Abstract: The invention provides for methods, devices, and systems for pyrolyzing biomass. A pyrolysis unit can be used for the pyrolysis of biomass to form gas, liquid, and solid products. The biomass materials can be selected such that an enhanced biochar is formed after pyrolysis. The biomass can be pyrolyzed under specified conditions such that a selected biochar core is formed. The pyrolysis process can form a stable biochar core that is inert and/or resistant to degradation. The biochar or biochar core can be functionalized to form a functionalized biochar or functionalized biochar core. Functionalization can include post-pyrolysis treatments such as supplementation with microbes or physical transformations including annealing and/or activation.

Abstract: The present disclosure concerns a method for producing fertilizer particles comprising an alternative source of boron. It is found that certain colemanite and ulexite powders can be supplied to a fertilizer melt shortly before granulation essentially without dissolving into the melt. Accordingly, the fertilizer particles produced from the melt may contain negligible amounts or non-detectable levels of sodium borates or boric acid. Furthermore, the fertilizer particles can be homogeneous which is desirable for boron supplying fertilizers. It is also found that the fertilizer particles can supply boron to plants at a rate comparable to borax pentahydrate.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for manufacturing an ammonium phosphate fertilizer from a phosphoric acid aqueous solution that has less than 50% P2O5 concentration and is obtained by wet phosphate ore treatment, said phosphoric acid containing traces of cadmium, comprising the following steps: (a) neutralizing said phosphoric acid solution (1) with ammonia (3) up to a molar ratio N/P of between 0.1 and 0.8, (b) reacting said partially neutralized solution (4) with a sulfide source (6) so as to form a cadmium sulfide precipitate (9), (c) separating said precipitate (9) so as to obtain a refined ammoniated phosphoric acid solution (10), (d) ammoniating and granulating said refined solution (10) so as to form said fertilizer (12).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a coated granular substance, wherein the coating comprises a resin comprising the reaction product of a polyol component and an isocyanate component and cured by the addition of a catalyst, said catalyst comprising a hydroxy group-containing amine compound. Further, the present invention relates to a process for coating a granular substance, comprising the steps of (a) providing a granular substance; (b) providing a polyol component and an isocyanate component; (c) optionally mixing the polyol component with the isocyanate component; (d) adding the mixture of step (c) or the polyol component and the isocyanate component as individual substances to the provided granular substance and producing a coating on the granular substance; (e) adding a catalyst to cure the coating; (f) optionally repeating steps (d) and (e), wherein the catalyst comprises a hydroxy group-containing amine compound.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for generating hydrogen, comprising decomposing in a reaction vessel aqueous alkali formate in the presence of a transition metal-containing catalyst system dissolved in one or more organic solvent(s), characterized in that said organic solvent(s) comprise at least one solvent which is water-immiscible, thereby releasing hydrogen and forming bicarbonate in the aqueous phase, and separating the catalyst-containing organic solvent(s) from said bicarbonate. Also disclosed are apparatuses for carrying out hydrogen generation.

Abstract: An inhibitor composition contains alkyl thiophosphoric triamide (or a mixture of alkyl thiophosphoric triamide and dicyandiamide), dissolved in a liquid medium comprising at least one organic solvent and at least one amine stabilizer, is useful in making fertilizer compositions and in a method of fertilizing target plants.

Abstract: To produce fertilizer, a system and method concentrates manure slurry in a mechanical vapor recompression evaporator (“MVR”) having a heat exchanger. The MVR receives the manure slurry within a first side to evaporate ammonia laden-water vapor from the slurry, leaving a nutrient concentrate. A compressor raises the evaporated ammonia-laden water vapor to a higher energy state. Within a second side of the heat exchanger, the compressed water vapor conveys heat to the slurry. Ammonia-laden water condenses in the second side at a process temperature to be conveyed to an ammonia stripping tower where the ammonia-laden water is dispersed into ammonia-laden water droplets. In the tower, a flow of air is directed across a surface of the ammonia-laden water droplets, the process temperature having been selected to promote the escape of ammonia gas from the ammonia-laden water droplets, the flow of air provided to entrain ammonia gas in the flow.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for safe production of rice on soil mildly and moderately polluted by heavy metals. The method includes applying a passivator before transplanting rice seedlings to reduce activity of heavy metals in soil, and then spraying a foliar barrier from the peak tillering stage to the booting stage of rice and at the filling stage of rice; the passivator includes bentonite, gypsum powder, lime, a biochar, an iron-based biochar, a slow-release iron-based biochar, an iron-sulfur-silicon composite biochar, a heavy metal cadmium passivator and a cadmium-arsenic synchronous passivator for activating sulfur reducing bacteria in paddy soil; and the foliar barrier includes an acid silica sol, a selenium-silicon composite sol, a cerium composite silica sol, a ferrous modified selenium sol. The method can also include applying a nitrate nitrogen fertilizer at the seedling stage of rice, and/or applying a phosphorus potassium fertilizer at the tillering stage of rice.

Abstract: A hydrogenated isotopically enriched boron trifluoride (BF3) dopant source gas composition. The composition contains (i) boron trifluoride isotopically enriched above natural abundance in boron of atomic mass 11 (UB), and (ii) hydrogen in an amount of from 2 to 6.99 vol. %, based on total volume of boron trifluoride and hydrogen in the composition. Also described are methods of use of such dopant source gas composition, and associated apparatus therefor.

