Installation and method for transforming purines into organic fertiliser

Abstract

The present invention relates to an installation comprising two identical circuits connected in series and both comprising a process tank (4,12) that has a process pump (5,13) connecting distributor valves (6,14) to biological filters (8,16), in which earthworms acting as biological filters have been deposited. The outlets of the biological filters are connected to collecting pipes (9,17) that carry the obtained product to low level tanks (10,18) that have a return pump (11,19) that sends the collected liquid to the process tank to complete a cycle. The method comprises a first preparation phase wherein beds are prepared for the earthworms and the liquid-based humus is produced, and a second production phase wherein purine is injected into the humus obtained in the first phase. The installation and the method make it possible to obtain humus without traces of purine.

Description

[0001] INSTALLATION AND PROCEDURE FOR THE TRANSFORMATION OF SLURRY INTO ORGANIC FERTILIZER

[0002] DESCRIPTION

[0003] OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The object of the present invention, as the title of the invention establishes, is, on the one hand, the installation necessary for the transformation of slurry into organic fertilizer, and on the other hand, the procedure carried out in said installation that allows the transformation of pig slurry into environmentally friendly organic fertilizer, by means of the dosed injection of the slurry into biological filters made up of beds of organic material and colonies of Californian worms.

[0005] The present invention is characterized by being a process that works as a continuous and closed system, thanks to the injection method used in the slurry transformation process and the configuration of the process circuit, which prevents the generation of emissions and the risk of slurry seeping into the ground that the slurry ponds currently used to store slurry have.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention is limited within the scope of facilities and methods designed for the use of animal manure, primarily pig manure.

[0007] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Pig slurry is the solid and liquid excrement of pigs mixed with water. The typical ratio of pig slurry to water can vary depending on various factors, such as the pig waste management system, climate, local regulations, and farm practices. However, it is usually in the range of 5 to 10% slurry and the rest water. Slurry is highly polluting, especially in areas with a high concentration of pig farms, which is why its control and treatment are mandatory in Europe under Directive 91 / 676.

[0009] According to information obtained from environmental impact reports, the slurry produced on pig farms is mostly used as fertilizer on agricultural land.

[0010] Agricultural slurry management has limitations, such as: Slurry production is not seasonal, whereas its agricultural use is. In this case, sufficient storage capacity must be available on the livestock farm, which is carried out in ponds that generate environmental pollution from ammonia and a high risk of soil contamination from seepage. The concentration of farms in areas with high livestock density creates serious competition for arable land to be fertilized, so it may be necessary to export nutrients to more distant areas, increasing the cost of slurry transport. Transporting slurry over distances of more than 10 kilometers can cost around €5 per cubic meter.

[0011] Poor management of slurry and manure, resulting from over-fertilization or even dumping, causes environmental damage to soil and water, such as eutrophication and nitrification, primarily due to excess nitrogen and phosphorus, and increased salinity and heavy metal content in the soil. Meanwhile, in the air, it contributes to global warming, acid rain, and the formation of fine particles and tropospheric ozone, due to emissions of ammonia and methane.

[0012] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages derived from the very existence of pig slurry, such as storage, dangers of land contamination, costs of export to other places, poor management thereof, by developing an installation and process for the transformation of said slurry into organic fertilizers. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The object of the present invention is set forth in its essence in the independent claim and the different embodiments are set forth in the dependent claims.

[0014] The present invention relates, on the one hand, to an installation for the transformation of slurry into organic fertilizer, and on the other hand, to the process carried out in said installation.

[0015] The facility for transforming slurry into organic fertilizer comprises two circuits:

[0016] The first circuit comprises a buffer tank connected to the pig farm, a battery of filters made of organic material and colonies of Californian worms that act as biological filters, process and return tanks, injection and return pumps, and the system of pipes and dosing valves.

[0017] The second circuit is the same as the first, except that it does not have a buffer tank but rather a product tank, which stores the humus obtained from the process for marketing.

[0018] The process for transforming pig slurry into organic fertilizer has two phases: an initial preparation phase, where a liquid humus base is obtained, and a second production phase, where the slurry is injected into the liquid humus base obtained in the preparation phase. Both the preparation and production phases are carried out using the same two circuits.

[0019] In the preparation phase, the process tank of the first circuit and the process tank of the second circuit are filled with water and in parallel, a layer of horse manure of approximately 30 mm is added to each of the flowerbeds of the biological filter battery of the first and second circuits. Subsequently, the process pump and valves are activated to perform a metered injection of water into the biological filter battery (of the first circuit. The liquid leaving the filters is conducted through collection pipes to a low-level tank) equipped with a return pump that sends the collected liquid to the process tank to complete a cycle in the first circuit. The liquid collected in the process tank has already become a first base humus that still requires further processing.The pump and valves are then activated to perform a metered injection of the first base humus obtained in the biological filter battery of the second circuit. As in the first circuit, the liquid exiting the filters is conducted through the collection pipes to the low-level tank of the second circuit, equipped with a return pump that sends the collected liquid to the process tank to complete a cycle in the second circuit.

