ES2376580B1 - PURINES TREATMENT FOR THE OBTAINING OF NATURAL BIOLOGICAL PRODUCTS. - Google Patents

Abstract

Treatment of slurries for obtaining natural biological products. # The present invention relates to a process for obtaining natural biological products constituted from the following steps: slurries are placed in artificial lagoons separating the solid part of the liquid. The solid part is transferred to a vermiculture production facility and the liquid part is transferred to another lagoon, to which microalgae strains are added. In said lagoon, the liquid part of the slurry is kept in contact with the air and in continuous movement producing microalgae. The microalgae are harvested and dried, the fertilized water is transferred for irrigation, a part of the microalgae is used as a food supplement for monogastric animals, and the other for its transformation into pure vegetable oil, resulting in a biofuel.

Description

Treatment of slurry to obtain natural biological products.

The present invention refers to a process that has as its objectives the removal and recovery of slurries that are highly polluting, their natural treatment, and their subsequent transformation and recovery in different natural products of great utility, such as water recovery for irrigation, composting as a biological natural fertilizer for crops, a natural nutritional supplement for monogastric animals, pure vegetable oil, biofuel for diesel engines, oxygen restitution to the air and CO2 absorption.

Purines are the solid and liquid excrements of the pig. They are very polluting, especially due to the swine concentration at various points, so their control is mandatory in Spain through Royal Decree 261/96, which is the incorporation of Directive 91/676 of the European Union. They have an approximate content, in proportions of Kg. Per ton, of 2 Kg. Of nitrogen, 0'5 of phosphorus and 3 of potassium. The slurry is related to the wet residual biomass. Generally it is only used as fertilizer in countries with very delayed agriculture. The proposed invention aims to develop an innovative procedure, based on the use of new biotechnologies, being of great interest for its important environmental and socio-economic impact at national and international level, highly viable and especially because it proposes alternatives for the fight against drought, environmental protection, sustainable rural development, the creation of an important source of employment, and the obtaining of high-value products.

Our society is currently suffering a series of ecological damages with a very serious environmental impact, produced in part by the amount of harmful waste generated by some industries due to the current intensive production mode in some sectors, especially livestock. This is a pressing problem that worries many layers of the population, as well as governments, that have not achieved an effective and viable solution. One of the most harmful wastes derived from this massive production, and that at the same time originates, due to the enormous amount generated by livestock, extreme pollution in farmland, rivers and water tables, and therefore an ecological catastrophe, are Pork manure.

The procedure proposed in this document is summarized in the collection of slurry, the separation of the liquid part of the solid, and its subsequent treatment and mixing with different elements for the production of fertilizer, food supplements, biofuel, among others.

The patent object of this invention has its field of application in the waste treatment auxiliary industry, specifically that of pig manure.

Previously we have already mentioned many inconveniences caused by slurries, although despite this, currently, many farms still accumulate large quantities of slurry without the managers of these establishments knowing what to do with them. In some cases, these slurries are thrown into pits, or worse, into rivers or other water flows.

Over the years, attempts have been made to bring some procedures, systems and devices to the state of the art that allow us to find a definitive solution to the disposal of these wastes, and even more, for their transformation into useful products, although none of them with the novelty and advantages of the present invention.

Thus, document ES 2 007 239 presents a recycling system for slurry, especially pig slurry, characterized in that it consists of the following phases: feeding, mixing, extraction and drying of the aforementioned phases, in the first one it is verified the supply of slurry from a closed storage tank of the slurry to a tank, where the second phase or mixture between said slurry and an absorbent solid develops, fed in turn to the mixing tank, this mixture is verified through a stirring medium until obtaining a homogeneous paste, of the slurry and of the absorbent solid, finally passing to the third phase, in which said paste is extracted from the mixing tank arranged for drying, so that said paste is constituted as an organic fertilizer.

In document ES 2 153 739 a procedure for purification of slurry is proposed, comprising, in a first stage, the mechanical separation of the solid fraction from the rest of the slurry, characterized by the fact that, in a second stage subdivided into two phases, the conditioning of the liquid resulting from the first stage is carried out, by means of an oxidation that uses ozone and a neutralization that uses nitric acid, phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid or other acid that once reacted is acceptable for the subsoil and, in a third stage, the distillation of the liquid from the second stage is performed by separating the water from the salts present in the liquid.

Another possible solution that seemed to be the most successful is to accelerate the fermentation process to obtain methane and take advantage of its combustion to generate energy. However, this solution has numerous drawbacks both from an economic point of view, of transport and of the low performance obtained. In addition, the materials obtained are not suitable for return to the subfloor.

