Fertilizer International 516 Sept-Oct 2023
30 September 2023
Fertilizer blending boosts ag productivity
HANDLING AND BLENDING
Fertilizer blending boosts ag productivity
Ag Growth International (AGI) is a leading manufacturer of fertilizer blending systems. Robert Fitzpatrick, AGI’s product segment manager, highlights the latest innovations in fertilizer blending equipment and explains how these contribute to operational efficiency and agricultural productivity.
Today, the agriculture industry is facing rising food demand at a time when the acreage of cropland remains inelastic. To meet this challenge, the need to maximise crop yields per acre has never been more important. This is true in mature and established agricultural economies. It is also becoming more and more critical to the success of newer crop growing and food producing regions.
To add to an already difficult task, the availability of agricultural workers has declined since the global Covid-19 pandemic. This is a potentially permanent change that is requiring a pivot towards a greater reliance on limited resources – and boosting productivity using agronomic knowhow and available technologies.
The entire fertilizer blending process, by maximising crop yields and optimising resource efficiency, has a crucial role to play. Crop producers are now able to tailor nutrient compositions to their specific soil requirements by adopting an integrated approach that combines technology-based agronomic analysis, efficient and intelligent material transport systems with automated precision fertilizer blending equipment.
In recent years, the industry has been able to modernise the entire fertilizer blending process through amazing advances in equipment and technology. Ag Growth International (AGI) has remained at the forefront of the fertilizer blending industry by developing cutting-edge equipment and technologies. This article explores the latest innovations in fertilizer blending equipment and processes, highlighting their importance to the entire farming ecosystem, and explains how they contribute to operational efficiency and productivity.
From global production to regional distribution
The individual components of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium (NPK) fertilizers are typically moved from their point of manufacture in very large bulk shipments. Millions of tonnes of phosphate and potash ore, for example, are extracted globally and processed to produce finished P and K fertilizers, while other components such as N fertilizers are synthesised chemically on a similarly larger scale globally.
Given the wide distribution of these very large-scale N, P and K production operations across the globe, blend components are typically shipped via boats and barges to regional distribution points. From there, these commodities are shipped onwards in smaller quantities to blending facilities.
In North America, fertilizer components are typically shipped in loose bulk form, while in other parts of the world they tend to be shipped in bag form and stored near blending operations.
Quick and safe handling and conveying
The effective supply and proper use of fertilizers starts with the efficient and safe conveying and handling of materials. Indeed, conveying and handling is a critical part of the fertilizer blending process. It is essential to ensure that fertilizer components are moved quickly and safely from one location to another, while avoiding damage or contamination.
While many types of material conveying systems are available, loose bulk mechanical conveying systems are typically favoured by the agricultural world due to their simplicity and low cost. Mechanical systems use a variety of methods to move fertilizer materials, including belts, rollers, chain paddles and screws or augers. The type of system selected depends on the size and type of the operation, as well as the distance the materials need to be moved. Belt conveyors, for example, are often the best choice for moving large quantities of fertilizer over long distances.
Belt conveyors are the most basic and common type of conveyor used in the agricultural industry, as the speed and direction of the belt can be adjusted easily to suit the job. AGI manufactures several different types of belt conveyors – such as slider, tri-roller and troughing roller belt conveyors – to satisfy a wide range of conveying applications.
Chain paddle conveyors (or drag chain conveyors), in contrast, use paddles attached to chain links to move fertilizer from one location to another. Chain paddle conveyors are commonly used in more rugged applications – the transfer of fertilizers from trucks to storage being one example.
Screw conveyors use a rotating screw/ auger to transfer materials. Screw conveyors are often used in applications where accuracy and precision are important, e.g., when transferring a fixed amount of fertilizer to a specific location.
AGI uses a variety of approaches to transport fertilizer commodities. Our experts have developed innovative ways to reduce material losses using their extensive materials handling and storage knowledge. The design of conveyor and handling systems need to meet the demands of the toughest environments, ensuring that fertilizer components are moved safely and efficiently. AGI’s conveyors are therefore built to withstand the harsh environments typically encountered at fertilizer blending sites, including elevated temperatures, corrosive chemicals, and caustic dust.
Precision blending systems
Precision blending systems, as their name suggests, blend together different fertilizer components at very precise ratios. The resulting customised blends – having been prepared to extremely accurate recipes – deliver an ideal mix of nutrients to crops and uniformly disperse these in target soils.
By analysing the agronomy of a specific plot, customized nutrient blends can be formulated according to specific soil and crop requirements. As a result, farmers can ensure their crops receive the exact nutrients they need for healthy growth and high yields.
Precision blending minimises the risk of misapplying nutrients – too much, too little or to a recipe that is just plain wrong for the location – providing growers instead with exactly what their crops need. This reduces waste and improves crop yields. The ability to produce fertilizer blends consistently and accurately also improves customer satisfaction by helping deliver crop yields and quality that are equally consistent.
