TECHNOLOGY AND MECHANIZATION OF THE PRODUCTION AND SOIL APPLICATION OF PEAT-MINERAL-AMMONIA FERTILIZERS WITH INCREASED CONCENTRATION

A. V. Tishkovich, V. T. Ulitin

Peat-mineral-ammonia fertilizers of increased concentration (KTMAU) are complex fertilizers whose active principle consists of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium from mineral fertilizers and activated organic substances of peat, present in the form of soluble ammonium humates and humic acids formed as a result of treating peat with ammonia water.

Peat-ammonia fertilizers (KTAU), unlike KTMAU, do not contain phosphorus and potassium mineral fertilizers. These components may be applied to the soil separately before or after the application of KTAU.

KTMAU and KTAU differ from ordinary TMAU and TAU in the increased concentration of nitrogen from ammonia water, phosphorus, and potassium, and also in the possibility of changing the nitrogen concentration, in accordance with the assignment, at the moment the fertilizers are applied to the soil within the range of 1–3%.

The production of KTMAU or KTAU is to be carried out on collective and state farms by the forces of mechanized detachments of district associations of “Selkhoztekhnika,” or by the farms themselves.

The technology for the production and soil application of KTMAU is based on preparing a peat-mineral mixture (peat + PK), composting it for 1.5–2.0 months, followed by treatment with aqueous ammonia at the moment the mixture is applied and incorporated into the soil in the form of complete-component fertilizers.

Studies have established that, with preliminary composting of peat with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers followed by treatment of the aged peat-mineral mixture with ammonia, the most favorable conditions are created, ensuring the production of highly effective concentrated peat-mineral fertilizers.

First, when peat is composted with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers without ammonia, in so-called acid composting, the organic acids of the peat (especially of the high-moor type) decompose the calcium phosphates of phosphorite meal, forming mobile phosphoric acid.

Second, as a result of the interaction of the ion-exchange complex with potassium salt, the potassium ion enters into an exchange reaction with the active groups of the peat, while the free hydrochloric acid formed in this process, in turn, intensifies the decomposition of calcium phosphates. Experiments have shown that in 1.5–2 months of composting high-moor peat with phosphorite meal and potassium salt, up to 25% of water-soluble ...

soluble phosphoric acid. Thus, the effectiveness of inexpensive phosphorite meal approaches the action of costly superphosphate, which is confirmed by vegetation and field experiments.

Third, acidic composting of peat with phosphorous and potassium mineral fertilizers, as a result of more intensive decomposition of the organic matter of the peat-mineral mixture, significantly increases the content of mobile nitrogen (the sum of ammoniacal and nitrate nitrogen). Over 1.5–2 months, the content of mobile nitrogen, owing to the organic nitrogen of the peat (both lowland and raised-bog), increases by a factor of 2–3.

Fourth, treatment with ammonia of the composted peat-mineral mixture at the moment it is applied to the soil, with simultaneous incorporation, sharply increases the mobility and physiological activity of the humic substances of the peat and helps reduce ammonia losses to a minimum. All this, as a whole, ensures the preparation and application to the soil of highly effective complete fertilizers with a specified concentration.

Thus, under the proposed method for producing concentrated peat-mineral fertilizers, the processes of preparing them and applying them to the soil are carried out according to a single technological scheme.

Preparation of a mixture of peat with phosphorous and potassium mineral fertilizers can be carried out by the layer-milling method proposed by the institute, or by fertilizer loader-mixers both at peat enterprises and in the fields where the fertilizers are used.

Composting of the peat-mineral mixture for 1.5–2 months may be carried out at the site where the mixture is prepared, or after it has been hauled directly to the fields where the fertilizers are used.

Treatment of the composted peat-mineral mixture with ammonia is combined with the application and incorporation of the finished fertilizers into the soil. For this purpose, the institute proposes an aggregate consisting mainly of machines widely used in agriculture.

The production technology for PTAF is still simpler. The prepared peat crumb is treated with aqueous ammonia at the moment of its application and incorporation into the soil in the form of peat-ammonia fertilizers.

The technological scheme for producing PTMAF has two variants, “A” and “B,” which differ from one another in the method of preparing the peat-mineral mixture (peat + PK).

Under variant “A,” the peat-mineral mixture is to be prepared by a special self-propelled fertilizer loader-mixer, PSTU (the machine is under development).

