Progress 02/01/02 to 12/30/04
Outputs
4d Progress report. This report serves to document research conducted under a Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement between ARS and North Carolina State University. Additional details of research can be found in the report for the parent project 6657-13630-001-00D, Improved Animal Manure Treatment Methods for Enhanced Water Quality. Systems of treatment technologies are needed that capture nutrients, reduce emissions of ammonia and nuisance odors, kill harmful pathogens, and generate value-added products from manure. A system of swine wastewater treatment technologies was developed to accomplish many of the tasks listed above. The total system had two main components: 1) an on- farm wastewater treatment system, and 2) a centralized solids processing facility. The total system went through full-scale demonstration and verification as part of the Smithfield Foods-Premium Standard Farms/North Carolina Attorney General Agreement to identify technologies that can replace
current lagoons with Environmentally Superior Technology. Objectives of this evaluation were to provide critical performance evaluation of the Swine Manure Treatment System to determine if the technology meets the criteria of Environmentally Superior Technology defined in section II.C of the Agreement. This criteria includes verification of technical and operational feasibility, the elimination of discharge of animal waste into waters, the substantial elimination of atmospheric emissions of ammonia, the substantial elimination of odor, the substantial elimination of release of disease-transmitting vectors and airborne pathogens, and the substantial elimination of nutrient and heavy metal contamination of soil and groundwater. The project was completed in two phases. Demonstration and verification of the on-farm wastewater treatment system were done in Phase I, and demonstration and verification of the centralized composting facility were done in Phase II. Both projects were
constructed and operated by Super Soil Systems USA of Clinton, NC. The on-farm technology used three process units consisting of polymer- enhanced solid-liquid separation, nitrification/denitrification, and soluble phosphorus removal, linked together into a practical system. The system was invented by Florence soil scientists Matias Vanotti, Ariel Szogi, and Patrick Hunt (Wastewater Treatment System US Patent No. 6, 893,567 Issued May 17, 2005). The first process unit in the system the Ecopurin Solid-Liquid Separation Module, developed by the Spain-based firm Selco MC of Castellon quickly separated solids and liquids using polymer flocculation and dewatering equipment. The second process unit used the Biogreen Nitrogen Removal Module, developed by Hitachi Plant Engineering & Construction Co. in Tokyo, Japan. It used nitrifying bacteria entrapped in polymer pellets to enhance ammonia removal. After biological nitrogen treatment, the liquid went to the final step, the Phosphorus
Separation Module developed by ARS. This process separated phosphorus in the form of calcium phosphate and destroyed pathogens with the alkaline pH. The on-farm system was installed at Goshen Ridge, a 4,400-head finishing farm in Duplin County, NC, and evaluated intensively from March 1, 2003, to March 1, 2004, under steady-state conditions. The system removed 97. 6% of the suspended solids, 99.7% of biological oxygen demand, 98.5% of total nitrogen, 98.7% of ammonia, 95% of total phosphorus, 98.7% of copper, and 99.0% of zinc. The treatment system also removed 97.9% of odor compounds in the liquid and reduced pathogen indicators to non- detectable levels. In less than a year, the anaerobic lagoon that was replaced with the treatment system was converted into an aerobic pond with ammonia concentration in the liquid of < 30 mg/L that substantially reduced ammonia emissions. The facility was kept running at full-scale for an additional year to provide separated solids to the
centralized composting project as well as supporting other ARS research projects such as sub-surface irrigation and study of odor and ammonia emissions in the cleaned lagoon. Evaluation of the on-farm system was included in a comprehensive Phase I Final Report that was submitted to the Attorney General of North Carolina in July 2004: Vanotti, M.B. 2004. Evaluation of Environmentally Superior Technology: Swine waste treatment for elimination of lagoons, reduced environmental impact, and improved water quality. (Solids separation / Nitrification- denitrification / soluble phosphorus removal / solids processing system). Final Report for Technology Determination per Agreements Between the Attorney General of North Carolina and Smithfield Foods, Premium Standard Farms, and Frontline Farmers. July 26, 2004. Available at: http://www. cals.ncsu.edu:8050/waste_mgt/smithfield_projects/phase1report04/A. 9Super%20Soil%20final.pdf. The total treatment system was completed with the centralized
solid processing facility. The solids processing technology was developed by Super Soil Systems USA of Clinton, NC. It used a mechanically agitated bed system with further stabilization in static windrows to treat a mixture of manure and cotton gin trash residues. The full-scale composting demonstration facility was installed at Hickory Grove farm in Sampson County, NC, and received the separated solids from the production swine facility 30 miles away. The technology was evaluated intensively under steady-state conditions from June 1, 2004, to January 15, 2005. A total of 273 tons of raw manure solids was converted into 237 tons of valuable organic materials with an earthy scent and rich texture that can be used for fertilizer manufacture, soil amendments, potting soil, and soilless media. The quality composts were produced using various mixtures that conserved 95-100% of the nitrogen and other nutrients into a stabilized product. The process showed substantial elimination of pathogen