Abstract: A moisture barrier coating includes the reaction product of (A) at least one polyglycidyl ether resin, and (B) at least one epoxy curing agent comprising amines. The moisture barrier coating further includes at least one amorphous thermoplastic material that is nonreactive with A and with B, and that forms a homogeneous mixture with at least one of A or B. A controlled release fertilizer, a method for the production of a controlled release fertilizer, and a moisture barrier coating system are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of producing a fertiliser composition, the method comprising: (a) providing a composition comprising an amino compound; (b) contacting the composition provided in step (a) with a composition comprising carbon dioxide; and (c) adding a composition comprising cellulosic fibres to the mixture obtained in step (b).

Abstract: Fertilizer pellets may be formed by compressing or compacting a primary fertilizer powder mixed with micronized sulphur.

Abstract: A method for making a growing medium includes a step of combining tree bark and/or wood components together to form an initial composition; heating the initial composition to a temperature greater than about 149° C. under steam in a pressurized vessel; processing the initial composition through a refiner with a plurality of opposing disks to obtain the fibrous growing medium, the refiner separating fibers from each other; wherein the growing medium has total porosity of 88 volume % or more.

Abstract: The invention relates to agriculture, in particular to the processing of carbon-containing material to obtain a humus-containing product. A method for processing a carbon-containing material to obtain a humus-containing product by exposing it to a mixture of bacteria consisting of the strains Acinetobacter calcoaceticus VKPM (Russian National Collection of Industrial Microorganisms) V-4883, Pseudomonas denitrificans VKPM V-4884, Pseudomonas sp. “longa” VKPM V-4885 in an amount of (6-8)×109, (3-4)×109 and (2-3)×109 cells per 1 L of solution, respectively, in the presence of a phosphorus-containing additive, under aerobic conditions and while stirring, wherein the carbon-containing material is firstly ground to 0.5 mm in a wet mill while sapropel is simultaneously added in an amount of 5-10 wt %, and grinding is carried out for 30 minutes, the resulting mixture is sent into a mixer, into which aluminium industry waste in the form of dust from the cleaning of carbon electrodes with a particle size up to 0.

Abstract: According to present disclosure, there is disclosed an algae growth and cultivation system that provides a cost-efficient means of producing algae biomass as feedstock for algae-based products, such as, fertilizer, feed, biofuel manufacture, and desirably impacts, nutrient recovery from waste streams for valued byproducts production, recycle water, and alternative/renewable energy production. The system as discussed herein is an integrated systems approach to wastewater treatment, algal strains selection for byproducts production, and recycle of algal biomass-processing waste or additional algae harvested as feedstock for products such as fertilizer production. Embodiments of a system as discussed herein present an economically viable algae production system and process that allows algae-derived products such as fertilizer, feed, biofuels, etc. to compete with non-organic or petroleum products in the marketplace.

Abstract: A fertilizer derived from an organic source and a method of making are provided. The fertilizer of the present invention advantageously has a nitrogen content greater than 4%. The method of making the fertilizer also produces potable water.

Abstract: A process for fast humification and non-fermentative bio-stabilization of solid and/or liquid, vegetal and/or animal organic material, comprising the following phases: an initial phase of preparation and pre-treatment of said organic material, for preparing activated and mixed material brought to a substantially neutral pH; a next phase wherein said activated and mixed material at a substantially neutral pH is treated in a reactor, in which it is re-mixed and irradiated with radio frequencies conveyed by waveguides for a given time; a final phase of post-processing the material treated in the reactor, adapted for producing a biostabilized organic product.

Abstract: A method for processing raw coconut coir pith into fine particles having a size range of from 0.001 mm to 7 mm and the use of such fine particles directly or in formulated form in agricultural, industrial and commercial applications.

Abstract: The invention relates to a coated granular fertilizer, preferably wherein granules are sulfate-based or phosphate-based. When sulfate based granules, as in ammonium sulfate, the coating substance is an inorganic salt of alkaline earth elements, preferably calcium, such that when applied to the surface of fertilizers, forms calcium sulfate, preferably a calcium sulfate-dihydrate, as a protective coating. For a reactive coating of a thiosulfate, free sulfuric acid present on the granule reacts to provide an elemental sulfur coating. For ammonium phosphate-based granules, coatings may comprise compounds of Ca++, Al+++ and/or Fe+++ salts thereby forming a calcium, an aluminum, an iron, or mixed cation phosphate protective coating. Thiosulfate is also effective with phosphate based granules which are manufactured with sulfuric acid.

Abstract: A soil amendment is provided and a method for making the same, where the soil amendment is encasing biochar in a biodegradable material. The biochar encased in the biodegradable material may be either or both treated and untreated (raw) biochar. The biodegradable material encasing the biochar may be sealed to produce a packet or capsule, or deposited on a sheet of biodegradable material. The sheet of biodegradable material may include a biodegradable adhesive, creating a biochar tape on the biodegradable material. In another example the biodegradable material may be immersed in a solution containing biochar to create a soil amendment, for example, to wrap a root ball of a seedling or sapling. The biodegradable material may, for example, be a polymer, wax, oil, or paraffin which is used to create a bead, capsule, or pod of biochar or biochar slurry, or may be a fiber based or polymer based material that can be formed into a shape, such as a liner, container, or a disc.