TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE HOG PRODUCTION IN PUERTO RICO

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Project Status: COMPLETE
• Funding Source: HATCH
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 1017653
• Project Start Date: Oct 1, 2018
• Project End Date: Sep 30, 2022
• Program Code: [(N/A)]- (N/A)

Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO AT MAYAGUEZ
P. O. BOX 9000
MAYAGUEZ,PR 00681

Performing Department
Agri Engineering

Non Technical Summary
Small and mid-size hog farms in Puerto Rico are threaten to disappear due to high energy costs and high risks of environmental pollution due to animal waste disposal practices. This project proposes the design and construction of low cost co-digestion bio-reactor to produce energy from animal manure and other organic waste generated in the farm raising farm income and recovering - recycling macro nutrients from waste waters. The final goal of this project is to raise farm income and improve water quality of receiving water bodies downstream from small and mid size hog farms in Puerto Rico. Also, to increase the number of agricultural professionals with measurable knowledge of co-digestion of animal waste and organic food waste available to farmers in order to generate energy and reduce environmental impact including reduce the amount of green house gases exported by CAFO farms.

Animal Health Component

70%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

10%

Applied

70%

Developmental

20%

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
403	3599	2020	50%
403	3599	2000	50%

Knowledge Area
403 - Waste Disposal, Recycling, and Reuse;

Subject Of Investigation
3599 - Swine, general/other;

Field Of Science
2020 - Engineering; 2000 - Chemistry;

Keywords

codigestion

bioreactors

bioenergy

biogas

manure

macro nutrients

recycle

organic waste

farm waste

animal waste

pig

swine

hog

struvite

Goals / Objectives
1. Design and build a biodigester with structural flexible membrane treating swine waste in co-digestion with other organic wastes for maximum biogas production.2. Evaluate the efficiency of struvite formation and Phoslock as a method of removal / recovery of phosphorus from the liquid effluent of the biodigester.3. Develop a drying process of the solid effluent of the biodigester and evaluate the agricultural fertilizing power of this reactor effluent.4. Provide training to Agricultural Extension Service personnel on co-digestion of swine waste and other organic waste available to farmers.

Project Methods
Provide experiential learning opportunities to undergraduate and graduate students by part taking in the project conducting laboratory analysis and tests such as biogas and methane yield or biochemical methane potential (BMP), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and total solid analysis.Evaluation of Objective 1 results:Develop an experimental design to evaluate the effect of volatile solids concentration factor levels (VS = 5% and 10%) on the amount and composition of biogas. Results will be analyzed using standard statistical analysisEvaluation of Objective 2 results:Develop a three-factor experimental design build around a central factor to be chosen from the chemical composition resulting from the effluent. Theoretically, struvite precipitates from solution when all the components are present (eg Mg, NH4-N, PO4-P) in the molecular proportion 1:1:1. Therefore, the species that is identified with the highest concentration (between Mg, NH4-N, PO4-P) will be the central factor (f1.0) from which the other experimental levels of the study will be established. The concentration of the species that establishes the central factor will remain constant while the concentrations of the other species will be modify to obtain the following stoichiometric relationships with respect to the central factor: f0.5, f1.0, f1.5. The pH of the solution will be modify (using NaOH) to form a third factor with the following levels: 8.0, 8.5 and 9.0. Results will be analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA).Evaluation of Objective 3 results:To evaluate the fertilizer potential of dry solids from the digester, results from a pot study will be analyzed utilizing standard statistical procedures to report statistical significant differences between traditional inorganic fertilizers and utilizing phosphorous rich bio-solids with struvite incorporated.Evaluation of Objective 4 results:Develop an evaluation instrument to measure the impact of workshop seminar on agronomist and other agricultural professionals attending the workshop seminar.

Progress 10/01/19 to 09/30/20

Outputs
Target Audience:1. Small and medium size swine producers, in Puerto Rico typically found in higher elevations in central Puerto Rico with minimum waste treatment facilities or opportunities to recover energy and nutrients from hog manure by anaerobic co-digestion of animal manure generated in the farm. 2. Medium size energy enterprises interested in recovering energy and nutrients by means of anaerobic co-digestion of hog manure in central operations and phosphorous as plant fertilizer. Changes/Problems:The COVID-19 pandemic reduced our presence in the laboratory and the field since March 2020. Gradually work has been returning although in a reduced form and manner to comply with COVID-19 sanitary prevention guidelines by CDC. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?1. Train the collaborating swine producer in Cayey, Puerto Rico on the opportunity to recover energy from animal manure by means of a co-digestor that combines animal manure and other organic residues in the farm or organic waste streams in Puerto Rico. 2. Participating graduate actively participated in the development of a new BMP prototype using the new microprocessor based on Raspberry Pi microprocessor. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?1. Increase the number of BMP tests for other potential sources of organic carbon from other agricultural activities and food importers to increase the potential of bio-methane production in this sector of small and medium size swine farmers in Puerto Rico. 2. Complete the construction of the full size co-digestor in the collaborating farm and perform operational tests. 3. Conduct open house during co-digestor construction for training of other farmers in the technology. 4. Use undergraduate students collaborating in the project to develop control mechanisms to regulate biogas utilization in the farm for the heating of piglets in pen and reduce cases of pulmonary infection due to low temperatures.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Design and build a biodigestor with structural flexible membrane for treatment of swine waste in co-digestion with other waste products. 1. Determined biochemical methane potential (BMP) of swine manure in combination with other carbon sources available to farmers. Tested organic produce waste as sources of organic carbon to increase the ration of C/N with potatoes and plantain peelings. 2. Using partial results from BMP tests, completed the design of a co-digestor that will be constructed in a collaborator swine farm in the hills of Cayey, Puerto Rico. This is a small swine farm that uses waste from a nearby school-cafeteria as animal feed.

Publications

Progress 10/01/18 to 09/30/19

Outputs
Target Audience:1. Small and medium size swine producers, in Puerto Rico are typically found in higher elevations in central Puerto Rico with minimum waste treatment facilities or opportunities to recover energy and nutrients from hog manure by anaerobic co-digestion of animal manure generated in the farm. 2. Medium size energy enterprises interested in recovering energy and nutrients by means of anaerobic co-digestion of hog manure in central operations and phosphorous as plant fertilizer. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Train the collaborating swine producer in Cayey, Puerto Rico on the opportunity to recover energy from animal manure by means of a co-digestor that combines animal manure and other organic residues in the farm or of organic waste streams in Puerto Rico. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?1. Increase the number of BMP tests for other potential sources of organic carbon from other agricultural activities and food importers to increase the potential of bio-methane production in this sector of small and medium size swine farmers in Puerto Rico. 2. Complete the construction of the full size co-digestor in the collaborating farm and perform operational tests. 3. Conduct open house during co-digestor construction for training of other farmers in the technology. 4. Use undergraduate students collaborating in the project to develop control mechanisms to regulate biogas utilization in the farm for heating of piglets in pen and reduce cases of pulmonary infection due to low temperatures.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Design and build a biodigestor with structural flexible membrane for treatment of swine waste in co-digestion with other waste products. 1. Determined biochemical methane potential (BMP) of swine manure in combination with other carbon sources available to farmers. Tested waste organic produce as sources of organic carbon to increase the ration of C/N with potatoes and plantain peelings. 2. Using partial results from BMP tests, completed the design of a co-digestor that will be constructed in the collaborator swine farm in the hills of Cayey, Puerto Rico. This is a small swine farm that uses waste from a nearby school-cafeteria as animal feed.

Publications