growing confidence - Honeywell Sulf-N®26 Ammonium Sulfate Nitrate

what is Sulf-N 26?

Q: What is this new fertilizer, Sulf-N 26?

A: It’s a fertilizer that contains 26 percent nitrogen and 14 percent sulfur. It is a proprietary compound of ammonium sulfate nitrate. In other words, it is a fusion of ammonium sulfate and ammonium nitrate fertilizers.

Q: How is it made? What is the technical make-up?

A: The ammonium sulfate and ammonium nitrate are fused together using a proprietary method that is patent protected.

Q: How was it developed?

A: Honeywell has been a producer of ammonium sulfate fertilizer for more than 50 years and we are constantly looking for new ways to improve our fertilizers and meeting our customers’ agronomic needs. We know that many customers are looking for the benefits of both AS and AN fertilizer.

A: the same time, Honeywell is also focused on megatrends such as safety and security. So we set out to develop a new fertilizer technology that would produce an effective, easy-to-use fertilizer that would address safety concerns about AN, its explosive characteristics and its potential to be “weaponized.”

Q: Does this new fertilizer work as well as ammonium nitrate?

A: Sulf-N 26 contains both nitrogen and sulfur, which are essential plant nutrients. Any crop that needs both, such as cereal and vegetable crops, would benefit from this fertilizer

Q: What is the difference between ammonium sulfate and ammonium nitrate?

A: Each provide nitrogen, but ammonium sulfate also contains sulfur which is needed for crop nutrition. Fertilizers are often blended to provide certain levels of specific nutrients needed for a specific crop or soil condition. An analogy would be multivitamins, which are tailored to provide certain amounts of vitamins or minerals for an individual person’s needs.

Q: In what form will Sulf-N 26 be available?

A: As a dry granular product, comparably sized to blend with other fertilizer materials.

Q: What plants grow best?

A: Plants or soil conditions where that benefit from a non-volatile form of nitrogen and a quick acting nitrate-nitrogen and sulfate-sulfur.

safety and security

Q: What do you mean when you say it has less explosive potential?

A: Ammonium nitrate, while being an excellent fertilizer, is commonly used in certain industries as an explosive by combining it with other materials such as fuel oil. This is due to the oxidizing nature of ammonium nitrate. Ammonium sulfate by itself is non-explosive, non-energetic inert fertilizer that provides needed nitrogen and sulfur. By fusing this inert material with AN, the explosive potential of the resulting fertilizer is significantly reduced.

Q: Is Sulf-N 26 an oxidizing material?

A:Sulf-N 26 as test by UN/DOT methods was determined to be a non-oxidizing material. Nitrates, including ammonium nitrate, are strong oxidizers. Test have shown that Sulf-N 26 mixtures do not catch fire when exposed to ignition, as compared to AN, which does. This test is what is shown in the video.

Q: It is hazardous?

A: No, Sulf-N 26 has been tested and determined to be non-hazardous by Department of Transportation and United Nations standards.

Q: How did you test the explosiveness? What guidelines did you use?

A: Honeywell worked with the Energetic Materials Research and Testing Center (EMRTC), a division of the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology and the U.S. Government to test the product. As there are no existing official government protocols for testing explosiveness of such materials, so we worked to develop testing guidelines with DHS and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The tests were carried out by EMRTC as an independent third party. Currently there are no government standard protocols for testing this type of material. We are continuing to work with both the DHS and ATF to standardize the certification test for these types of materials.

Q: What is the SAFETY Act?

A: As part of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, Congress enacted several liability protections for providers of anti-terrorism technologies. The SAFETY Act provides incentives for the development and deployment of anti-terrorism technologies by creating a system of “risk management” and a system of “litigation management.” The purpose of the Act is to ensure that the threat of liability does not deter potential manufacturers or Sellers of anti-terrorism technologies from developing and commercializing technologies that could significantly reduce the risks or mitigate the effects of large-scale terrorist events. The Act thus creates certain liability limitations for “claims arising out of, relating to, or resulting from an act of terrorism” where qualified anti-terrorism technologies have been deployed. The Act does not limit liability for harms caused by anti-terrorism technologies when no act of terrorism has occurred.

business questions

Q: How is this new fertilizer manufactured? What is the process you are considering?

A: We are currently conducting scale up tests on a manufacturing method. Honeywell cannot give out additional information on the manufacturing method as it is considered competitive and proprietary.

Q: How will Sulf-N 26 be commercialized?

A: We are currently in discussions with a number of potential partners who would share the cost of building manufacturing facilities to produce the new fertilizer. We are also evaluating options including tolling relationships with potential partners and licensing the technology to third parties globally.

Q: How soon will the new fertilizer be available?

A: We are hoping to have an agreement with a potential partners that would allow limited quantities for sale in 2009. It is too soon to say how much or when at this point.