Claims:We claim :
1. A process for manufacture of seaweed tablet for controlled release of fertilizer, comprising the steps of:
a) Extraction of seaweed liquid;
i) taking 50 to 70kg of seaweeds (with moisture content of 25-30%) and washing with fresh water to remove all epiphytes and sand particles;
ii) weighing of cleaned wet seaweed and mixing with 350 - 400 litres of 2-4% caustic solution(KOH) in a 500 - 600 Litres reactor vessel;
iii) maintaining the pH of mixture between 9 to 10 by adjusting with addition of Citric acid buffer solution;
iv) boiling for 90 to 120 minutes at 70o C to 80o C;
v) filtering the boiled material through filter press to separate solid and liquid;
vi) transferring the filtered seaweed liquid to processing or mixing tank for further process;
b) Production of seaweed powder;
i) mixing the processed seaweed liquid with 5-10% of humic acid powder;
ii) Mixing the above contents with help of high speed agitator in the RPM around 2000 to 3500;
iii) moving the contents to a Horizontal type steam heated drum dryer / flaker for making seaweed powder;
c) preparing a composition that includes 68% w/w of Seaweed powder; 25% Chelated Micro nutrients, 5% Plant growth regulator and 2% Talc powder which acts as a partially binding and disintegrating agent;
d) mixing the said composition thoroughly in a blender and forwarding to a tablet making machine for manufacture of Seaweed based Tablets of required size.
2. The process for manufacture of seaweed tablet for controlled release of fertilizer, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seaweed is an Indian brown seaweed Sargassum.
3. The process for manufacture of seaweed tablet for controlled release of fertilizer, as claimed in claim 2, wherein the seaweed contains a polysaccharide Alginic acid which is a binding agent and also a disintegrating. , Description:This invention is to provide a tablet or compact plant food or fertilizer containing in slowly available form with major raw material of seaweed powder and also enriched with some micro elements which is vital substance of the organic plant nutrients with tablet technology. It is readily broken up by water so as to expose a large surface area of the slowly release fertilizer. Over all the seaweed tablet concept of the invention is to reduce the loss of fertilizer, reduce the cost of the labour and improve the soil profile.
A) Extraction of seaweed liquid:
1) 50 to 70kg of seaweeds (moisture content 25-30%) are taken and washed with fresh water to remove all epiphytes and sand particles.
2) The cleaned wet seaweed is weighed and mixed with 350 - 400lits of 2-4% caustic solution(KOH) in a 500 - 600 Lit. reactor vessel.
3) The pH of mixer is maintained between 9 to 10 adjusted with addition of Citric acid buffer solution.
4) It is boiled for 90 to 120 minutes at 70o C to 80o C.
5) The boiled material is filtered through filter press to separate solid and liquid.
6) The filtered seaweed liquid is transferred to processing or mixing tank for further process.
Note: The solid matter is lifted out of the tank by overhead pulleys for compost process.
B) Production of seaweed powder:
1) The processed seaweed liquid is mixed with 5-10% of humic acid powder.
2) Mixing the above contents with help of high speed agitator in the RPM around 2000 to 3500.
3) The composition is moved to a Horizontal type steam heated drum dryer / flaker for making seaweed powder.
C) Production of Innovative Seaweed based Tablets: The Seaweed tablet is made with our innovative product of the above said bio-stimulants name seaweed powder with addition of following ingredients.
Seaweed tablet formulation in 100kg(w/w):
Seaweed powder : 68 kg
Chelated Micro nutrients: 25kg
Plant Growth Regulator: 5kg
Talc powder : 2kg (Partially Binding and disintegrate agent).
The above ingredients mixed thoroughly with using blender and forwarded to tablet machine.
Design of tablet machine:
The design of tablet machine parts such as hopper, pocket roller, gear, shafts and bearings are done these parts of fabrication. Various tablet dies are used for making different sizes of tablets eg. 1gm, 2gm and 5gms(Figures enclosed). The machine having capacity to produce bio-stimulant fertilizer tablet is 50kg/hr.
Figure 5 in the attached drawings illustrates a 16 station rotary tablet making machine