I claim:
1. A wet granulation method for granulating a feedstock into granules, comprising the steps of:
providing a first feedstock having about 99.9% particle size of 150 mesh of said 99.9% particle size of 150 mesh about 90% comprising a particle size of 200 mesh;
providing a binder material having a moisture content;
contacting said first feedstock with said binder;
forming a pre-moistened mixture of said binder, said first feedstock and said moisture;
introducing said pre-moistened mixture onto a pan granulator containing a second feedstock different in composition from said first feedstock;
maintaining moisture conditions on said pan where the moisture content on said pan is between 1.5% and 11% by weight; and
forming first granules on said pan directly from contact of said pre-moistened mixture and said second feedstock in the absence of said material.
2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said moisture content is between about 1.5% and about 10.5%.
3. The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein said moisture content is about 8%.
4. The method as set forth in claim 1, further including the step of passing said first granules on to a second pan granulator.
5. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said feedstock is selected from the group comprising sodium bicarbonate, potassium sulfate, potassium chloride, potassium nitrate, ammonium sulfate and sulfur.
6. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said binder comprises about 60% moisture and about 40% solids.
7. The method as set forth in claim 6, wherein between about 7% to about 9% by weight of said binder is added to said pan.
8. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said binder is dry, said moisture content comprising water added to said pan.
9. The method as set forth in claim 4, wherein feedstock for said second pan includes between about 20% to about 35% product in the size range of 10 mesh to about 100 mesh.
10. The method as set forth in claim 9, wherein product from said second pan comprises granules in the size range from about 4 mesh to about 8 mesh.
11. The method as set forth in claim 1, further including the step of adding an oil to formed granules for dust control prior to further processing.
12. The method as set forth in claim 11, wherein said oil comprises an oil selected from canola oil, vegetable oil, mineral oil.
13. A wet granulation method for granulating a feedstock into granules, comprising the steps of:
providing a first feedstock having about 99.9% particle size of 150 mesh of said 99.9% particle size of 150 mesh about 90% comprising a particle size of 200 mesh;
providing a binder material having a moisture content;
contacting said first feedstock with said binder;
forming a pre-moistened mixture of said binder, said first feedstock and said moisture;
introducing said pre-moistened mixture onto a pan granulator containing a second feedstock different in composition and size from said first feedstock in a size distribution of between 35 mesh and 150 mesh;
maintaining moisture conditions on said pan where the moisture content on said pan is between 1.5% and 11% by weight; and
forming first granules on said pan directly from contact of said pre-moistened mixture and said second feedstock in the absence of said material.
14. A fertilizer granule made in accordance with the process of claim 1.
15. The fertilizer granule as set forth in claim 14, wherein said fertilizer granule comprises ammonium sulfate.
16. The fertilizer granule as set forth in claim 14, wherein said fertilizer granule comprises ammonium nitrate.
17. The fertilizer granule as set forth in claim 14, wherein said fertilizer granule comprises potassium sulfate.
18. The fertilizer granule as set forth in claim 14, wherein said fertilizer granule comprises potassium chloride.
19. The fertilizer as set forth in claim 14, wherein said fertilizer granule comprises sulfur.
20. The fertilizer granule as set forth in claim 14, wherein said granule has a uniform and homogeneous cross-section.
21. The fertilizer granule as set forth in claim 16, wherein said granule has a uniform and homogeneous cross-section.
22. The fertilizer granule as set forth in claim 17, wherein said granule has a uniform and homogeneous cross-section.
23. The fertilizer granule as set forth in claim 18, wherein said granule has a uniform and homogeneous cross-section.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1.-10. (canceled)
11. A method for detecting a critical concentration of hydrogen in the exhaust gas of a fuel cell system (1), comprising:
post-combusting exhaust gas from an anode chamber (4) of a fuel cell (3) by means of a burner (17),
detecting the temperature of the combustion exhaust gases,
comparing the temperature of the combustion exhaust gases to a predetermined limit value, and
in the comparison, assuming a critical concentration of hydrogen if the temperature of the combustion exhaust gases is above the limit value,
wherein the exhaust gas from the anode chamber (4) together with exhaust air from the cathode chamber (5) of the fuel cell (3) is post-combusted, and wherein, in addition, the temperature of the exhaust gases from the anode chamber (4) and optionally from the cathode chamber (5), or a mixture thereof, is detected upstream from the burner (17), according to which a temperature difference between the temperature of the combustion waste gases and the temperature of the exhaust gases upstream from the burner (17) is formed and compared to the predefined limit value.
12. The method according to claim 11, wherein a catalytic burner (17) is used as the burner.
13. The method according to claim 11, wherein a temperature increase which results from possible electrical heating (21) of the burner (17) is taken into account in specifying the limit value, the temperature of the combustion waste gases, andor the temperature difference.
14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the quantity andor the temperature of the starting materials which are metered to the fuel cell (3), instantaneously or offset by a lead time, isare taken into account in specifying the limit value, the temperature of the combustion waste gases, andor the temperature difference.
15. The method according to claim 11, wherein a switching state of an exhaust valve (16) andor of a pressure retention valve in the exhaust gas of the anode chamber (4) is taken into account in specifying the limit value, the temperature of the combustion waste gases, andor the temperature difference.
16. The method according to claim 11, wherein a quantity of product water which is discharged from the anode chamber (4) with the exhaust gas is taken into account in specifying the limit value, the temperature of the combustion waste gases, andor the temperature difference.
17. The method according to claim 11, wherein a quantity of product water which is discharged from the anode chamber (4) with the exhaust gas for a discontinuous discharge is taken into account in specifying the limit value, the temperature of the combustion waste gases, andor the temperature difference.
18. The method according to claim 11, wherein a warning message is output andor the fuel cell system (1) is shut down if there is a critical concentration of hydrogen.
19. A method according to claim 11, wherein the fuel cell (3) is used in a fuel cell system (1) which provides electrical power in a vehicle (2).
20. A method according to claim 11, wherein the fuel cell (3) is used in a fuel cell system (1) which provides electrical drive power in a vehicle (2).