Composition comprising ammonium nitrate-based particles and a gelling agent

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10017428-B2
Application number	US-201515325793-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 14, 2015
Priority date	Jul 14, 2014
Publication date	Jul 10, 2018
Grant date	Jul 10, 2018

Abstract

The present invention relates to a solid, particulate, non-explosive composition comprising ammonium nitrate-based particles, in particular a fertilizer composition, of which, on the one hand, the potential misuse as a precursor for an explosive composition is limited without, on the other hand, hampering its legitimate use by farmers for food production. The solid, particulate, non-explosive composition further comprises a gelling agent which is able to form a substantially water-insoluble and non-filterable hydrogel after the solid fertilizer composition is contacted with water. The gelling agent is selected from the group of gum-based gelling agents, in particular xanthan gum-based agents and guar gum-based agents, most preferably is a xanthan gum-based agent.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A solid, particulate, non-explosive composition comprising ammonium nitrate-based particles and such an amount of a gelling agent that a substantially water-insoluble and non-filterable hydrogel is formed after said solid composition is contacted with water, wherein said solid composition has a maximum organic carbon content of 0.4 weight % and an average particle size of at least 1 mm.

2. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein said average particle size of the solid composition is an average diameter as determined by sieving, ranging from 1 to 25 mm.

3. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein said gelling agent is selected from the group consisting of gum-based gelling agents.

4. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein said gelling agent is selected from the group consisting of xanthan gum-based gelling agents and guar gum-based gelling agents.

5. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein said ammonium nitrate-based particles comprise a coating of the gelling agent.

6. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises the gelling agent integrated within the ammonium nitrate-based particles.

7. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein said composition is a physical blend of said ammonium nitrate-based particles and gelling agent particles of similar appearance.

8. The composition according to claim 4 , wherein the amount of xanthan gum-based gelling agent or guar gum-based gelling agent is selected to a maximum of approximately 0.7 weight %, relative to the total weight of the composition.

9. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein said contacting with water is done by dissolving, dispersing, storing or (fine) grinding.

10. The composition according to claim 2 , wherein said average particle size of the solid composition is an average diameter as determined by sieving, ranging from 2 to 8 mm.

11. The composition according to claim 4 , wherein said gelling agent is a xanthan gum-based gelling agent.

12. A method for limiting misuse of a composition comprising ammonium nitrate-based particles as an explosive composition, said method comprising:
providing ammonium nitrate-based particles; and
adding a gelling agent to the ammonium nitrate-based particles to form a solid, particulate, non-explosive composition,
wherein the gelling agent is added in such an amount that a substantially water-insoluble and non-filterable hydrogel is formed if said composition is contacted with water.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein said solid, particulate, non-explosive composition has a maximum organic carbon content of 0.4 weight %.

14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein said gelling agent is selected from the group consisting of gum-based gelling agents.

15. The method according to claim 12 , wherein said gelling agent is selected from the group consisting of xanthan gum-based gelling agents and guar gum-based gelling agents.

16. A method for producing a solid, particulate, non-explosive composition, comprising ammonium nitrate-based particles and a gelling agent, comprising the consecutive steps of:
providing ammonium nitrate-based particles;
providing a gelling agent in powder form; and
mixing said powder in such an amount with said ammonium nitrate-based particles that a substantially water-insoluble and non-filterable hydrogel is formed if said solid composition is contacted with water,
wherein said solid composition obtained has an average particle size of at least 1 mm and a maximum organic carbon content of 0.4 weight %.

17. A method for producing a solid, particulate, non-explosive composition, comprising ammonium nitrate-based particles and a gelling agent, comprising the consecutive steps of:
providing ammonium nitrate-based particles;
providing a suspension of a gelling agent, suspended in a liquid; and
spraying said suspension with such an amount of gelling agent onto said ammonium nitrate-based particles that a substantially water-insoluble and non-filterable hydrogel is formed if said solid composition is contacted with water,
wherein said solid composition obtained has an average particle size of at least 1 mm and a maximum organic carbon content of 0.4 weight %.

18. A method for producing a solid, particulate, non-explosive composition, comprising ammonium nitrate-based particles and a gelling agent, comprising the consecutive steps of:
providing an ammonium nitrate-based melt comprising a gelling agent; and
granulating said melt, thus producing ammonium nitrate-based particles comprising said gelling agent in such an amount that a substantially water-insoluble and non-filterable hydrogel is formed if said solid composition is contacted with water,
wherein said solid composition obtained has an average particle size of at least 1 mm and a maximum organic carbon content of 0.4 weight %.

19. A method of fertilization, wherein the solid composition according to claim 1 is applied as a non-explosive fertilizer composition, and wherein the potential misuse of the composition as a precursor for an explosive composition is limited.

20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein said non-explosive fertilizer composition is selected from the group consisting of a straight N-fertilizer, a CAN-fertilizer, an NPK-fertilizer, an NP-fertilizer, a high N-NPK-fertilizer, and mixtures thereof.

21. The method according to claim 19 , wherein the fertilizer composition is a slow release, a sustained release or a controlled release ammonium-nitrate based fertilizer.

Assignees

• Yara Int Asa

Inventors

• Tande Terje
• Ledoux Francois

Classifications

• C05G5/37

  layered or coated with a polymer · CPC title

• C05G5/30

  Layered or coated, e.g. dust-preventing coatings · CPC title

• C05G5/40 Primary

  Fertilisers incorporated into a matrix · CPC title

• C05G5/38

  layered or coated with wax or resins · CPC title

• C05G3/90

  for affecting the nitrification of ammonium compounds or urea in the soil · CPC title