Liquid fertilizer applicators and methods of forming liquid fertilizer concentrate

Abstract

A fertilizer application system for a liquid fertilizer concentrate includes a container containing a first fluid. A siphon is disposed on the container and includes two inlets and an outlet. A flow control valve is configured to selectively control an amount of first fluid flowing through the siphon based on ambient temperature of an environment outside the container. A siphon tube includes a siphon tube first portion in fluid communication with the first fluid, and a siphon tube second portion fluidly coupled to an inlet of the siphon. The first fluid includes a liquid fertilizer concentrate comprising a nitrogen containing source, a phosphorous containing source, a sulfur containing source, a potassium containing source, an iron containing source, and water.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A liquid fertilizer concentrate comprising:
 nitrogen;   phosphorous;   sulfur;   potassium;   iron; and   water;   wherein a concentration of nitrogen in the liquid fertilizer concentrate is in a range of about 18 wt % to about 42 wt %, inclusive.   
     
     
         2 . The liquid fertilizer concentrate of  claim 1 , wherein a concentration of phosphorus in the liquid fertilizer concentrate is in a range of about 3 wt % to about 7 wt %, inclusive. 
     
     
         3 . The liquid fertilizer concentrate of  claim 1 , wherein a concentration of potassium in the liquid fertilizer concentrate is in a range of about 5 wt % to about 22 wt %, inclusive. 
     
     
         4 . The liquid fertilizer concentrate of  claim 1 , wherein a concentration of iron in the liquid fertilizer concentrate is in a range of about 1 wt % to about 4 wt %, inclusive. 
     
     
         5 . The liquid fertilizer concentrate of  claim 1 , wherein a concentration of sulfur in the liquid fertilizer concentrate is in a range of about 1 wt % to about 3 wt %, inclusive. 
     
     
         6 . The liquid fertilizer concentrate of  claim 1 , further comprising a green coloring. The liquid fertilizer concentrate of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a concentration of potassium in the liquid fertilizer concentrate is in a range of about 5 wt % to about 22 wt %, inclusive; and   a concentration of iron in the liquid fertilizer concentrate is in a range of about 1 wt % to about 4 wt %, inclusive.   
     
     
         8 . The liquid fertilizer concentrate of  claim 1 , further comprising dry urea. 
     
     
         9 . The liquid fertilizer concentrate of  claim 8 , wherein the dry urea comprises a concentration of nitrogen of about 45 wt %. 
     
     
         10 . The liquid fertilizer concentrate of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a concentration of phosphorous in the liquid fertilizer concentrate is in a range of about 3 wt % to about 7 wt %, inclusive; and   a concentration of sulfur in the liquid fertilizer concentrate is in a range of about 1 wt % to 3 wt %, inclusive.   
     
     
         11 . The liquid fertilizer concentrate of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a concentration of phosphorous in the liquid fertilizer concentrate is in a range of about 3 wt % to about 7 wt %; and   a concentration of potassium in the liquid fertilizer concentrate is in a range of about 5 wt % to about 22 wt %, inclusive.   
     
     
         12 . The liquid fertilizer concentrate of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a concentration of iron in the liquid fertilizer concentrate is in a range of about 1 wt % to about 4 wt %, inclusive; and   a concentration of sulfur in the liquid fertilizer concentrate is in a range of about 1 wt % to about 3 wt %, inclusive.   
     
     
         13 . A method for formulating a liquid fertilizer concentrate, the method comprising:
 inserting a phosphorous containing source into a vessel;   adding a nitrogen containing source to the vessel;   adding a sulfur containing source to the vessel;   adding an iron containing source to the vessel;   adding a potassium containing source to the vessel to form a mixture;   adding water to the vessel; and   mixing the mixture to form the liquid fertilizer concentration;   wherein a concentration of nitrogen in the liquid fertilizer concentrate is in a range of about 18 wt % to about 42 wt %, inclusive.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the nitrogen containing source comprises liquid urea. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the nitrogen containing source comprises solid urea, and wherein the method further comprises:
 heating the vessel to a temperature sufficient to melt the solid urea.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising cooling the mixture before adding the phosphorous containing source, adding the iron containing source, and heating the vessel to the temperature;
 wherein the water is added to the vessel before the vessel is heated to the temperature; and   
       wherein the nitrogen containing source is added to the vessel before the vessel is heated to the temperature. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising diluting the liquid fertilizer concentrate with a fluid so as to reduce the concentration of each of the phosphorous containing source, the sulfur containing source, the iron containing source, the nitrogen containing source, and the potassium containing source in the liquid fertilizer concentrate by about 50 wt %. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising adding at least one additive to the liquid fertilizer concentrate. 
     
     
         19 . A method for formulating a liquid fertilizer concentrate, the method comprising:
 adding water to a vessel;   adding a nitrogen containing source to the vessel after adding the water to the vessel;   heating the vessel to a first temperature sufficient to melt the dry urea and form a first mixture;   removing the heat to allow the first mixture to cool to a second temperature;   adding a sulfur containing source to the vessel after the first mixture cools to a second temperature;   adding an iron containing source to the vessel after the first mixture cools to a second temperature;   adding a potassium containing source to the vessel to form a second mixture after the first mixture cools to a second temperature;   mixing the second mixture to form a liquid fertilizer concentrate after the first mixture cools to a second temperature.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the nitrogen containing source comprises dry urea.