Accurate control of mixed gas and liquid phases is difficult. Conventional application systems do an excellent job of applying consistent amounts of anhydrous ammonia over a field. But they don’t provide equal flow to each injector knife. Heat exchangers cool the ammonia below its boiling point before entering a flow meter and control valve. With only liquid present, the valve can exert near perfect control. However, when the anhydrous goes through the control valve it loses pressure and boils, creating a mixture of liquid and gas. This mixture cannot be precisely split in a manifold. So distribution among the knives is random and variable. The Equaply™ system increases pressure above the boiling point and splits liquid at the manifolds, resulting in even row to row amounts.

Strip till farmers can see the effects of poor ammonia distribution. Strip till corn rows and anhydrous rows are in the same place. When distribution is unequal some rows get more vapor and less liquid. “Streaking is then visible across the width of toolbar application. Conventional tillage farmers are less likely to see uneven distribution. They usually over-apply so the rows with less ammonia still have an adequate amount. Also, they often apply at a diagonal application and planting rows don’t coincide.

 

Features of the aNH3 Equaply™ system are:

1. A pump to boost the pressure of anhydrous ammonia coming from the nurse tank. This pump assures constant pressure where NH3 is manifolded to knives. Anhydrous can be applied consistently over a wide variation in tank pressure, even on a very cold day.

2.   Orifices in lines to each injection knife. These orifices keep anhydrous ammonia as a liquid until it has been split equally between the openers or knives.

3.   A flow control system to assure that the application of ammonia is constant. Variable rate application is easy.

 

4.  The Equaply™ system is unitized for easy installation on a toolbar. Installation involves bolting the main assembly and manifolds to the tool bar. All major piping has already been done. Hooking up hydraulic lines from the tractor and plastic anhydrous hoses completes the installation. After hook up to the nurse tank and instrument connections to the controller, the system is ready to apply anhydrous.

Description of the aNH3 Equaply™ system-

Nurse Tank Connection- Our system requires an Acme coupler with high flow globe valve at the nurse tank. A 1¼” anhydrous hose connects to a high flow breakaway at the inlet to the heat exchanger. For high flow rates, the use of dual tanks is suggested, particularly during cold weather. For very high flow rates we recommend that your fertilizer dealer install high flow 1¼” valves on the tank outlets in place of the usual 1” valves. Our system does not require bottom outlet tanks.

Heat Exchanger- The one and only reason for a heat exchanger is to cool the anhydrous below its boiling point. In systems without pumps, vapor makes most flow meters inaccurate. Most pumped systems such as Equaply™ vapor lock when a gas phase is present. A heat exchanger condenses the gas phase and allows the pump to operate. Once pressure has been increased by the pump, the anhydrous is much below its boiling point. The Equaply™ uses specially ported Hiniker heat exchangers for increased flow. Our larger flow models have two heat exchangers in parallel.  A basket strainer after the exchanger catches solids from the nurse tank. A strainer after the pump collects particles which could clog an orifice. A hydrastat protects against over pressurization by solar heating of a standing, charged system.

Pump- The pump assembly is perhaps the most important part of our system. We use a Hypro centrifugal pump because it doesn't surge like piston pumps. A hydraulic motor drives the pump. The main reason for a pump is equal distribution. The pump keeps anhydrous as a liquid until it can be split at manifolds. Vapor affects distribution because it takes the easiest path. For example, if there is a circular manifold on a toolbar which tilts down to the left on a hillside, vapor will tend to go out of hose barbs which are up and to the right.  For custom applicators, the most important reason for a pump is the ability to apply at full rate when it’s cold. Conventional systems often slow down during late Fall and early Spring.

Flow and Measurement Control- The Equaply™ has a Hiniker flow sensor and Hiniker servo valve. Signals from the flow sensor go to a Hiniker 8605 or 8160 controller which operates the servo valve. The Hiniker flow sensor has maximum accuracy because it sees only liquid.  We also offer systems with flow meters and servos to interface with AgLeader Insight and Deere Greenstar.
    To verify row distribution we offer gauge trees and panels which monitor flows to individual rows.  This Fall we will have EquaRow™, an electronic monitor in the tractor cab which monitors individual rows with an alarm for an out-of-spec row.

Manifolds and Orifices- After the servo valve, flow goes to one or more manifolds.  Each manifold is controlled by an electrically operated valve.  TeeJet orifices at the manifold are housed in special fitting assemblies which allow the use of conventional 3/8" EVA ammonia tubing or smaller Teflon® tubing sizes.  In some cases, the fitting assemblies connect lines to the gauge panel.
    The range of rates possible with a given set of orifices is not great as we would like. This is particularly true with big changes in tank temperature and greatly different application rates. Tank pressure can easily range from 50 psig to 150 psig. Some farmers go from 20 to 150 lbs. of N per acre. If large rate variations are necessary, we can widen the range with Impellicone manifolds.  At lower rates, the manifolds will be dividing a mix of liquid and gas.  This is inherently less accurate than dividing liquid.  However, the Impellicone manifolds are the best possible way to divide this mixture so you will still get reasonable equality of rates, row to row.

Have you seen this before? 

A plugged anhydrous knife can cause you to have that not-so-fashionable yellow streak across your corn field.  That streak also takes the green out of your pocket. 

With the increasing cost of ammonia, it is essential to know that your fertilizer is being placed correctly into the soil.  A gauge tree helps to ensure that the fertilizer application is accurate by monitoring the flow pressure to each knife. 

 Don’t lose sleep worrying about if a knife was plugged.  You’ll know that fertilizer was applied correctly through each knife with a gauge tree.