The full proceedings paper is at: www.extension.org/72883
Significant efforts are required to abate NH3 emissions from livestock operations. In addition, the costs of fertilizers have rapidly increased in recent years, especially nitrogen fertilizer such as anhydrous ammonia which is made from natural gas. Thus, new technologies for abatement of ammonia emissions in livestock operations are being focused on N recovery. This presentation shows a novel system that uses gas-permeable membranes to capture and recover ammonia from liquid manure, reducing ammonia emissions from livestock operations, and recovering concentrated liquid nitrogen that could be sold as fertilizer.
4.18.24 Movement Legacies, Reflection, and Review.pptx
Improved Recovery of Ammonia From Swine Manure Using Gas-Permeable Membrane Technology and Aeration
1. Improved Recovery of Ammonia From Swine Manure Using
Gas-Permeable Membrane Technology and Aeration
Waste-to-Worth Conference, Seattle, WA. April 2nd , 2015
1. USDA-ARS Coastal Plains Research Center, Florence, South Carolina, USA
2. Agriculture Technological Institute of Castilla y León (ITACyL), Valladolid, Spain
Matias Vanotti1, María Cruz García2,
Patrick Dube1, Ariel Szogi1
2. North Carolina produces approximately 750
million chickens, 40 million turkeys, 3.5 billion
table eggs, and 19 million hogs per year.
Animal Manure – Surplus N and Ammonia Emissions
in many regions of USA (and the world)
Walker et al., Atmos. Environ. 38:1235-1246
Ammonia Emissions
4. Escalating U.S. Fertilizer Costs
Why recover N?
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010
2020
AverageFarmPrice($ton-1)
Year
Anhydrous
Ammonia
Urea 44-46%
Nitrogen
USDA-ERS
Energy and Agriculture
5. Recovery of Ammonia from Manure
Ammonia is separated using gas-permeable membranes
Applications include liquid manures and air in livestock houses
Product is liquid fertilizer with 50,000 to 100,000 ppm N
Poultry Litter (Air)
Liquid
Manure
6. WHAT IS INTENDED TO DO?
• Removal of ammonia gas from the liquid
manures before it escapes into the air.
• Nitrogen is recovered from liquid manures in a
concentrated, purified form
7. Recovery of Ammonia from Liquid Manure with
Gas-permeable Membranes
• Technology recovers ammonia from liquid manure
• Produces liquid fertilizer with > 50,000 ppm nitrogen
• US Patent granted in 2015: “Systems and Methods for Reducing Ammonia Emissions from Liquid
Effluents and for Recovering Ammonia” SN 13/164,363, filed June 20, 2011 ( Vanotti,M.B., and Szogi,A.A)
Ammonia (NH3) recovery
using gas-permeable
membrane systemRaw waste
Membrane module
Recovered
ammonia
Low aeration
pH
Concentrator tank
North
Carolina Spain
8. For this research we used gas-permeable membranes
made of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE)
Gas Permeable Membrane
Microscopic structure (SEM)
Manufacture of Gas Permeable Membrane in South Carolina
PTFE is stretched to form a strong, porous material
9. Tubular or Flat Membrane
Manifold
Air with Ammonia
Acidic Liquid
Membrane pores
NH 3
H + NH 4
+
Tubular or Flat Membrane
Manifold Submerged in the
Wastewater
Dirty Liquid with Ammonia
Acidic Liquid Ammonium Salt Fertilizer
Membrane Pores
NH3
H+
NH4
+
Concept of Ammonia Capture from
Wastewater using Gas Permeable Membrane
10. Liquid Manure Strip solution
(Aqueous acid)
NH4+
H+ + NH3 NH3 + H+
NH4+
Gas-filled poreHydrophobic
Polymer (e-PTFE)
Gas-permeable membrane system:
The ammonia gas (NH3) passes through
13. Ammonia recovery rate increases with manure strength
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32
Nrecoveredintheacidtank(mg)
time (days)
Medium Low High
Manure
strength
Initial NH4
mg N/L
NH4
removed
%
NH4
recovery
%
NH4
recovery
rate
(mg/L/d)
low 1390 94 87 74
medium 2180 90 90 92
high 2970 88 91 194
M.C. Garcia and M.B. Vanotti, Waste Management 38 (2015) 455–461 2015
Process pH adjusted with alkali (7.7 to 9)
7.00
7.50
8.00
8.50
9.00
9.50
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32
pH
Time (d)
medium low high
14. Wastewater Strip solution
(Aqueous acid)
NH4+ + OH-
H2O + NH3 NH3 + H+
NH4+
Gas-filled poreHydrophobic
Polymer (e-PTFE)
Gas-permeable membrane
used for separation of free ammonia (NH3)
15. Two ways can be used to increase manure pH
and N recovery efficiency by the gas-permeable
membrane system:
1. Add alkali chemicals (OH-)
2. Low-rate aeration
HCO3
- + air OH- + CO2
NH4
+ + OH- NH3 + H2O
Design Parameter: Effect of aeration
16. Two ways can be used to increase manure pH
and N recovery efficiency by the gas-permeable
membrane system:
1. Add alkali chemicals (OH-)
2. Low-rate aeration
HCO3
- + air OH- + CO2
NH4
+ + OH- NH3 + H2O
Aeration increases manure pH about 1 unit
The aeration rate must be low to inhibit nitrification
Nitrification inhibitor can be used (< 10 ppm)
Vanotti and Szogi. US 13/143,363
Treated
effluent
DO
Influent
with
ammonia
pH
Acid
addition
Nitrification
Inhibitor
P
Aeration
Design Parameter: Effect of aeration
17. Experimental device for ammonia capture from manure using gas-
permeable membranes (closed loop).
