The If you've thought exhaust fumes were aways bad, well... think again! An Australian farmer who has cut his costs for fertilization dramatically by recycling the fumes from his tractor directly into the cropping soil. Although the fumes are almost always dangerous for humans, this example shows that by pumping them in the soul can bring some benefits and increase the productivity as well. The biology of the soil is getting stimulated with many helpful elements such as nitrogen, iron, calcium, phosphorus and zinc. That reduces the need for special fertilization on the soil, thanks to all materials that already feed the soil. The improvement is seen in ten to fifteen percent better germination, improved number of worms and the capability for holding the soil moisture is also increased. Of course, diesel fumes are still dangerous for humans, but the main thing here is that the fuel is derived directly from oil which once was just water organic matter.
So how does this work? The system is very compact and simple. First, it is mounted on the top of the tractor. The fumes are then funneled into a radiator unit which has five fans that can be controlled by switches. Switches can quickly lower the emissions temperatures from around three hundred degrees Celsius to just eighty degrees in a matter of few milliseconds. Fumes then get pumped by a hose that is flexible to the unit behind, and it coats the seeds in moist and warm air as it blows directly in the soil bed. Farmers are convinced that this process of seed coating is contributing towards improved germination, while the soil benefits a lot from the gas.
This injection system was constantly improved and even won the second prize on a Farm Inventor competition a few years back. Ever since then the selling of commercial version of this system has increased, and many croppers in Australia and the even US are buying it. The Australian farmer who started first with this system claims that an average farming operation should pay off for this unit in less than couple of years with all the savings that can be made on fertilizer inputs. He also said that not only the fertilized cropping rotation (canola, wheat and a two-year legume-based pasture phase) can pay quality soil and grain dividends, but the sheep will also look better and healthier on pasture phase.
This idea for using gas in the fertilization process has been on people`s minds throughout the entire century. However, the typical problem was how to reduce the temperature quickly and another problem was how to make this process more affordable for the farmers. Exhaust gasses have also been mixed with water and used for irrigation purposes in many greenhouses and yards in order to stimulate the growth of plants and trees.
As you exhaust fumes are not always dangerous, especially when used in proper ways. This system is expected to get more attention in the upcoming years and to contribute towards better crops and better profits from the farmers across the world.
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