AGI can cover all the fertilizer needs of crop growers – from high precision, high volume continuous blending systems to high precision, low volume batch blending systems. Several groundbreaking blending systems introduced by the company in recent years offer industry-leading precision, efficiency, and scalability. AGI’s flagship Declining Weight system (see photo) boasts a blend accuracy of 95 percent (continuously). The company’s high capacity, high precision blending tower offers another high performance blending option.
AGI’s liquid impregnation and mixing systems are another strength. These precisely blend additives with the right commodities at the ideal point in the blend process. When the fertilizer blend requires powder micronutrients, AGI has this covered too, as precise amounts of almost any micronutrient can be added to blending systems using a powder screw feeder.
Automation and control systems
Automation and control systems have become game changers in the fertilizer blending industry. By streamlining operations and reducing labour costs, these intelligent systems provide significant benefits to customers. Importantly, they help deliver a smoothly flowing blending process all the way through to truck loadout, bagger system or storage location. Examples include:
- Precision material metering devices coupled with weigh scale inputs
- Multi-flight mixing impregnation augers
- Controlled, progressive feed-rates.
FERTILIZER BLENDING INSTALLATIONS: EXEMPLIFYING SUCCESS
Recent AGI blending equipment installations feature the latest advances in precision blending and demonstrate their importance to customers. Numerous agricultural projects worldwide have improved their blending accuracy, increased production capacity, and reduced operating costs by successfully installing cutting-edge equipment. These installations have been able to satisfy the evolving needs of farmers. They also showcase the tangible benefits provided by advanced equipment such as higher agricultural productivity.
AGI’s fertilizer blending systems have garnered widespread recognition globally. The company has successfully installed its equipment in numerous high-profile projects worldwide over the past fifteen years. By adopting the latest technologies, customers have benefitted from higher blending accuracy, better resource utilisation, and greater overall profitability. These success stories offer valuable insights and provide a performance benchmark for other customers wishing to upgrade their fertilizer blending operations.
The provision of an advanced blending systems to a large-scale cooperative in the US Midwest is one notable installation. By enlisting AGI’s blending expertise, this cooperative has been able to significantly enhance its productivity while reducing operating costs. The blending control technology provided allows the cooperative to move materials extremely efficiently while reliably delivering a high blending accuracy. The result has been improved crop yields and better customer satisfaction.
Overall, automation reduces the risk of errors and maintains product quality by making sure that blending processes are consistent and repeatable.
AGI’s blending systems are equipped with state-of-the-art automation and control software. This guarantees precise blending ratios, minimises product waste, and delivers and distributes nutrients with pinpoint accuracy.
Sustainability and the environment
The importance of sustainability and environmental protection in modern agriculture cannot be overstated. Equipping fertilizer blending systems with features that focus on sustainability helps customers respond to the trend for environmentally-responsible farming practices. These advanced features are designed to optimise resource use, reduce energy consumption, and minimise waste throughout the blending process. As well as being necessary for regulatory compliance, these features meet growing consumer demands for environmentally friendly products.
Efficient blending systems enable farmers to significantly reduce the carbon footprint associated with fertilizer applications by delivering blends that specifically match the needs of their crops and soils. By allowing farmers to enhance crop yields, while minimising their impact on natural resources, this benefits the environment and aligns with modern farming practices.
AGI has responded to the growing demand for sustainable agricultural practices by introducing environmentally conscious features to its fertilizer blending equipment. The company’s game changing blending systems:
- Optimise resource efficiency by reducing energy consumption and minimising waste
- Offer efficient blending while minimising the carbon footprint associated with fertilizer production
- Enable farmers to enhance crop yields while minimising their environmental impacts.
Partnering on productivity
The fertilizer blending equipment industry continues to evolve, introducing innovations that boost agricultural productivity. Examples include precision blending systems, automation and control systems, and features that focus on sustainability.
These new advances in equipment help customers maximise crop yields, minimise waste, and meet the demands of sustainable agriculture.
By embracing the latest innovations in blending, farmers can enhance their operational efficiency, boost profitability, and contribute to the long-term sustainability of the agricultural industry. Looking ahead, future developments in fertilizer blending systems hold immense potential for transforming global agriculture, guaranteeing food security, and addressing environmental challenges.
In response to these demands, Ag Growth International is continuing to drive innovation in the fertilizer blending industry – through its advanced blending equipment, intelligent automated systems, and commitment to environmental sustainability. This is enabling purchasers of fertilizer blending systems to achieve unprecedented levels of precision and productivity. The company remains at the forefront of an evolving industry, delivering cutting-edge technologies that revolutionise the way farmers approach fertilizer blending.
With AGI as a partner, farmers can confidently embrace a more productive agricultural future.
