Device and method for combined generation and fertigation of nitrogen fertilizer
Systems for producing nitrogen compounds that are configured for integration with an irrigation device. The systems generally include an absorber receiving a reactor-outlet stream comprising one or more oxidized nitrogen species, the absorber containing water to produce a nitrogen-compound stream comprising nitrates, nitrites, nitric acid, salts thereof, or a mixture thereof; and a system-outlet port configured to be fluidically coupled to an irrigation line, the system-outlet port in fluid communication with the absorber to receive at least a portion of the nitrogen-compound stream and provide the nitrogen-compound stream to the irrigation line.
1 . A system for producing nitrogen compounds that is configured for integration with an irrigation device, the system comprising:
an absorber receiving a reactor-outlet stream comprising one or more oxidized nitrogen species, the absorber containing water to produce a nitrogen-compound stream comprising nitrates, nitrites, nitric acid, salts thereof, or a mixture thereof;
a system-outlet port configured to be fluidically coupled to an irrigation line, the system-outlet port in fluid communication with the absorber to receive at least a portion of the nitrogen-compound stream and provide the nitrogen-compound stream to the irrigation line;
a one-way valve in fluid communication with the system-outlet port and configured to permit fluid to flow therethrough in solely one direction, wherein the one-way valve is arranged to permit fluid to flow to the system-outlet port;
a plasma reactor producing the reactor-outlet stream comprising the one or more oxidized nitrogen species, the plasma reactor in fluid communication with the absorber; and
a storage chamber in fluid communication with the absorber to receive the nitrogen-compound stream from the absorber;
wherein the storage chamber is a neutralization chamber configured to produce a neutralized nitrogen-compound stream comprising at least one neutralized nitrogen compound chosen from calcium carbonate, sodium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, calcium hydroxide, potassium carbonate, potassium hydroxide, potash, lime grit, limestone, rock phosphate, ammonium hydroxide, calcium nitrate, zinc oxide, potassium nitrate, sodium nitrate, nitrophosphates, ammonium nitrate, zinc nitrate, and a combination thereof;
an injection pump in fluid communication with the neutralization chamber, the injection pump to pump the neutralized nitrogen-compound stream to the system-outlet port;
wherein the one-way valve is disposed within a conduit downstream from the injection pump; and
an outlet filter in fluid communication with the system-outlet port, the outlet filter is downstream from the injection pump and upstream from the system-outlet port or the outlet filter is downstream from the neutralization chamber and upstream from the injection pump, the filter to remove particles before the nitrogen compound stream is provided to the irrigation line.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the neutralization chamber includes a filter coupled to an outlet port of the neutralization chamber.
3 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a mixing chamber in fluid communication with the neutralization chamber and configured to receive and mix the neutralized nitrogen-compound stream.
4 . The system of claim 1 further comprising:
a water-inlet conduit fluidically coupleable to the irrigation line and configured to receive water from the irrigation line, the water-inlet conduit is in fluid communication with the absorber and is configured to provide water to the absorber.
5 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sensor detecting liquid flow through the irrigation line; and
a controller coupled to the sensor, the controller configured to activate the release of the nitrogen-compound stream, the neutralized nitrogen-compound stream, or a combination thereof through the system output port and into the irrigation line in response to liquid flowing through the irrigation line.