pH
Pump
pH
Acidic solution
Manure
Gas-permeable
membrane
Sample
Air
Pump
Airflow
meter
pH
Pump
pHpH
Acidic solution
Manure
Gas-permeable
membrane
Sample
Air
Pump
Airflow
meter
18. Design Parameter: Effect of aeration
Swine manure characteristics (Segovia, Spain)
ManureType Swine Farm
Type
pH
NH4-N
mg/l
TKN
mg/L
COD
mg/L
TS
g/L
VS
g/L
Raw from pit
under slatted
floor
Farrowing
sow house 7.57 2390 2700 16780 14.4 7.5
19. Experiment with raw swine manure using gas-permeable
membrane system with aeration and nitrification inhibition
7.00
7.50
8.00
8.50
9.00
9.50
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
Time (days)
ManurepH
aerated manure (no alkali)
no air applied (no alkali)
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
4500
5000
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
Time (days)
NH4-Nrecovered(mg) aerated manure no air
99% recovery
65% recovery
Aeration increased the pH of manure. As a result, the ammonia
recovery by the membrane system was enhanced.
M.C. Garcia, M.B. Vanotti, A.A. Szogi. 2015. Journal Environmental Management 152:19-26
20. Operational costs of NH3 recovery using
gas-permeable membranes ($/4000 pigs/year)
Costs of ammonia recovery are reduced by replacing alkali
chemicals with low-rate aeration to speed-up the process.
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
9000
Alkali Chemical Low-rate Aeration
21. N recovery: Effect of low-rate aeration
Covered lagoon effluent, North Carolina
Research by Dr. Patrick Dube, ARS-Florence
Manure
Type
Swine Farm
Type pH NH4-N mg/l TKN mg/L
COD
mg/L
TS
g/L
VS
g/L
Anaerobic
digestion Finishing 8.71 2090 2460 1695 8.5 1.5
22. 7
7.5
8
8.5
9
9.5
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
pH
Time (d)
Manure pH
Aerated
Non Aerated
Changes in pH of manure during N recovery process
Covered lagoon effluent, NC
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Alkalinity(mgCaCO3/L)
Time (d)
Alkalinity
Aerated
Non Aerated
23. 0
2500
5000
7500
10000
12500
15000
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
NH4-Ninacidtank(mgN/L)
NH4-Ninmanure(mgN/L)
Time (d)
Aerated
Manure
Acid Tank
0
2500
5000
7500
10000
12500
15000
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
0 5 10 15 20 25
NH4-Ninacidtank(mgN/L)
NH4-Ninmanure(mgN/L)
Time (d)
Non Aerated
Manure
Acid Tank
Changes in ammonia concentration in manure and the N recovery tank
Covered lagoon effluent, NC
24. 0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
NH4+-NinManure(mgN)
Time (d)
Ammonia Removed from Manure
Aerated
Non
Aerated
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
NH4+-Nrecovered(mgN)
Time (d)
Ammonia Recovered in Acid Tank
Aerated
Non
Aerated
Mass of ammonia removed from manure vs. Mass of ammonia recovered
Covered lagoon effluent, NC
25. Treatment
Time
Initial
NH4
+
in
Manure
Remaining NH4
+
in Manure
NH4
+
removed
from
Manure
NH4
+
recovered
in acidic
solution
NH4
+
removal
efficiency
NH4
+
recovery
efficiency
NH4
+
Volatilized
in air
(days) -----------------------------mg N------------------------ -----------------%------------------
Aerated 5 3133 (151) 96 (29) 3037 2979 (2) 97 98 2
Non Aerated 25 3157 (132) 71 (19) 3086 2936 (40) 98 95 5
Mass Balances of the Recovery of Ammonia - Covered lagoon effluent, NC
26. Recovery of Ammonia from Liquid Manure
with Gas-permeable Membranes
• Technology captures ammonia emissions
• Produces liquid fertilizer with > 50,000 ppm nitrogen
• Low-rate aeration effectively substitutes for chemical
5
6
13
14
7
4
2
1
28
15
Acidic
solution
Concentrator tank
pH
Ammonium salt
Liquid manure
Membrane module
NH3
Pump
Acidic
solution
Concentrator tank
pHpH
Ammonium salt
Liquid manure
Membrane module
NH3
Pump
CONFINED
LIVESTOCK
RAW
WASTE
ANAEROBIC DIGESTER
WITH AMMONIA RECOVERY SYSTEM
BIOGAS
TREATED EFFLUENT
CONCENTRATOR
TANK
RECOVERED
AMMONIA
Improvement of Anaerobic Digestion
27. N recovery in swine Ongoing demonstration (NCSU and ARS cooperation)
• NRCS CIG grant awarded in 2012 (PI: Dr. John Classen):
• Field demonstration: a pilot module for NH3 recovery was constructed at NCSU and it i
being tested in 2015 in 3 manure management systems :
- anaerobic digester, scraper & belt.
30. Treatment Technologies for Nitrogen
Management in Liquid Manure
1. Biological nitrogen removal
(conversion of ammonia into N2)
Nitrification-Denitrification Anammox deammonification
(Carbon needed) (Carbon not needed)
Nitrification with HPNS bacteria in
swine operation in North Carolina
Brocadia caroliniensis (ARS- Florence)
31. Treatment Technologies for Nitrogen
Management in Liquid Manure
1. Biological nitrogen removal
(conversion of ammonia into N2)
2. Ammonia removal and recovery
32. Ammonia was removed but carbon (volatile solids)
was not removed
Technology can be combined with anaerobic digestion to
recover both the ammonia and the energy from manure.
M.C. Garcia and M.B. Vanotti, Waste Management 38 (2015) 455–461 2015