EXACTRIX PRODUCTS BREAKTHROUGH

April 24,00. Hannaford, ND.

Testing continues with a seed opener that allows NH3 placement very close to the seed row. Dennis and Brian Haugen using their Exactrix equipped Concord Airseeder have been applying high pressure NH3 in a sweep opener. Several openers have been tried, all with great success.

Concord Airseeders have the capability to seed in paired rows using sweep openers. A good example is the Anderson opener which places the NH3 4 to 5 inches deep. The Anderson opener is excellent for a pressure reducing system. Haugen’s started with the Anderson openers using the Exactrix system.

Exactrix assisted the Haugen’s in modifying a Farmland chrome sweep opener. The Haugen’s needed a different opener to:

1. reduce horsepower and tillage in rock strewn soils.

2. reduce wear, service requirements and breakage.

3. avoid complicating the seeder with single disc deep banders staggered through the Airseeder frame on 10 inch centers.

4. increase ground speed from 5.5 mph to 7.5 mph.

5. increase the machine width from 33 feet to 40 or 48 feet.

6. consider changing to even narrower row spacing.

7. seed six different crops in two row and band spacings.

This E-sweep opener has been under testing for three seeding seasons. It has evolved to a Farmland chrome deep section sweep that produces two seed rows and a band of Exactrix NH3 located between the rows. Wear testing indicated 10,000 acres of service.

Six crops have been seeded including the most sensitive crop Flax. Starter 0-18-0-8S-l2Ca-3Fe and micro nutrients Cu,CI are applied in the paired rows of seed. All seeding show no sign of germination damage. NDSU’s Dr. John Morghan has taken micro core samples.

The high pressure, direct injection, liquid NH3 is driven deeper into the soil by the concentrated stream flow generated by the Exactrix system. No opener freezing is an additional benefit with dry fertilizer materials.

What is new with NH3?

A recent review of the Washington State Fertilizer Testing Program indicates the CF Industries produces the highest quality NH3. Heavy metal concentrations were the lowest of any fertilizer tested. Lead, Arsenic, and Cadmium were barely detectable. Several synthetic fertilizers were prohibited for application in the state.

NH3 is manufactured as a clear material. In fact some grades of NH3 are 82.5% nitrogen. Also water is present but normally no greater than 10 ppm as manufactured. This makes the material ideal for high pressure injection. High quality filters are required since NH3 can pick up rust in transport from the plant.

10-34-0 had some of the highest but permissible levels of heavy metals. 10-34-0 is manufactured from phosphoric green acid and NH3 in TVA designed reactors. It is suspected that the heavy metals are being supplied with the green acid. The wet process method common to the manufacture of the green acid may be the culprit since the rock phosphate mined in the rich Idaho phosphate reserves does not have the heavy metals concentration.

Magnetic Interference Filters from Exactrix.

Exactrix primary and final filters with magnetic interference are being introduced in September. The Exactix filters without magnetic interference are capable of removing particulate sizes of .006” diameter or greater. It was recently discovered that the Exactrix filters actually improve port to port accuracy about 5% adm. This is because iron oxide from the tanks and transport systems introduce a third specific gravity factor into the accurate metering formula. Also N-serve may interact with the iron oxide.

The Exactrix magnetic interference filters also improve the wear on the pumps and the critical terminal injection orifices.

Two large 1 lb. ceramic magnets are mounted in the non turbulent area of the filter before and after filtration. Ferrous particulate is captured by the gauss field. The contaminants must be magnetic.