America develops technology to separate water from animal waste

Michigan State University May 29 announced this year that it would market clean water from animal waste , a solution that is particularly well-suited to the livestock sector in dry areas. drought, water scarcity.

This McLanahan nutrient separation system is an upgraded version of the anaerobic digestion system that can separate energy and chemicals from animal waste. With the addition of an ultrafiltration unit, a filter unit and a reverse osmosis system , the new McLananan separation system can separate enough water for the animals to drink.

Image: universityherald.com

Associate Professor of Biological Sciences and Agricultural Technology Steve Safferman said that the system is highly valued both in terms of resource conservation and environmental protection. According to Safferman, about 90 percent of animal waste is water, McLanahan technology can now split from 0.45 cubic meters of waste to nearly 0.23 cubic meters of water, and is aiming to increase the amount of water discharged to zero. , 3 cubic meters. It is estimated that 1,000 cows will produce about 37,850 cubic meters of waste per year.

Associate Professor Safferman said the technology would be very effective on farms in the western United States where drought is a problem. Being able to produce clean water here can even determine the survival of a farm.

Animal waste also contains a large amount of nutrients, carbon and pathogens, which can affect the environment if left untreated. In addition, a problem with this system is the handling of ammonia; It can evaporate and affect air quality.