Development of organomineral fertilizer powder and granulate from biomass of the sugarcane industry

• Grant number: 19/08626-2
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Start date: February 01, 2020
• End date: December 31, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Camila de Almeida Melo
• Grantee: Camila de Almeida Melo
• Company: Camila de Almeida Melo
• CNAE: Pesquisa e desenvolvimento experimental em ciências físicas e naturais
• Associated scholarship(s): 20/04825-8 - Development of powdered and granulated organomineral fertilizer using sugar-energy industry biomasses, BP.TT; 20/03265-9 - Development of powdered and granulated organomineral fertilizer using sugar-energy industry biomasses, BP.PIPE

Abstract

The organomineral fertilizer market accounted for about 12% of the billing of the plant nutrition technology industry in 2018, ranking second to 71% of the foliar fertilizers. This type of fertilizer was the one that grew the most (21%) between the years 2017 and 2018. Thus, investing in research and development of technologies that allow the production and / or improvement of organomineral fertilizers is fundamental to serve the market of agricultural inputs which is so important for Brazil. The objective of this project is to develop the process of production of organomineral fertilizer (patent deposited by the responsible researcher BR102016002221-5, WO2017132742A1), in the form of powder and granulate, by hydrothermal carbonization using the mixture of sugarcane bagasse, vinasse and phosphoric acid , in order to meet the specifications, guarantees and tolerances defined by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA). In hydrothermal carbonization the process is conducted in medium temperatures of 180 to 250 ºC, in a closed reactor, with biomasses containing a high moisture content, under conditions of self-generated pressure, which favors the rapid transformation of the biomass, concentrating carbon in the final solid material, reducing gas emissions, which makes the technique environmentally suitable. The process of production of the organomineral fertilizer will be conducted in high pressure reactors and the best reaction time conditions, proportion of the mixture of sugarcane bagasse, vinasse and phosphoric acid will be evaluated in order to obtain a product with the highest content of carbon and nutrients, in the shortest time, besides the possibility of formulating the fertilizer according to the need of the consumer. Subsequently, the use of the product in the form of powder or granulate will be evaluated, and the granulation process will be optimized. Most organomineral fertilizers marketed by large and small companies use non-renewable natural resources as source of the organic fraction (peat, lignite and leonardite) and mineral fraction (potassium chloride, phosphate rock, and micronutrient salts). And those that use renewable sources such as cattle manure, chicken bed, swine manure, sewage sludge and leaves, straw and bagasse in general, use processes to stabilize organic matter and to remove pathogens that require relatively long time, as well as an additional mixing step with mineral fertilizers. The organomineral fertilizer to be developed in this PIPE project is innovative and this will be explored by the company, emphasizing the own benefits of its use, be it economic and environmental, as well as, mainly, highlighting its differentials regarding the single stage production, as for the reutilization and the environmentally adequate technique used in its production. It is expected to obtain a product that meets the specifications, guarantees and limits of tolerance defined by Brazilian legislation and is still produced by sustainable technology. (AU)