Measuring Device and Method for the Qualitative and Quantitative In-Situ Real-Time Determination of the Ammonium Content and the Ammonium Conversion to Nitrite in Soil

Simple SummaryContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

This patent describes a measuring device and method for real-time, in-situ qualitative and quantitative determination of ammonium content and ammonium conversion to nitrite in soil. The invention uses a non-invasive system to capture and analyze soil gas emissions (such as ammonia and nitrogen oxides) and, with supporting sensors and calibration data, calculates ammonium and nitrite concentrations directly and rapidly in the field. The system can be used as a mobile solution, for example mounted on agricultural vehicles, enabling coverage of large areas and immediate results without traditional destructive soil sampling and lengthy laboratory analysis.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Precision agriculture: guiding site-specific fertilizer application to avoid overfertilization and optimize yield.
• Environmental monitoring: preventing nitrate leaching and groundwater contamination by monitoring soil nitrogen status.
• Research: studying nitrogen transformation processes in agricultural and natural soils.
• Regulatory compliance: providing rapid data for farmers and authorities to ensure legal nitrogen application limits are not exceeded.
• Agricultural automation: integrating with farm machinery for automated, real-time nitrogen management across fields.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Non-invasive and real-time: measures soil nitrogen status quickly without destructive sampling.
• High spatial resolution: easily covers large areas with mobile operation, allowing detailed mapping.
• Labor and time saving: eliminates need for manual sampling, transport, and lab analysis.
• Supports sustainable agriculture: enables precise nutrient management, reducing environmental impacts like nitrate pollution.
• Versatility: can be integrated with vehicles, operate wirelessly, and store/export data for further use.
• Enhanced data accuracy: collects multiple environmental parameters (pH, temperature, moisture) to improve analysis.
• Data connectivity: options for cloud storage and wireless data transfer facilitate integration with digital farm management systems.

Technical Classifications (CPCs)

Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

The invention relates to a measuring arrangement for the qualitative and quantitative in-situ and real-time determination of the ammonium content and the ammonium conversion to nitrite in soil, comprising at least the following components: one or more gas sampling device/devices, at least one multigas measuring device, at least one mass flow device, at least one readout device and at least one evaluation device for the multigas measuring device. The invention further relates to a method for the qualitative and quantitative in-situ and real-time determination of the ammonium content and the ammonium conversion to nitrite in soil in which the measuring arrangement according to the invention is used and the following method steps are carried out: a) sampling of soil emissions from a soil by means of one or more gas sampling device/devices and transport of these soil emissions to at least one multigas measuring device, b) determination of the mass flow of the soil emissions to the multigas measuring device using a mass flow measuring device, c) determination of the emission rate f of NH3 and NO from the soil with a readout device from the data of the multigas measuring device and the mass flow measuring device, based on the area of the soil covered by the gas sampling device, d) determination of the ammonium and nitrite content of the soil by an evaluation device, wherein the determined emission rates f from step c) are compared with calibration data previously determined for the soil and thus the local qualitative and quantitative concentration of the ammonium and nitrite content of the soil is determined in-situ in real-time.