Thermal Treatment of Flush Manure for Sand and TSS Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for treating dilute manure (DM) from livestock operations are costly, inefficient, and struggle to effectively remove suspended solids and sand, due to the high viscosity caused by glycoproteins and biological activity, which impedes settling and increases equipment costs and maintenance.
Innovation Solution
Thermal treatment of DM to denature glycoproteins, reducing viscosity, followed by clarifier separation to remove sand and settle suspended solids, combined with anaerobic digestion to produce biogas and digestate for flush water recovery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If thermal treatment is applied to denature glycoproteins and reduce viscosity, then settling efficiency and sand removal improve, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies thermal treatment by heating the manure to specific temperature ranges (e.g., 60-80°C) to denature glycoproteins and reduce viscosity. This parameter change (temperature) directly improves settling efficiency and sand removal while managing energy consumption through controlled heating processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal treatment is applied as a preliminary step before settling and separation processes. By pre-heating the manure to denature glycoproteins beforehand, the subsequent settling and sand removal operations become more efficient, reducing the overall energy required for the complete treatment process.
2Reliability
If advanced treatment methods with multiple process steps and equipment are used, then treatment effectiveness improves, but system complexity and equipment costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines thermal treatment, settling, and sand removal into an integrated process system. By merging these functions into a coordinated sequence with heat exchangers and settlers working together, the system achieves effective treatment while reducing overall complexity compared to separate, standalone units for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal treatment system serves multiple functions: it denatures glycoproteins to reduce viscosity, pasteurizes the manure to reduce pathogens, and prepares the material for subsequent settling and separation. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized equipment for each treatment objective.
3Use of energy by moving object
If high viscosity manure is treated without thermal treatment, then energy consumption is lower, but settling and sand removal efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter of the manure from ambient to elevated ranges (60-80°C) to fundamentally alter the rheological properties. This temperature change denatures glycoproteins and reduces viscosity, enabling effective settling and sand removal that would be impossible at lower temperatures without excessive energy input for mechanical mixing and pumping.
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
Facilitates efficient and cost-effective recovery of flush water and biogas, reduces equipment costs, and improves the quality of recovered water for reuse in livestock operations.
Implementation Method 1
heating a DM stream to a temperature of at least 65° C. in a thermal treatment zone
Implementation Method 2
Thermal treatment of DM to denature glycoproteins, reducing viscosity
Implementation Method 3
passing the heated stream to a clarifier. A clarified effluent and a settled TSS stream comprising TSS are recovered from the clarifier
Implementation Method 4
At least a portion of the settled TSS stream passes to a high-solids AD that operates with a high solids loading and produces a first biogas stream and a first digestate
Data Source
AI summary
A method that uses heat to economically recover usable flush water for livestock operation. The method thermally treats a dilute manure (DM) stream and separating the treated DM in a clarifier to produce output streams that pass to anaerobic digestion. This method minimizes the presence of biological activity and glycoprotein-based mucus that retards effective settling and removal of both sand and large sized TSS. Heating the DM thermally processes the input to the clarifier provides a net viscosity that promotes ready separation of both sand and TSS. The invention can be used in a closed loop flush water system or in recovering water usable for other purposes. Such other purposes include irrigation, recovery of clean water from the flush water using a UF membrane separation or aeration. Purification of such clean water can provide water for use in dairy operations.