[0020] The pipes that inject the base humus into the biological filters in both circuits are equipped with sprinklers at the injection points, which homogeneously moisten the organic material and worm beds in the biological filters.

[0021] The recirculation process in the circuits is carried out sequentially and automatically, completing approximately 72 cycles. The time interval between each cycle can range from 100 to 120 minutes.

[0022] Once the required cycles are completed, the base humus already has the properties required for slurry processing and is stored in the processing tanks of the first and second circuits.

[0023] The preparation phase is carried out only once, when the process starts. In the second phase of the process, the production phase, the slurry coming from the pig farm, which is connected by pipes to circuit 1, is continuously injected into the buffer tank of the first circuit, from which a metered injection is made by pump to the process tank of the first circuit, which already contains the liquid base humus. The dose of injected slurry is 2.5% of the capacity of the process tank. From the process tank with the slurry diluted in the base humus in the proportion already indicated, it is injected into the first battery of biological filters, collected through the pipes and return tank, and taken back to the process tank by the return pump to complete a cycle. The period of time between each cycle can vary between 100 and 120 minutes, similar to the period of the preparation phase.

[0024] Once the recirculation cycle is complete in the first circuit, the base humus is transferred with the diluted and reduced slurry to the processing tank of the second circuit. The transfer is accomplished by opening the transfer valve. The volume transferred from the first circuit to the second circuit is equal to the volume of slurry injected into the tank of the first circuit.

[0025] In the second circuit, the base humus with slurry is recirculated in a similar way to the first circuit, with the difference that in the second circuit between 6 and 10 recirculation cycles must be completed to carry out the transfer, in this case of humus without traces of slurry, to the product tank by activating the process pump and opening the transfer valve. The humus transferred to the product tank (20) is now ready to be used as an environmentally friendly organic fertilizer. The volume of humus transferred to the product tank is equivalent to the volume of slurry injected into the first circuit in the period of time it has taken to complete the cycles required in the second circuit.

[0026] The slurry dosing process in the first circuit is cyclical and continuous and only stops if the slurry supply from the pig farm is interrupted. The tanks in the circuits used in the process are closed, therefore, no emissions are generated into the environment. The slurry processing capacity is determined by the size of the circuits and is approximately 2.5% of the processing tank's capacity per hour.

[0027] As part of the process, the content of pathogenic elements in the slurry and humus is monitored by taking samples and performing analyses in certified laboratories. Only once they meet the permitted values ​​are they available for use as fertilizer. Unless otherwise indicated, all technical and scientific elements used herein have the meaning commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. In the practice of the present invention, procedures and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein may be used.

[0028] Throughout the description and claims, the word "comprises" and its variants are not intended to exclude other technical features, additives, components, or steps. For those skilled in the art, other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will be apparent in part from the description and in part from the practice of the invention.

[0029] EXPLANATION OF THE FIGURES

[0030] To complement the description being made and in order to help better understand the characteristics of the invention, in accordance with a preferred example of practical implementation thereof, a set of drawings is attached as an integral part of said description, in which the following has been represented for illustrative and non-limiting purposes.

[0031] In Figure 1, we can see a schematic representation of the installation for transforming slurry into organic fertilizer.

[0032] PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0033] A preferred embodiment of the proposed invention is described below in view of the figures.

[0034] In Figure 1 we can see that the installation object of the invention comprises two circuits, a first circuit (circuit 1 ) and a second circuit (circuit 2 ) arranged after the first circuit, the first circuit being connected to a pig farm (1 ). The first circuit (30) comprises:

[0035] - a buffer tank (2) in connection with the pig farm (1)

[0036] - an injection pump (3) arranged at the outlet of the buffer tank (2)

[0037] - A first process tank (4) arranged at the outlet of the injection pump (3)

[0038] - A first process pump (5) arranged at the outlet of the first process tank (4)

[0039] - A first distribution network provided with a multiplicity of first distribution valves (6)

[0040] - A first set of biological filters (8) preferably provided with a colony of Californian worms, and which are connected to each of the first distribution valves (6)

[0041] - A first network of collector pipes (9) arranged at the outlet of the first set of biological filters (8),

[0042] - A first low-level tank (10) in connection with the first network of collector pipes (9)

[0043] - A first return pump (11) arranged at the outlet of the first low-level tank (10) whose outlet is connected to the first process tank (4)

[0044] - A first transfer valve (7) arranged on the first distribution network and connecting to the second circuit (40).

