Animal Feed Ration with Cation Exchanger for Ammonia Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Animal manure from poultry and hog production contains high levels of gaseous ammonia, leading to health issues for animals and humans, and excessive phosphorus, causing environmental problems, which existing methods fail to adequately address.
Innovation Solution
An animal feed ration containing a cation exchanger capable of binding ammonium cations and an acidogenic compound that reduces the pH of manure, protonating ammonia into ammonium cations, thereby reducing ammonia emissions and improving the nitrogen-to-phosphorus ratio.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional animal feeds are used, then animal nutrition is maintained, but high levels of gaseous ammonia and soluble phosphorus are produced in manure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the feed by incorporating acidogenic compounds that alter the pH of manure, thereby changing the equilibrium between ammonia and ammonium cations. This parameter change (pH reduction) enables ammonia to be converted to non-volatile ammonium cations, reducing gaseous ammonia emissions while maintaining nitrogen content in the manure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary substance (acidogenic compound) that mediates between the nitrogen in animal manure and the environment. This intermediary lowers the pH and facilitates the conversion of ammonia to ammonium cations, which are then bound by cation exchangers, effectively reducing ammonia volatility without losing nitrogen.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional animal feeds are used, then animal nutrition is maintained, but high levels of soluble phosphorus are produced in manure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical environment (pH) through acidogenic compounds, which affects phosphorus solubility and availability. This parameter change facilitates the binding of phosphorus to cation exchangers and reduces soluble phosphorus levels in manure while maintaining adequate phosphorus content for plant fertilization.
3Productivity
If manure is used as fertilizer, then plant growth is supported, but excessive phosphorus causes environmental problems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical parameters of manure through acidification and cation exchange, resulting in a product with improved N:P ratio and reduced soluble phosphorus. These parameter changes make the manure more suitable as fertilizer, enhancing its efficacy while reducing environmental harm from phosphorus runoff.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of excess phosphorus in manure into a benefit by using cation exchangers and acidogenic compounds to bind phosphorus and improve the N:P ratio. This transformation turns a problematic byproduct into a more valuable and environmentally friendly fertilizer product.
4Productivity
If high protein feed is used, then animal growth is promoted, but ammonia production in manure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical environment of manure through acidification, which converts ammonia produced from protein degradation into non-volatile ammonium cations. This parameter change (pH reduction) allows high protein feed to be used for animal growth while preventing the harmful volatilization of ammonia.
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 feed ration significantly decreases ammonia emissions and soluble phosphorus levels in manure, resulting in improved animal health, reduced environmental impact, and a more suitable fertilizer product.
Implementation Method 1
a cation exchanger capable of binding ammonium cations
Implementation Method 2
the acidogenic compound lowers the pH of the manure produced by an animal fed the animal feed such that ammonia in the manure is protonated to produce ammonium cations
Data Source
AI summary
An animal feed is provided that employs a substantially indigestible cation exchanger capable of binding ammonium cations and an acidogenic substance to acidify an animal's manure and thereby create ammonium cations that can be bound by the cation exchanger. The animal feed reduces ammonia emissions from manure produced by animals fed the animal feed compared to the emissions obtained from manure when an acidogenic substance is fed alone and compared to the emissions obtained from manure when a cation exchange capacity material is fed alone. According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of lowering ammonia emissions from manure is provided. The present invention also provides a method for reducing soluble phosphorus levels in manure and a method for reducing total phosphorus levels in manure. In a further aspect of the present invention, a method is provided that yields manure that may be used alone or in concert with other materials to act as a fertilizer having advantageous ecological properties. Another aspect of the present invention provides a method for reducing insect populations associated with manure.