any location. Further, the fertilizer of the invention provides a dual nitrogen-release profile when applied to crops. After application to soil, fertilizer of the invention releases an immediate bolus of nitrogen, similar to traditional ammonium sulfate, followed by continued slow release of nitrogen typically over a season.

1 . A fertilizer comprising organic material, an odor control agent, an acid; and ammonia. 
     
     
         2 . The fertilizer of  claim 1 , wherein the organic material comprise one or more of municipal biosolids, heat-dried biosolids, fermentation wastes, pharmaceutical, industrial, farm and agricultural wastes of organic material, decayed and digested organic materials, microbial digests of organic products, microbial, chemical and enzymatic digests of organic products, food stuffs, food byproducts, animal manures and digested animal manures, harvested plants and farmed crops, roughage and silage of corn, soybean, wheat, rice and barley, algae, cyanobacteria, bacteria, mold and fungi-organic materials, biosolids containing microorganisms, recycled fertilizers and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The fertilizer of  claim 1 , which contains hydrolyzed polymers of one or more of plastics, pharmaceutical compounds, antibiotics, hormones, hormone-like molecules, hair, biologically active compounds, macromolecules, carbohydrates, nucleic acids, fats, lipids, proteins, and microorganisms. 
     
     
         4 . The fertilizer of  claim 3 , wherein the hydrolyzed polymers are amino acids. 
     
     
         5 . The fertilizer of  claim 1 , which has a solids content of between 15 and 40 percent. 
     
     
         6 . The fertilizer of  claim 1 , which is a liquid. 
     
     
         7 . The fertilizer of  claim 1 , wherein the odor control agent is selected from the group consisting of calcium ferrate, sodium ferrate, potassium ferrate, ferrous sulfate heptahydrate, rozenite, melanterite, ferric chloride, ferrous sulfate, ferrous sulfate monohydrate, hydrogen peroxide, ozone and salts, derivatives and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The fertilizer of  claim 1 , wherein the acid is phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The fertilizer of  claim 1 , which has a viscosity of 4,000 cP or less. 
     
     
         10 . The fertilizer of  claim 1 , which has a viscosity of 1,000 cP or less. 
     
     
         11 . The fertilizer of  claim 1 , which has a solids content of greater than 92 percent. 
     
     
         12 . The fertilizer of  claim 1 , which has a solids content of at least 98 percent. 
     
     
         13 . The fertilizer of  claim 1 , further comprising a hardening agent. 
     
     
         14 . The fertilizer of  claim 13 , wherein the hardening agent is a ferric oxide, alum attapulgite clay, industrial molasses, lignin, lingo-sulfonate, urea, formaldehyde polymerizers and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The fertilizer of  claim 1 , which is in the form of granules. 
     
     
         16 . The fertilizer of  claim 15 , wherein the granules are between 0.5 and 4 mm in size. 
     
     
         17 . The fertilizer of  claim 1 , which has a nitrogen content of between 6 and 20 percent, a phosphate content of between 0 and 10 percent, a potassium content of between 0 and 5 percent, a sulfur content of between 10 and 30 percent, an iron content of between 0 and 10 percent, and an organic content of between 5 and 30 percent. 
     
     
         18 . The fertilizer of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more plant nutrients. 
     
     
         19 . The fertilizer of  claim 18 , wherein the one or more plant nutrients are selected from the group consisting of urea, ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, monoammonium phosphate, diammonium phosphate, urea ammonium nitrate, liquid urea, potash, iron oxide, soluble iron, chelated iron and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         20 . A system for the manufacture of a fertilizer comprising:
 a mixer that blends organic material with an odor control agent;   a first reaction or pressure vessel wherein the blended organic material is mixed with an acid and heated to a first predetermined temperature and pressurized to a first predetermined pressure for a period of time forming a liquid;   a second reaction or pressure vessel wherein the liquid is mixed with ammonia from an ammonia source and heated to a second predetermined temperature and pressurized to a second predetermined pressure for a second period of time; and   a granulator wherein the ammoniated liquid is mixed with preformed granules and heated to form dried granules of the fertilizer.   
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the ammonia source is liquefied or gaseous ammonia under pressure. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the first and second reaction or pressure vessels each contain an agitator. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 20 , further comprising a screening process to size fertilizer granules, and one or more cooling and coating apparatus to reduce temperature and control dust prior to storage. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 a conveyer for transporting the organic material to the mixer and another conveyer for transporting the blended organic material to the first reaction or pressure vessel;   a pressurized piping system that transports acidified organic material from the first reaction or pressure vessel to the second reaction or pressure vessel, ammonia into the second reaction or pressure vessel; and disperses the ammoniated liquid to the granulator.   
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 20 , further comprising one or more screens for selecting granules of a predetermined size and a rotary cooler for cooling and polishing the sized granules. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 20 , further comprising a dust control apparatus that collects and recycles dust from the granulator. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 20 , further comprising a water recovery system whereby water extracted from the organic material during processing is recovered and recycled. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the first reaction or pressure vessel is a pipe-cross reactor, the second reaction or pressure vessel is a pipe-cross reactor, or both the first and second reaction or pressure vessels are each pipe-cross reactors.