[0045] The second circuit (40) of the installation comprises:

[0046] - A second process tank (12) connected to the first transfer valve (7) of the first circuit (30)

[0047] - A second process pump (13) arranged at the outlet of the second process tank (12)

[0048] - A second distribution network provided with a multiplicity of second distribution valves (14)

[0049] - A second set of biological filters (16) preferably provided with a colony of Californian worms, and which are connected to each of the second distribution valves (14) - A second network of collector pipes (17) arranged at the outlet of the second biological filters (16),

[0050] - A second low-level tank (18) in connection with the second network of collector pipes (17)

[0051] - A second return pump (19) arranged at the outlet of the second low level tank (18) whose outlet is connected to the second process tank (12)

[0052] - A second transfer valve (15) arranged on the second distribution network and connecting to a product tank (20).

[0053] In both circuits, preferably but not limited to, the pipes that inject humus into the biological filters in both circuits are provided with sprinklers at the injection points, which homogeneously moisten the beds of organic material and worms in the biological filters.

[0054] The procedure carried out at this facility comprises the following phases or stages:

[0055] - a first phase called preparation where the beds for the worms are prepared and the base liquid humus is produced and

[0056] - a second production phase where slurry is injected into the humus obtained in the first phase as part of the process to transform it into organic fertilizer.

[0057] The first phase comprises the following stages, which are carried out simultaneously in circuits 1 and 2:

[0058] - Preparation of the worm beds in each of the biological filters (8 and 16)

[0059] - Filling the process tanks (4 and 12) with water

[0060] - Dosed injection of water into the biological filters (8 and 16) through the first distribution valves (6 and 14)

[0061] - Conduction of the liquid obtained from the biological filter sets (8 and 16) through the collecting pipes (9 and 17) to the low level tanks (10 and 18)

[0062] - The liquid collected in the low-level tanks (10 and 18) is sent to the process tanks (4 and 12) through the return valves (11 and 19). - Recirculation is carried out until approximately 72 cycles are completed, where the time interval between each cycle can vary between 100 and 120 minutes.

[0063] - Upon completion of the required cycles, the base humus required in the second phase is obtained.

[0064] Once the required cycles have been completed, the liquid recirculated in both circuits has become the liquid base humus with the properties required for processing the slurry and is stored in the process tanks (4) and (12) of the first and second circuits respectively.

[0065] The second phase comprises the following stages:

[0066] - Temporary storage of slurry from the pig farm to the buffer tank (2)

[0067] - Dosed injection of slurry from the buffer tank with the activation of the pump (3) to the first process tank (4)

[0068] - Activation of the first process pump (5)

[0069] - Distribution of the base humus with diluted slurry towards the first set of biological filters (16) through the first distribution valves (14).

[0070] - Dosed injection of water into the second set of biological filters (16) through the second distribution valves (14)

[0071] - Conduction of the liquid obtained from the first set of biological filters (8) through the first collecting pipes (9) to the first low-level tank (10)

[0072] - Sending the liquid collected in the first low-level tank (10) to the first process tank (4) through the first return valve (11)

[0073] - Recirculation is carried out until completing 2 cycles, where the time interval between each cycle can vary between 100 to 120 min.

[0074] - Transfer of the base humus with diluted and reduced slurry to the second process tank (12) of the second circuit by activating the first process pump (5) and the first transfer valve (7),

[0075] - Activation of the second process pump (13)

[0076] - Distribution of the base humus with traces of slurry to the second set of biological filters (16) through the second distribution valves (14). - Conduction of the liquid obtained from the second set of biological filters (16) through the second collector pipes (17) to the second low-level tank (18).

[0077] - Sending the liquid collected in the second low level tank (18) to the second process tank (12) through the second return pump

[0078] - Recirculation is carried out between 6 and 10 times before transferring the humus without traces of slurry to the product tank (20)

[0079] - Transfer of humus without traces to the product tank (20) by activating the second process pump (13) and the second transfer valve (15).

[0080] The slurry dosing process in the first circuit is cyclical and continuous and only stops if the slurry supply from the pig farm is interrupted. The tanks in the circuits used in the process are closed, therefore, no emissions are generated into the environment. The slurry processing capacity is determined by the size of the circuits and is approximately 2.5% of the process tank capacity (4) per hour.

[0081] As part of the process, the content of pathogens in the slurry and humus is monitored by taking samples and performing analyses in certified laboratories. Only once they meet the permitted values ​​are they ready for use as fertilizer.

