Potassium Humate sulfur compound granule
View Patent ↗Disclosed is a potassium humate sulfur compound granule and process for making the same granule. The potassium humate sulfur compound granule including a potassium humate component and an elemental sulfur component at a ratio of about 1:20; where the potassium humate component of the granule fully solubilizes upon application to a desired site and enhances conversion of the sulfur component into sulfate by at least about 15% as compared to elemental sulfur alone.
1. A process for making a potassium humate sulfur compound granule, the process comprising:
obtaining a sample of a carbonaceous substance comprising humic acid and one or more other substances;
contacting the sample with an amount of potassium hydroxide, thereby forming an extraction mixture,
the extraction mixture consisting essentially of a sludge component, the sludge component comprising, predominantly, the sample, and an extraction component, the extraction component comprising, predominantly, the potassium hydroxide;
maintaining the sludge component in contact with the extraction component for a period of time sufficient for the extraction component to become relatively enriched in humic acid and the sludge component to become relatively depleted of humic acid;
separating the sludge component from the extraction component;
spray drying the extraction component, thereby forming a plurality of potassium humate powder particles, wherein the plurality of potassium humate powder particles is characterized by a moisture content between about 9% and about 15%;
adding the plurality of potassium humate powder particles to elemental sulfur, thereby forming a homogenized mixture; and
solidifying at least a portion of the homogenized mixture under conditions wherein the at least a portion of the homogenized mixture is made into a form of a granule;
thereby making the potassium humate sulfur compound granule.
2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the elemental sulfur is a molten sulfur.
3. The process of claim 1 , wherein the homogenized mixture includes about 1 pound to about 200 pounds of the plurality of potassium humate powder particles per one ton of elemental sulfur.
4. The process of claim 1 , wherein the homogenized mixture includes about 100 pounds of the plurality of potassium humate powder particles per one ton of elemental sulfur.
5. The process of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of potassium humate powder particles comprises about 5% of the homogenized mixture.
6. The process of claim 1 , wherein the potassium humate sulfur compound granule has a pH of at least 7.5.
7. The process of claim 6 , wherein the potassium humate sulfur compound granule has a pH of 7.5 to about 12.
8. The process of claim 6 , wherein the potassium humate sulfur compound granule has a pH of about 9.
9. The process of claim 1 , wherein the homogenized mixture further includes bentonite clay as a binder.
10. The process of claim 9 , wherein the bentonite clay comprises about 10% of the homogenized mixture.
11. The process of claim 1 , wherein the solidifying further includes:
pumping the homogenized mixture through a rotoformer and onto a flat surface; and
cooling the homogenized mixture on the flat surface.
12. A process for making a potassium humate sulfur compound granule, the process comprising:
obtaining a sample of a carbonaceous substance comprising humic acid and one or more other substances;
contacting the sample with an amount of potassium hydroxide, thereby forming an extraction mixture,
the extraction mixture consisting essentially of a sludge component, the sludge component comprising, predominantly, the sample, and an extraction component, the extraction component comprising, predominantly, the potassium hydroxide;
maintaining the sludge component in contact with the extraction component for a period of time sufficient for the extraction component to become relatively enriched in humic acid and the sludge component to become relatively depleted of humic acid;
separating the sludge component from the extraction component;
spray drying the extraction component, thereby forming a plurality of powder potassium humate particles, wherein the plurality of potassium humate powder particles is characterized by a moisture content between about 9% and about 15%;
adding the plurality of powder potassium humate particles to elemental sulfur, thereby forming a homogenized mixture, wherein the plurality of potassium humate powder particles comprises about 5% of the homogenized mixture; and
solidifying at least a portion of the homogenized mixture under conditions wherein the at least a portion of the homogenized mixture is made into a form of a granule;
thereby making the potassium humate sulfur compound granule with a potassium humate component and a sulfur component,
wherein the potassium humate sulfur compound granule has a pH of 7.5 to about 12, and
wherein the potassium humate component of the granule solubilizes upon application to a desired site and enhances conversion of the sulfur component into sulfate.
13. The process of claim 12 , wherein the potassium humate sulfur compound granule has a pH of about 9.
14. The process of claim 12 , wherein the homogenized mixture further includes bentonite clay as a binder.
15. The process of claim 14 , wherein the bentonite clay comprises about 10% of the homogenized mixture.
16. The process of claim 12 , wherein the solidifying further includes:
pumping the homogenized mixture through a rotoformer and onto a flat surface; and
cooling the homogenized mixture on the flat surface.