pHairway irrigation amendment Cancel The title field is required!

1. Kyle Fick

   

   4 posts
   
   2/20/2013 4:02 PM

   Anybody have much experience with this product. Heard about it in San Diego, researching it a bit now. Not alot of good info regarding handling, application etc. I am specifically looking at it as a way to replace a sulfur generator, but upon reading handling info, plumbing requirements to get it injected, etc., I'm wondering what the benefits are. I'm setup with S-burner now, and know what it does and doesn't do, but am not sure if an acidifier injection would be simpler long term.
   
   Any thoughts, suggestions or feedback from either side? Thanks.

   
   
   
   
2. Michael Rogers

   

   2 posts
   
   2/21/2013 4:02 AM

   Kyle, pHairway is 49% sulfuric acid and the quantity of urea necessary to make it 15N by weight. The cost of pHairway applications would be several times more than your sulfur burner. A downside of the sulfur burner is that if your problem is precipitation in your irrigation system the second H+ from the sulfur burner is released after microbial reaction in the soil.
   
   Either way, the pHairway would be 3 to 6 times more expensive even after you deduct the urea value. If you have a good circulation of the treated water to make a homogenous irrigation supply, I would stick with the burner.
   
   Michael Rogers
   Down to EARTH Water Management

   
   
   
   
3. Kyle Fick

   

   4 posts
   
   2/21/2013 8:02 AM

   Thanks for the info. After doing some more background digging, I 100% agree with you. I'm working on a better circulation system for our burner in the wetwell pond as we speak. Also, it just seems the safety and handleing of the pHairway product is so much higher than the issues associated with pelleted elemental sulfur.

   
   
   
   
4. Bill Atkin

   

   0 posts
   
   2/21/2013 4:02 PM

   Kyle,
   
   It will take over 6 tons of nphuric acid to equal 1 ton of elemental sulfur through the sulfurous acid generator (burner). The relative value of sulfuric acid to elemental sulfur is 3.06 to 1; nphuric is sulfuric cut in half with urea.
   
   Sulfurous acid (H2SO3) is a mild acid that releases its hydrogen in sequence. In order to protect the irrigation system from the acid usually a target of 6.5 ph is considered safe, at a ph of 6.5 over 60% of the alkalinity (HCO3) remains.
   
   Every meq./L of bicarbonates approximates 200 lbs. of lime-forming potential. It takes acid to break down the lime; the remaining bisulfate (HSO3) provides the required hydrogen to remove the carbonates in the soil.
   
   PH indicates the presence of hydrogen, it is the most abundant element on earth more than 75% of all matter. Alkalinity is a hydrogen deficiency; sulfurous acid is the safest most efficient way to deliver hydrogen to the soil.
   
   Bill Atkin CGCS
   Boulder City, Nevada

   
   
   
   
5. Bill Atkin

   

   0 posts
   
   2/23/2013 9:02 AM

   Kyle,
   There is a mistake in my response to your post. I stated at 6.5 ph over 60% of the alkalinity remains, that needs to be changed to over 55% hco3 remains.
   Bill

   
   
   
   
6. Michael Rogers

   

   2 posts
   
   2/24/2013 3:02 PM

   Hello Bill,
   
   I have seen your name in wastewater blogs regarding the invention of sulfur burner equipment. Could you please tell me how much sulfur you need to burn to eradicate one milliequivalent of HCO3 from an acre foot of water?
   
   I have conflicting numbers from Sweetwater, Harmon, and my calculations.
   
   Thank you
   
   Michael Rogers
   Down to EARTH Water Management