DCI Nano Clay Gamechanger

Desert Control Institute Inc. www.desertcontrol.com

The Game Changer in Dry land Farming is the NanoClayTechnology making

Dry Sandy Soils the superior soil for growing any crop.

Kristian P. Olesen1 and Ahmed El Kerdany2

1Desert Control Institute, Stavanger, Norway, e-mail: [email protected] 2Agricultural Research Center, Cairo, e-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: The world is lacking water and productive soil for growingfood. Mankind have always hope to revegetate the deserts. So farthere have been no good solutions to solve these 2 issues. Thiswas solved in a study by Kristian P. Olesen. The outcome was theNanoClay Technology. By using NanoClay we chance the dry sandysoil to a soil which adsorbs water and nutrients available to theplants. Due to the amount of water and NanoClay the soil istreated down to ~60 cm's depth in the normal Egyptian desert sand.The water-NanoClay mixture is irrigated into the soil. NanoClaywill reduce water lost due to gravity, as the soil approaches

The NanoClay Gamechanger Page 1 of 15

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


field capacity, the peculation decreases, protecting addednutrients from being flushed away with water lost due to gravity.The experience is a irrigation reduction of 50 to 66% depending onthe temperature and wind velocity. The lower figure refers to highwind velocity and ~30-35°C in an area 8 kilometre east ofIsmailia, Egypt (at the middle of the Suez channel). The wheatcrop increase 416% compared to the reference areas. Roughly 40% ofthe world grain harvest is grown in irrigated land(1). Thistreatment creates huge aggregates. If a 'No till' method is usedthis will last for many years, if normal tilting is used anadditional treatment can be required with intervals of 4 to 5years. This will be a positive addition the the sinking of thegreenhouse gasses.

Key words - NanoClayTechnology, irrigation water savings, deserts changed to superior soils.

1. BACKGROUND

All the dry land communities have always been searching for a solution toenhance the water and nutrients conservations in the soil as well as thereduction of soil movement by the wind, but a lot of these solutions are workintensive and quite costly. Looking at the Egyptian research over many years in this matter, it is obviousthat an enormous amount of work and many good solutions have been found, thebest of these was too expensive to implement in a sustainable way due to theamount of work and the costs of the clays involved.

Today’s many types of soil enhancements products are expensive and justdoing a part of the intended outcome and some of them have serious drawbacks.

The food and water shortage is well documented by United Nations andothers. (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

2. INTRODUCTION

The experience from 25 years in engineering within Heating, Ventilation, Air-Conditioning, Piping, Noise and Rotating machinery as a consultant and 9 yearsas a turn-key contractor delivery projects to offshore oil industry in the NorthSea, are the experience base for the following case and one project managementcase of testing an organic solution to this task of reducing the temperature ofthe rot zone temperature in desert areas and reradiation of heat from the soilsurface.

Interdiscpilinary skill caused the solution described in thisarticle.

3. METHODOLOGY



Figure 1: Typical tree with roots. The red dotted line represent 60 cmdepth of the roots

Going through all the available information both on internet andfrom connections, it was obvious that the main issue was to createaggregates in the sandy soils. Due to the hot conditions in mostdesert areas all organic solutions ain't feasible due to thermaloxidation and all the small organisms which are eating this. Butthe Egyptians had a solution where they used a lot of clay up to900 tons per hectare and mixed this mechanical into the soil, thisgave the wanted results but was much too expensive to do in asustainable farming system.

So the target was how to irrigate the clay into the sandysoils and this means by disintegrate the clays into individualflakes. At the start of this case there was just chemicalsolutions for solving this issue with an acceptable pot time andthe chemicals was not acceptable for applications involving foodproduction.

The idea was really an exclusion of all other possibilities,so we started to produce and test some different mechanical mixersand ended up with an excellent machinery doing the job withexcellence and this process is now patented.

When the depth of the application was chosen, this was basedon the normal root depth of trees and plants and ended up withchoosing the upper 60 centimetre of the soil.

When the NanoClay was applied in the tests we used an oldrewamped water wagon with an additional pump for increasing thepressure and velocity through to outlet holes in the distribution



pipe at the rear. See fig. 2 below.

Figure 2: A simple way to apply the NanoClay, which was premixed andpumped into the tank. 5 passings over the soil was required in order to

reach the wanted treatment depth of 60 cm.

4. RESULTS / SOLUTION

The machinery makes the nano particle minerals (flakes)homogenized into water and distributed through normal pipes andsprinklers to the field, or if one have pivot systems these areused. NanoClay is minerals divided into it's smallest componentswhich are 0.7 to 1.5 nanometre thick with a diameter of 20-300nanometre mixed with water, the flakes have added airbubles onboth sides. The bonding is a weak Van Waal binding and when theparticlles get near the sand particles the affinity to the sandparticles is much higher and the flakes are bounded to the sandparticles with static electricity. This results in an increase ofthe water and nutrients holding capacity and creation of hugeaggregates, but still keeping the airiness of the sandy particles.The pot time is up to 4 days.