[0082] Having sufficiently described the nature of the present invention, as well as the manner of putting it into practice, it is noted that, within its essence, it may be put into practice in other embodiments that differ in detail from the one indicated as an example, and to which the protection sought will also be achieved, provided that it does not alter, change or modify its fundamental principle.

Claims

CLAIMS 1.- Installation for the transformation of slurry into organic fertilizer characterized in that it comprises a first circuit (30) and a second circuit (40) arranged after the first circuit (30), the first circuit being connected to a pig farm (1), where the first circuit (30) comprises: - a buffer tank (2) in connection with the pig farm (1). - an injection pump (3) arranged at the outlet of the buffer tank (2). - A first process tank (4) arranged at the outlet of the injection pump (3). - A first process pump (5) arranged at the outlet of the first process tank (4). - A first distribution network provided with a multiplicity of first distribution valves (6). - A first set of biological filters (8) and which are connected to each of the first distribution valves (6). - A first network of collector pipes (9) arranged at the outlet of the first set of biological filters (8). - A first low-level tank (10) in connection with the first network of collector pipes (9). - A first return pump (11) arranged at the outlet of the first low-level tank (10) whose outlet is connected to the first process tank (4). - A first transfer valve (7) arranged on the first distribution network and connecting to the second circuit (40). While the second circuit (40) of the installation comprises: - A second process tank (12) connected to the first transfer valve (7) of the first circuit (30). - A second process pump (13) arranged at the outlet of the second process tank (12). - A second distribution network provided with a multiplicity of second distribution valves (14). - A second set of biological filters (16) and which are connected to each of the second distribution valves (14). - A second network of collector pipes (17) arranged at the outlet of the second biological filters (16). - A second low-level tank (18) in connection with the second network of collector pipes (17). - A second return pump (19) arranged at the outlet of the second low-level tank (18) whose outlet is connected to the second process tank (12). - A second transfer valve (15) arranged on the second distribution network and connecting to a product tank (20). 2.- Installation for the transformation of slurry into organic fertilizer according to claim 1, characterized in that in both circuits the pipes that inject the humus into the biological filters are provided with sprinklers at the injection points, which homogeneously moisten the beds of organic material and worms in the biological filters. 3.- Installation for the transformation of slurry into organic fertilizer according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that both the first set of biological filters (8) and the second set of biological filters (16) are provided with a colony of Californian worms. 4.- Procedure for the transformation of slurry into organic fertilizer using the previously claimed installation according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that it comprises the following phases or stages: The first phase comprises the following stages, which are carried out simultaneously in the first circuit and the second circuit: - Preparation of the worm beds in each of the biological filters (8 and 16). - Filling the process tanks (4 and 12) with water. - Dosed injection of water into the biological filters (8 and 16) through the first distribution valves (6 and 14). - Conduction of the liquid obtained from the biological filter sets (8 and 16) through the collector pipes (9 and 17) to the low-level tanks (10 and 18). - Sending the liquid collected in the low level tanks (10 and 18) to the process tanks (4 and 12) through the return valves (11 and 19). - Recirculation is carried out until completing approximately 72 cycles, where the time interval between each cycle can vary between 100 to 120 min, - Upon completion of the required cycles, the base humus required for the second phase is obtained. The second phase comprises the following stages: - Temporary storage of pumps from the pig farm to the buffer tank (2). - Dosed injection of slurry from the buffer tank with the activation of the pump (3) to the first process tank (4). - Activation of the first process pump (5). - Distribution of the base humus with diluted slurry towards the first set of biological filters (16) through the first distribution valves (14). - Dosed injection of water into the second set of biological filters (16) through the second distribution valves (14). - Conduction of the liquid obtained from the first set of biological filters (8) through the first collector pipes (9) to the first low-level tank (10). - Sending the liquid collected in the first low-level tank (10) to the first process tank (4) through the first return valve (11). - Recirculation is carried out until completing 2 cycles, where the time interval between each cycle can vary between 100 to 120 min. - Transfer of the base humus with diluted and reduced slurry to the second process tank (12) of the second circuit by activating the first process pump (5) and the first transfer valve (7). - Activation of the second process pump (13). - Distribution of the base humus with traces of slurry towards the second set of biological filters (16) through the second distribution valves (14). - Conduction of the liquid obtained from the second set of biological filters (16) through the second collecting pipes (17) to the second low-level tank (18). - Sending the liquid collected in the second low-level tank (18) to the second process tank (12) through the second return pump (19). - Recirculation is carried out between 6 and 10 times before transferring the humus without traces of slurry to the product tank (20). - Transfer of humus without traces to the product tank (20) by activating the second process pump (13) and the second transfer valve (15).

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