Under variant “B,” preparation of the peat-mineral mixture is carried out by the layer-milling method, introduced into production (the “Znamya Sovetov” peat enterprise, Pukhovichi District).

The subsequent technological processes, including composting of the peat-mineral mixture, treating it with ammonia, and applying and incorporating the prepared fertilizers into the soil, are identical for both variants.

Technological charts for the production and soil application of PTMAF and PTAF

The list of work operations, means of mechanization, their productivity, and the required quantity for carrying out a specified volume of work on the production and application of PTMAF and PTAF are given in Tables 1, 2, and 3.

KTU-2 aggregate.

Technological chart for the production and incorporation into the soil of KTMAU on an area of 300 ha according to variant “A”

Table 1

Table 2

Technological chart for the production and application of PTMAU on an area of 300 ha according to variant “B”

End of Table 2

Table 3

Technological chart for the production and application of KTAU to the soil on a sown area of 30 ha

The unit (Fig. 1) is intended for treating peat or a peat–mineral mixture with ammonia water, and for applying and incorporating the finished concentrated peat–ammonia (KTAU) or peat–mineral–ammonia (KTMAU) fertilizers into the soil.

The unit consists of a “Belarus” tractor with a mounted GAN-8 herbicide–ammonia machine and a universal tractor trailer 1PTU-3 or TUP-3A with additional equipment.

Fig. 1. KTU-2 unit in operation

The mounted equipment of the GAN-8 holds a supply of ammonia water, regulates the flow rate, and feeds it into the enrichment chamber for treating peat or the peat–mineral mixture.

The universal tractor trailer is intended for transporting, metering, and feeding peat or the peat–mineral mixture into the mixing chamber for treatment with ammonia water.

The additional equipment for the tractor trailer consists of an enrichment chamber, a mounted cultivator, and the side panels of the enrichment chamber. The enrichment chamber is a box mounted above the spreader of the trailer; sprayers from the GAN-8 machine are located on its rear wall.

Peat or the peat–mineral mixture is directed by the trailer spreader into the chamber, where it is treated with ammonia water from the sprayers and deposited on the soil surface. To prevent ammonia losses, the enrichment chamber has a tarpaulin apron that descends to the soil surface. In order to increase the spreading width of the fertilizers to 4 m, the side panels of the chamber are made hinged. The fertilizers treated with ammonia and deposited on the soil surface are incorporated to a depth of 5–10 cm by the spring elements of the mounted three-section cultivator.

During operation, the cultivator sections rest on field rollers. During transport, the cultivator is raised by means of a hydraulic cylinder and cable system, with the side sections being raised to a vertical position, which reduces the overall dimensions of the unit.

Technical Characteristics

1. Composition of the unit — a “Belarus” tractor with a mounted herbicide-ammonia machine GAN-8, a fertilizer spreader trailer 1-PTU-3.0 or TUP-3A with additional equipment.

2. Overall dimensions in mm:

a) in working position

length — 10800,
width — 4500,
height — 2300;

b) in transport position

length — 10800,
width — 29600,
height — 2300.

1. Weight of the fueled unit in kg — 7850,
   including:

tractor — 3140,
spreader trailer — 1330,
mounted GAN-8 equipment — 320,
ammonia water — 500,
equipment for the trailer — 330,
fertilizers — up to 2500.

1. Width of fertilizer spreading in m — up to 4.

2. Capacity of the ammonia-water reservoirs in l — 560.

3. Depth of fertilizer incorporation into the soil in mm — 50–100.

4. Working speed in m/sec — 1–1.5.

5. Operating personnel — tractor driver.

6. Productivity, ha/hour — 0.6–0.9.

In winter, the KTU-2 unit can be used under stationary operating conditions for preparing peat-ammonia fertilizers of the usual type (TAU), or so-called ammoniated peat. In this case, the spring cultivator is detached from the spreader trailer. The unit is placed by a storage stack of peat crumbs, and in the stationary position the spreader trailer and the supply of ammonia water by the GAN-8 machine are put into operation. The trailer body is continuously loaded by a PB-35 loader, and as ammoniated peat accumulates below the enrichment chamber, the same loader or a BU-55 bulldozer delivers the prepared fertilizers to a new storage stack. For this purpose, the unit is first moved forward by 1–2 meters, and then the cycle of operations is repeated. Thus, the KTU-2 unit is used year-round, which will ensure the preparation of a large quantity of highly effective fertilizers.