The NanoClay's can't be stored or used in dry forms, then thiswill pack into much too large lumps and will close the soilsurface so even water can't percolate into the soil.

In figure 3. one sees the flakes are covering half of the viewthrough the microscope, and the other half where the baseplate iswhite. See the text at the fig. 1.

Figure 3: NanoClay on sandy soil particles magnified 1700 x.

5. TESTING

The tests were done at Agricultural Research Center's station inIsmailia at a field 8 kilometre east of the Suez channel in avirgin desert area. The aim of this study was to evaluate Nanoclayapplication to the sandy soil and the effect of this treatment onthe wheat variant Sakha 93 production and saving water by 66%.The soil characterized according to Chapman and Pratt (1961). The



loamy sand soil characterized according to Chapman and Pratt(1961). Physical and chemical analysis of soil and irrigationwater were analysed in table (1):

Table (1): Physical and chemical characteristics of the soil used in theexperiment.

Table 1 shows the physical and chemical soil characteristicsat the studied test site. The soil has a loamy sand (L.S) textureand non saline and non alkali class. The analysis of irrigationwater given in table 3 indicated that it belongs to non salinewater, low sodium water class. This water was used in the sprinklersystem, and the chemical analysis of the irrigation water wascarried out using the standard methods of Rainwater and Thatcher.

Table (2): Bulk density and Field capacity and cation exchange capacity of the treatedand untreated areas

Table (3): Chemical analysis for irrigation water.

The area irrigation system was installed and were fertilizedwith an amount of 20 cubic metre per Feddan (4250 m2) of animalmanure all over the 6 Feddan and this was ploughed into the soil.Then the test area was divided into 4 blocks, 1 for blind test and3 for NanoClay tests.The fertilizing was done according to local tradition and notoptimized for getting the optimum yield.


Physical characteristicsSoil texture Coarse sand (% ) Fine sand (% ) Silt (% ) Clay (% ) Field capacity (g/cm)Sandy 12.91 81.97 3.21 1.91 10.96

Chemical characteristics

pH Cations me/l Anions me/lNa K Ca Co3 Cl So4

7.90 17.25 1.96 156.00 0.72 0.33 1.84 0.03 1.75 2.10

CaCO 3 (% )EC (dS/m) (1:25)

CEC (meq/100 g)

Bulk density 0.00 0.10 0.33 0.66 1.00 3.00 1.50Field capacity CEC

Untreated area 31.86 11.10 6.89 4.15 3.72 3.00 2.82 1.56Treated area 51.21 12.10 10.80 9.30 8.10 6.20 4.71 3.40

EC PH SO 4 CI HCO 3 CO 3 K N a M g Ca4.05 7.73 5.87 27.44 4.30 - 0.73 23.4 12.43 8.76


After we have reviced the results, we expects much betterresults with optimized fertilizing when done according to thelacking fertilizer given by the results of the soil tests from thearea.

Then 80% of NanoClay was irrigated into the soil in the 3 testareas and the blind test area was irrigated with the same amountof water, the wheat was seeded and the last 20% of the NanoClaywas irrigated into the soil and covering all surfaces of the wheatseeds. The blind-test area was irrigated with the similar amountof water.

Transforming virgin sandy desert into farmland:Treating the sandy desert with NanoClay the maximum availablewater to plants are increased by 39% and the night condensates areadsorbed.



Table (4): The avarage results from Volummetric Water Content measurements


Novem ber 2009Logger dept in cm : 70 40 30 20 10BLIND TEST Blind2Nov22-09Irrigated every day by 7,5 Liter during 45 m inutes according to the workers.

Logger value in % Volum etric W ater Content % Avg.Avarage per depth 7,0 3,0 8,0 7,1 6,2 6,3M easurem ent starting: 21.11.2009 at 13:14:44Ended 23.11.2009 at 15:06:59Num ber of m easurem entsNANOCLAY TEST Logger5Nov22-09

Logger value in % Volum etric W ater Content % Avg.Avarage per depth 9,2 8,0 5,8 5,7 9,7 7,7M easurem ent starting: 13.11.2009 at 16:00:32Ended 22.11.2009 at 15:55:29Num ber of m easurem ents 13156NANOCLAY TEST Logger6Nov21-09

Logger value in % Volum etric W ater Content % Avg.Avarage per depth 10,0 8,8 10,0 10,0 10,2 9,8M easurem ent starting: 13.11.2009 at 17:34:31Ended 21.11.2009 at 17:33:31Num ber of m easurem ents 12034All Areas total no. of m easurem ents 27505Generel: The date was not correct set when applied in the field.Results: IM PROVEM NET IN %Blind test 7,5m m w ater/day VW C % = 6,3Logger 5 2,5m m w ater/day in average VW C % = 7,7 122Logger 6 2,5m m w ater/day in average VW C % = 9,8 156

Average of Logger 5+6 VW C % = 8,7

In % 139,1Note: See the details in the next 3 sheets.

