ISSN:
1573-0867
Keywords:
Potassium chloride
;
granulation
;
lignosulphonate
;
ammonium sulphate
;
urea
;
ureaformaldehyde
;
agronomic value
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition
Notes:
Abstract A finely divided red potassium chloride (KCl) (particle size distribution: 79% 〈0.5 mm, 20% 1-0.5 mm and 1% 1–2 mm) was granulated by adding eight readily available and relatively inexpensive binders using a rotating drum in the laboratory. The binders used were: urea, pulp and paper waste liquor containing lignosulphonate, urea + pulp and paper waste liquor, Borrebond powder (a commercial product containing lignosulphonate), urea + formaldehyde, ammonium sulphate, ammonium sulphate + pulp and paper waste liquor and a waste liquor containing ammonium sulphate from a Ferritin production plant. Of these, except for urea and urea + pulp and paper waste liquor which produced KCl granules having low critical relative humidity at 30°C (CRH) (〈55%) and Borrebond which produced KCl granules of low crushing strength (1.1 kg for 2–3 mm granules) the other five binders produced granules with good size distributions, high crushing strengths (2.0–2.5 kg for 2–3 mm granules), CRH (65–70%) and suitable nutrient contents (K, 46–50%, Cl, 42–47%). These values are very close to those of the standard chipped KCl (crushing strength, 2.5 kg; CRH, 65–70%; K, 50%; Cl, 47%). Crushed chipped KCl (74% 〈1 mm, 25% 1–2 mm, 1% 2–3 mm) when cogranulated in the pilot plant with the 5 binders found successful in the laboratory, produced granules having similar characteristics as the corresponding ones produced in the laboratory. Granules produced both in the laboratory and the pilot plant had lower abrasion resistance (higher % degradation) than chipped KCl. The abrasion resistance however markedly increased when the fines (〈1.4 mm) in the granules were removed. Glasshouse trials using barley as test crop demonstrated that the agronomic values of the KCl prototype granules produced with the 5 binders were similar to chipped KCl and granules produced from the feedstock KCl and water.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01051281
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