indicators meeting Class A biosolids standards. Results have demonstrated that manure and other agricultural wastes can be transformed into value-added products using a simple, effective technology. Evaluation of the centralized solids processing facility was included in Phase II Final Report submitted to the Attorney General of North Carolina in July 2005: Vanotti, M. B. 2005. Evaluation of environmentally superior technology: Swine waste treatment system for elimination of lagoons, reduced environmental impact, and improved water quality (Centralized composting unit). Phase II: Final Report for Technology Determination per Agreements between NC Attorney General & Smithfield Foods, Premium Standard Farms, and Frontline Farmers. July 26, 2005. Available at: http://www.cals.ncsu. edu/waste_mgt/smithfield_projects/phase2report05/reports/A1.pdf It was verified that both the on-farm liquid treatment system and the centralized solids processing facility were technically and operationally
feasible. Based on performance results obtained, it was determined that they met the Agreements technical performance standards that define an Environmentally Superior Technology. This project was considered an important milestone in the search of alternative treatment technologies and justified moving ahead with innovation and evaluation of lower cost, next-generation systems.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
|
Progress 10/01/03 to 09/30/04
Outputs
4. What were the most significant accomplishments this past year? D. Progress Report This report serves to document research conducted under a Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement between ARS and North Carolina State University. Additional details of research can be found in the report for the parent project 6657-13630-001-00D, Improved Animal Manure Treatment Methods for Enhanced Water Quality. Systems of treatment technologies are needed that capture nutrients, reduce emissions of ammonia and nuisance odors, and kill harmful pathogens. A system of swine wastewater treatment technologies was developed to accomplish many of these tasks. The project was a collaborative effort involving scientists, engineers and personnel from private businesses, university and USDA. The project addressed one of the nation's greatest environmental problems - the cleanup and disposal of manure from swine-production wastewater. The system greatly increased the efficiency of liquid and solid
separation by addition of a safe chemical that cause fine particle to clump for easy separation. The separated solids are treated by composting at a central facility while only the relatively small, liquid fraction must be treated on the farm. The ammonia emissions are eliminated by passing the liquid through a module where immobilized bacteria transformed ammonia to dinitrogen gas, an inert form of nitrogen which compose the majority of the world atmosphere. Subsequently, very light alkaline treatment of the wastewater in a phosphorus module precipitated calcium phosphate and killed pathogens. Treated wastewater was recycled to clean hog houses and for crop irrigation. This method of on-farm treatment was invented by ARS scientists M.B. Vanotti, A.A. Szogi, and P.G. Hunt ("Wastewater Treatment System" Serial No 09/903,620 Allowed April 21, 2004, US Patent & Trademark Office, Washington, DC). The system went through full-scale demonstration and verification as part of the Agreements
between the Attorney General of North Carolina and Smithfield Foods, Premium Standard Farms, and Frontline Farmers to identify technologies that can replace current lagoons with Environmentally Superior Technology. Objectives of this evaluation were to provide critical performance evaluation of the Swine Manure Treatment System to determine if the technology meets the criteria of Environmentally Superior Technology defined in the Agreement. Specifically, evaluation of technical and operational feasibility and performance standards related to the elimination of discharge of animal waste into waters, the substantial elimination of atmospheric emissions of ammonia, the substantial elimination of odor, the substantial elimination of release of disease-transmitting vectors and airborne pathogens, and the substantial elimination of nutrient and heavy metal contamination of soil and groundwater. The treatment plant completed design, permitting, construction, startup, and one-year operation
period under steady-state conditions. The full- scale demonstration facility was installed on a 4,400-head finishing farm in Duplin County, North Carolina. The system was constructed and operated by a private firm called Super Soil Systems USA of Clinton, NC. The assembly-line process made use of three modules. The first - the Ecopurin Solid-Liquid Separation Module, developed by the Spain-based firm Selco MC - quickly separated solids and liquids. The second step used the Biogreen Nitrogen Removal Module, developed by Hitachi Plant Engineering & Construction Co. in Tokyo, Japan. After biological N treatment, the liquid went to the final step, the Phosphorus Separation Module. Developed by ARS, this phase is where phosphorus is recovered as calcium phosphate with addition of only small quantities of liquid lime and without losses of ammonia. Additionally, pathogens are destroyed by alkaline pH. Major goals in the demonstration and verification of the new wastewater treatment system
for swine manure at full scale were achieved including replacement of anaerobic lagoon treatment, and consistent treatment performance, with varying solid and nutrient loads typical in animal production, and cold and warm weather conditions. It was verified that the technology is technically and operationally feasible. Based on performance results obtained, it was determined by the Agreements Designee and Advisory Panel that the treatment system meets the technical performance standards that define an Environmentally Superior Technology. A comprehensive Final Report for the on-farm waste treatment system was completed and submitted to the Attorney General of North Carolina: Vanotti, M.B. 2004. Evaluation of Environmentally Superior Technology: Swine waste treatment for elimination of lagoons, reduced environmental impact, and improved water quality. (Solids separation / Nitrification-denitrification / soluble phosphorus removal / solids processing system). Final Report for
Technology Determination per Agreements Between the Attorney General of North Carolina and Smithfield Foods, Premium Standard Farms, and Frontline Farmers. July 26, 2004. [http://www.cals.ncsu. edu:8050/waste_mgt/smithfield_projects/phase1report04/A. 9Super%20Soil%20final.pdf]
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
|