Fertilizer from Beet Molasses and Fish By-Products
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current organic fertilizer compositions derived from waste products often lack sufficient nutrient concentrations and are associated with strong odors, making them unsuitable for widespread agricultural use, especially in areas close to human communities.
Innovation Solution
A process involving the mixing and heat treatment of concentrated separator by-product from beet molasses de-sugaring and fish soluble by-product from fish meal production, followed by filtration and cooling, to create a fertilizer product with enhanced bioavailable nutrients and minimal odor, which can be applied directly or through irrigation systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If enzyme digested fish solution is used to boost nutrient concentrations, then nitrogen content increases, but the fertilizer has extremely strong unpleasant odor and is mostly water (80% or more)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines concentrated separator by-product (from beet molasses de-sugaring) with fish soluble by-product (from fish meal production) in specific ratios. This merging of two waste streams creates a synergistic effect where the fish soluble by-product provides nitrogen while the concentrated separator by-product acts as a binding matrix that concentrates nutrients and reduces water content, thereby reducing odor while maintaining nutrient levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies heat treatment (pasteurization) at temperatures of 140°F-212°F for 15-60 minutes to the mixture. This parameter change serves multiple functions: it reduces microbial load and pathogens, stabilizes the fertilizer composition, and importantly, reduces the strong fishy odor associated with enzyme digested fish solutions. The heat treatment also concentrates the nutrients by reducing water content through controlled evaporation.
2Ease of manufacture
If waste products from fermentation and sugar processing are used, then organic fertilizer composition is achieved, but nutrient concentrations are insufficient for beneficial agricultural use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges two different waste streams: concentrated separator by-product (containing organic materials from beet molasses processing) and fish soluble by-product (containing nitrogen from fish meal production). This combination creates an organic fertilizer that leverages the complementary nutrient profiles of both waste products, achieving sufficient nutrient concentrations while maintaining organic certification eligibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite fertilizer material by combining organic waste products with fish soluble by-product in specific ratios (typically 40-60% concentrated separator by-product and 60-40% fish soluble by-product). This composite structure provides a balanced nutrient profile including nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, while maintaining the organic nature of the fertilizer. The composite formulation ensures sufficient nutrient concentrations for agricultural benefit.
3Quantity of substance
If chemical processing is used to boost nutrient concentrations, then nutrient levels increase, but the organic nature of the fertilizer is compromised and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs biological processes rather than chemical processing to concentrate and stabilize nutrients. The fish soluble by-product naturally contains nitrogen in bioavailable forms, and the concentrated separator by-product provides organic binding agents. The heat treatment process is a physical (not chemical) process that stabilizes the mixture without adding synthetic chemicals, thereby maintaining organic certification eligibility while achieving sufficient nutrient concentrations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The resulting fertilizer product is environmentally benign, non-pathogenic, and provides time-released nutrients to agricultural vegetation, eliminating chemical crop burning and odor issues, while being suitable for direct application or irrigation use.
Implementation Method 1
In one embodiment, the raw mixture of concentrated separator by-product and fish soluble by-product is then heat treated
Implementation Method 2
In one embodiment, the heat treated mixture of concentrated separator by-product and fish soluble by-product is then cooled to yield the concentrated separator by-product and fish soluble by-product based fertilizer product
Data Source
AI summary
A concentrated separator by-product and fish soluble by-product based fertilizer product is created by mixing concentrated separator by-product, a by-product of the de-sugaring of beet molasses, and fish soluble by-product, a by-product of the production of fish meal. The raw mixture of concentrated separator by-product and fish soluble by-product is then heat treated and optionally filtered to remove suspended particular matter. The heat treated mixture of concentrated separator by-product and fish soluble by-product is then cooled to yield the concentrated separator by-product and fish soluble by-product based fertilizer product.