Biomass Fertilizer Process for Liquid Manure Odor and Nitrogen Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Agricultural liquid manure fertilization leads to odor nuisances, soil erosion, and nutrient imbalances due to high ammonium and potassium ion concentrations, causing damage to soil quality and plant health, and results in the loss of valuable nitrogen through ammonia outgassing.

Innovation Solution

A multi-stage process involving mechanical separation, addition of C-containing substances, biogenic semi-aerobic fermentation, and aerobic dissimilation/fermentation to convert inorganic ions into organic compounds, using specific bacteria, molds, and yeasts to metabolize ammonium, potassium, and phosphate ions, thereby reducing odor and enhancing soil nutrient availability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If liquid manure is applied directly to soil for fertilization, then plants receive nutrients, but odor nuisances and nitrogen emissions occur due to high ammonium ion concentration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenutrient availabilityVSAvoidodor nuisance and ammonia emission
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical parameter of the manure by adjusting pH to 4-7 using acids, which converts volatile ammonium ions into non-volatile forms, thereby reducing odor and nitrogen emissions while preserving nutrient availability for plants

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the harmful high concentration of ammonium ions into beneficial organic nitrogen compounds through microbial fermentation processes, transforming the harmful ammonia emission problem into useful organic nutrients for soil and plants

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Quantity of substance

If liquid manure is applied to soil, then plants receive potassium and phosphate, but soil structure stability is destroyed causing erosion and humus loss

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepotassium and phosphate contentVSAvoidsoil structure stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transforms the chemical form of nutrients from inorganic ions to organic compounds through fermentation, changing how nutrients interact with soil structure and preventing the destabilizing effects of high ion concentrations while maintaining nutrient supply

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces microbial biomass as an intermediary that incorporates inorganic ions into organic compounds, which then serve as gentle, sustained-release nutrients that do not disrupt soil structure like direct inorganic salt application

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Quantity of substance

If inorganic fertilizers are used to provide nutrients, then plants receive necessary elements, but nitrogen is lost through ammonia outgassing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenitrogen contentVSAvoidnitrogen loss
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the loss-prone inorganic nitrogen into stable organic nitrogen compounds through microbial fermentation, where nitrogen is locked in microbial biomass and released gradually, preventing ammonia outgassing losses

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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 process effectively reduces odor nuisances, minimizes nitrogen loss, and converts inorganic ions into organic forms suitable for soil health, promoting sustainable soil management and plant nutrition by incorporating nutrients into microbial biomass.

Implementation Method 1

biogenic semiaerobic fermentation without the supply of air or O2 for acidification by adding bacteria to a pH value of approximately 6.0-5.8

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFermentation: Fermentation

Implementation Method 2

Aerobic dissimilation and/or fermentation and further acidification to a pH value of approximately 4.8 with the addition of molds and/or yeasts and/or bacteria with the supply of air or oxygen wherein the inorganic ions present in the essentially liquid phase of the slurry or in the homogenized slurry mixture, in particular ammonium ions, potassium ions and phosphate ions, are metabolized by the molds and/or yeasts and/or bacteria in a microbiological reaction and are organically bound

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAerobic dissimilation: Aerobic Digestion

Data Source

PatentEP3587381B1Method for the preparation of biomass fertilizer from liquid manure from agricultural animals, such as cattle, pig, sheep, chickens and the like
Publication Date: 2023.03.08 STERCODE GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3587381B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2

AI summary

Multi-stage process for processing agricultural slurry to produce biomass fertilizer, characterized by the following process steps: a) Separation of the agricultural slurry mixture by mechanical separation such as sieving (grates) or centrifugation of coarse foreign bodies such as straw from the essentially liquid phase or homogenization of the slurry mixture by chopping straw and hay fibers; b) Addition of carbon-containing substances, such as mono-, di-, oligo-, and polysaccharides, pyrolytic acids, gluconodel-alactone, and the like, to the liquid phase.the homogenized slurry mixture, c) biogenic semiaerobic fermentation for acidification by adding bacteria to a pH value of approximately 6.0-5.8, d) aerobic dissimilation and/or fermentation and further acidification to a pH value of approximately 4.8 with the addition of molds and/or yeasts and/or bacteria with the supply of air or oxygen, whereby the inorganic ions present in the essentially liquid phase of the slurry or in the homogenized slurry mixture, in particular ammonium ions, potassium ions and phosphate ions, are metabolized by the molds and/or yeasts and/or bacteria in a microbiological reaction and are organically bound or stored in the resulting organic nitrogen compounds, such as amino acids, oligopeptides, peptides, proteins, chitins, urea and phytin or other organic compounds.