Nutrient Recovery from Manure via Acid-Base Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current waste management systems for animal and municipal wastes are inadequate in recovering nutrients like phosphorus and proteins, leading to environmental pollution and inefficient fertilizer use, as they lack effective methods for reclaiming these resources from manure.
Innovation Solution
A system and method involving the separation of biological materials using solid-liquid separation, acidic and basic treatments to recover phosphorus and proteins, with optional fermentation steps using sugars and microbes to create acidic solutions, allowing for the extraction and recovery of these nutrients from manure and other biological materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If anaerobic lagoons are used for waste treatment, then waste disposal is achieved, but nutrient recovery is insufficient and water pollution increases
Solution Approach 1:
The waste treatment process is divided into multiple sequential stages: anaerobic digestion in lagoons followed by solid-liquid separation, acidic treatment, and basic treatment. Each stage targets specific components to recover different nutrients (phosphorus from acidic supernatant, proteins from basic supernatant), transforming a single ineffective disposal method into a multi-functional recovery system that addresses both waste disposal and nutrient recovery while minimizing pollution.
2Quantity of substance
If commercial fertilizers are used to replenish phosphorus, then crop nutrition is maintained, but resource depletion and environmental contamination increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of discarding phosphorus-rich manure in lagoons or applying excess commercial fertilizers, the system recovers phosphorus from the acidic supernatant produced during manure treatment. This recovered phosphorus can be reused as fertilizer, creating a closed-loop system that maintains crop nutrition while eliminating the need for additional commercial fertilizer application and preventing phosphorus contamination of water bodies.
3Productivity
If intensive livestock operations are implemented, then production efficiency increases, but waste management complexity and environmental impact worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The waste management system performs multiple functions sequentially: anaerobic digestion generates biogas, solid-liquid separation concentrates nutrients, acidic treatment recovers phosphorus, and basic treatment recovers proteins. This multi-functional approach transforms a single waste stream into multiple valuable products (biogas, phosphorus fertilizer, protein supplements), enabling intensive livestock operations to achieve both high productivity and effective waste management without proportionally increasing system complexity.
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
This approach effectively recovers phosphorus and proteins, reducing environmental impact by minimizing runoff and the need for commercial fertilizers, while providing valuable resources for industrial and dietary applications.
Implementation Method 1
Biological material, for example in the form of wet solids from raw manure, may first be separated out by a solid-liquid separator
Implementation Method 2
The wet solids may then be dissolved in an acidic solution. The resulting supernatant from the acidic treatment may then be separated and phosphorus reclaimed therefrom
Implementation Method 3
The resulting precipitate from the acidic treatment may be separated from the supernatant
Implementation Method 4
The resulting precipitate from the acidic treatment may be separated from the supernatant and treated with a basic solution. The resulting supernatant following the basic treatment may then be separated and protein reclaimed therefrom
Implementation Method 5
A biological material may first be mixed with one or more sugars or sugar-containing mixtures and an inoculum and be allowed to ferment, thus creating an acidic solution
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for separating nutrients, such as phosphorus and protein, from biological materials may be disclosed. Biological material, for example in the form of wet solids from raw manure, may first be separated out by a solid-liquid separator. The wet solids may then be dissolved in an acidic solution, which may be created directly or by fermentation. The resulting supernatant from the acidic treatment may then be separated and phosphorus reclaimed therefrom. The resulting precipitate from the acidic treatment may be separated from the supernatant and treated with a basic solution. The resulting supernatant following the basic treatment may then be separated and protein reclaimed therefrom. In some embodiments, the supernatant resulting from the acidic treatment may itself be alkalinized, creating a precipitate which contains phosphorus solids and a supernatant which can be separated from the phosphorus solids and used as the basic solution with which to treat the precipitate resulting from the acidic treatment. Further, the system may be used to extract phosphorus and proteins from other biological materials, such as algae or crops.