Page 0: This front page.See page 1: Blind2Nov22-09See page 73: Logger5Nov22-09See page 402: Logger6Nov21-09

M easurem ent sensors used:VEGATRONIX sensor type VG 400

Best regards 26/05/2014Kristian P. Olesen

NANO CLAY – M EASUREM ENT RESULTS FRO M TEST IN EG YPT AT AG RICULTURAL RESERCH CENTER's ISM AILIA STATIO N

2 315

Irrigated every 3rd day by 7,5 Liter during 45 m inutes according to the workers. If no wind just watered every 3rd day.

Irrigated every 3rd day by 7,5 Liter during 45 m inutes according to the workers. If no wind just watered every 3rd day.

Average Volum etric W ater Content im provem ent with m in. 66% less irrigation AND MORE W ATER AVAILABLE FOR PLANTS


Fig. 3: Wheat 6 weeks old. Soil with NanoClay.

Egypt NanoClay area - result after 6 weeks:The wheat (Sakha 93) was planted in the last week of November

2009 and was looking like this the 9th of January 2010, when itwas 20 cm high. Each wheat grain gave 10 to 12 branches. The testarea was irrigated 45 minutes every second of third day (wind plushigh temperature and no wind) with 7,5 litre/m2. The test rea seedwas treated with NanoClay.

In the reference area there were more complications even ifthe research station farmers used their best experience. The firstseeds dried out and seeding had to be done a second time. But hereeach wheat grain had just one branch. The area was irrigated 45minutes day with 7,5 litre/m2.NanoClay enhances the production of all crops / plants grown inhot dry sandy soils.

The test by Agriculture Research Center (Cairo,Egypt) of oursoil enhancer NanoClay, applied in hot dry sandy soil in Egypt,was an increase of 416% wheat yield and saving 1/2 of normalconsumption of irrigation water.

5. RESULTS



– Irrigation water reduction of 66% with 139% more available water in the root zone. Accumulates water and fertilizer available to the plants. NanoClay creates HUGE aggregates. Gives a water efficiency increase of 416%/(1/2) = 832%. A sustainable cost-effective methodology.

Table (5): Effect of Nanoclay treatment on plant characteristics andcomponents of the studied wheat variety. * = Significant at 5% levels and

ns = not significant - Proline=reduction

Growth characteristics – table (5) – The effect of NanoClay - Statistical analysis showed highly significant differences between the treated areas and theuntreated area.

Table 6: Results obtained by the project


NanoClay Tests – Results from 3 test areas and 1 untreated areas each area 1 hectare

Grain yield Kg/ha486% 389% 373% 100% 416%

50% 50% 50% 100% 50%

972% 778% 746% 100% 832%

Test area 1 NanoClay



Untreated area

NanoClay average

6 051 4 843 4 653 1 246 5 182Percent yield increased by NanoClay compared to untreated areaPercent used water compared to untreated areaTotal water efficiency compared to untreated area

Character M ean Std deviation Std error meaTreated Untreated % increase Treated Untreated Treated Untreated

Plant height 77.6667 * 57.5* 135% 5.91700 3.68223 0.80520 0.86791N. of tillers 17.0556 * 3.7778* 451% 3.33140 2.01727 0.45350 0.47524

N. spikelets /spike 16.4633* 7.3839* 223% 1.99729 1.68500 0.27180 0.39720Spike length 11.537* 7.227* 160% 1.04092 1.22741 0.14160 0.28930N. of grains 33.1852* 23.666* 140% 1.92377 2.95057 0.26170 0.69546N. Spike /m2 422.092* 254.66* 166% 14.05280 38.08960 1.91230 8.97782

1000 grains weight 37.0185* 23.033* 161% 4.04153 1.87397 0.54990 0.44170

Carbohydrates 57.7296* 43.9* 132% 4.03988 2.47743 0.54970 0.58394Proline 68.6881* 177.26* 39% 13.02470 56.50990 1.77240 13.31950

Nitrogen 1.9331* 1.4067* 137% 0.17763 0.08990 0.02410 0.02119Phosphorus 1726.94* 1154.9* 150% 199.40100 125.51600 27.13500 29.58430Pottassium 1.429* 0.4139* 345% 0.16934 0.02763 0.02300 0.00651


Fig. 4: Wheat cultivation test in Egypt 2010: Wheat '1' (0,76 m high)(Lots of tillers/grain) from test sites and '2' (0,56 m high) (1

tiller/grain) from the untreated fields.

6. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

See table 2, at the end of the article. Individual figures deviating over 20% of the average yield

value is not considered. There were some 'trouble' with the 'Blind'test area. This had to be seeded 2 times, because it dried out evenwith the normal irrigation every day and the seed blew away, thediscussion ended up with a dission of seeding once more andcontinue. So the average 'Blind' test area results is properly morerealistic than the extremes high because of the double seedings.



Table 1: Dicussion of results

7. DISCUSSION

After the test, the area was left fallow.A year later the area was planted with pepper with the same

excelent results, these plants was left over the winter withoutirrigation and against normal experience they lasted one moreseason.

In the third season they used salty (3000 ppm) irrigationwater and this destroyed the NanoClay bindings. And the soil wasback to the condition before the NanoClay treatment.

7.1 The role of the project

To illustrate the now revealed possibilities of the dry land sandysoils with the following recommendations:


Discusion of results

Test Areas - Yield gram wheat/m 2 520 403 685 685 685 685 629Blind test - Yield gram wheat/m 2 133 105 209 108 105 132 132NanoClay caused increase in % 391 384 328 634 652 519 477

Average value

s

Absolute Min.

value

sAb

solute Max.

value

s

Max.Test &

Min.Blind

Max.Test &

Ab

s. M

in.

Blind

Max.Test &

Avrage Blind

Average of

alternatives


Fig. 5. Soils for NanoClay treatment Apply NanoClay in dry sandy soil tree plantation areas in

order to save 66% of the irrigation water and increase the yield, this also reduces the stress of the trees.

Apply NanoClay in dry hot sandy soil agricultural areas to save 50 to 66% of the irrigation water and increase the yield.

The surplus irrigation water may be used to increase the agricultural area or just accumulating it as a buffer for drier seasons to come.

7.2 The role of the project

This change of desert areas to some of the most superior andproductive agricultural soils will make huge change in a lot ofthese till now relative poor countries. They will be much betteroff being self-sufficient with food. For countries with lack ofwater like the ones along the Nile river, will, if they treat alltheir sandy soils, be able to extend their agricultural area withirrigation from the river.



In desert countries along the coast with lack of water will beable to create a lot of farms based on producing the water fromseawater, by using the best type of reverse osmosis system in asustainable way.

8. CONCLUSIONS

The Game Changer in Dry land Farming is the NanoClay Technologymaking Dry Sandy Soils the superior soil for growing any crop.

See table (4). This statement is based on 27505 measurementsdone on volumetric water contents in blind test and test areas inAgricultural Research Center's Station in Ismailia at a site 6kilometre east of the Suez Channel.

Reducing irrigation water with 66% and in the same turnincreasing the Volumetric Water Content available for the plantswith 39% in average. With the add-on consequence of increasing theyield in the range of 4 to 6 times for wheat.

The fertilizers give a yield enhancement of 3 times and nowNanoClay gives the sandy soil much higher yield in the range of afactor 3 or more and saves a 66% of irrigation water with moreplant water avalable.

This is the optimum way of transforming the dry sandy areasand deserts into oasis while safeguarding the environment in asustainable way and sink a lot of CO2.

REFERENCES1. Lester R. Brown - http://www.earthpolicy.org/books/fpep/fpepch6 (2012).2. http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2013/10/07/ministry-of-water-resources-seeks-

alternative-methods-for increasing-egypts-water-share/ (2013) Ministry ofWater Resources seeks alternative methods for increasing Egypt’s water share.

3. http://www.fao.org/cfs/cfs-home/global-strategic-framework/en/ (2013)4. http://rt.com/news/water-shortage-un-population-901/ (2013)5. UN Food and Agricultural Organization:

http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/wsfs/docs/Issues_papers/HLEF2050_Global_Agriculture.pdf

Best regards

ContactJohn E. Woods

John E. Woods Ph.D.144 County Road 575




http://rt.com/news/water-shortage-un-population-901/

http://www.fao.org/cfs/cfs-home/global-strategic-framework/en/

http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2013/10/07/ministry-of-water-resources-seeks-alternative-methods-for-increasing-egypts-water-share/

http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2013/10/07/ministry-of-water-resources-seeks-alternative-methods-for

http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2013/10/07/ministry-of-water-resources-seeks-alternative-methods-for

http://www.earthpolicy.org/books/fpep/fpepch6


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DCI Nano Clay Gamechanger

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