For its part, the document ES 2 157 774 offers improvements in the purification process of pig slurry, of the type that includes physical and chemical treatments to achieve the elimination of contamination of the residue in addition to the aerobic metabolic action of bacteria fixed in the inside of a biological reactor characterized

for comprising three additional stages, the first stage being a hygienization of the pig slurry when it is in a virgin state that consists of heating the slurry mass by converting the total nitrogen of the slurry into ammoniacal nitrogen, passing said hot dough to a strongly stirred reactor, beginning of the second stage, in which different reagents will be added with which the precipitation of the ammoniacal nitrogen present in the pig slurry mass will be achieved by chemical precipitation by formation of magnesium or struvite ammonium phosphate after Having maintained a short contact time and once formed the struvite is centrifuged after adding a suitable organic fl oculant so that the struvite will separate along with the rest of solid matter leaving a liquid faction free of nitrogen compounds and phosphorus compounds passing this liquid faction to a biological reactor in which it will be subjected to a last novel stage consisting in subjecting this semi-purified water to a final heating and is produced by partial evaporation, after the evaporation, a coagulation process with the addition of metal salts and bringing the mixture to a pH value acid, separating the precipitated faction and bringing the liquid faction to a basic pH by adding a hydroxide, after which it would pass through a separation membrane with a light path of less than 1000 daltons, mixing both factions, the liquid and the concentrate, and adjusting the pH to a basic value will obtain a high proportion of humic and fulvic acids usable in agriculture constituting a high quality liquid fertilizer.

We have already commented that the accumulation of slurry without a specialized treatment presents a lot of inconveniences, including nitrate contamination, which is a widespread and growing problem that affects the quality of groundwater and poses a health risk, especially in the case of children. Water consumption with a high concentration of nitrates has harmful effects on health. Ingested nitrates are transformed into nitrites in the digestive system, converting hemoglobin to methemoglobin, which is characterized by inhibiting the transport of oxygen in the blood. Although methemoglobin formation is a reversible process, it can lead to death.

Regarding the use of procedures and systems that are in the state of the art, some of them mentioned above, present several drawbacks such as the use of unnatural methods that have side effects and cause additional expenses for the acquisition of chemical elements and that demand the performance only of professional personnel with great experience in chemistry. Other methods do not prevent bad smell and eliminate only up to 30% nitrogen. These processes also do not allow the absorption of CO2 or the restitution of oxygen, while not providing for a variety of useful products, in fact, it is currently unknown how to obtain as many natural elements from slurry as demonstrated herein. document.

Currently, there is no known procedure based on a set of methods, materials and elements that have such novel characteristics and that provide significant benefits compared to the current state of the art, providing a series of advances in the elements already known with their corresponding advantages.

In particular:

•

The procedure favors the fight against ecological damage by removing slurry and avoiding contamination.

•

Protection of water and crop fields.

•

Appropriate use of environmentally friendly natural resources.

•

Commercial valorization of slurry.

•

Elimination of 90% nitrogen.

•

CO2 absorption and oxygen restitution.

•

Elimination of bad odors.

•

Energy saving and renewable energy use.

•

Production of elements of great utility such as animal feed, fertilizer, vegetable oil, water for irrigation, among others.

•

Biodiesel is obtained from a residue without using cereals or other raw material that can serve as food for humans.

•

It promotes sustainable rural development.

•

Creation of employment sources.

•

It brings innovation, since for the first time the liquid part of the slurry is used as a raw material for the intensive production of microalgae, and its subsequent transformation into pure vegetable oil to be used as a fuel for diesel engines.

Thus, the invention is constituted from the following phases:

The slurries are placed in artificial lagoons by separating the solid part of the liquid by means of a centrifuge. The solid part moves to a worm production facility where it serves as food for worms that provide a natural biological fertilizer from their feces. The liquid part, with a PH range between 4 and 10 units, and which also contains enough mineral elements such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and other macro and micronutrients, is transferred to another lagoon, to which microalgae strains are added chosen for their high productive performance. In said lagoon, the liquid part of the slurry is kept in contact with the air and in continuous movement by means of vane wheels, by rotating arms or by pumps, producing microalgae. This system absorbs a high percentage of nitrogen and CO2, and returns oxygen, reducing nitrates through photosynthesis. The microalgae are harvested and dried, the fertilized water is transferred for irrigation use, while one part of the microalgae is used as a food supplement for monogastric animals, and the other is introduced into a pressing plant for transformation into oil pure vegetable, resulting in a biofuel for diesel engines.

For a better understanding of what is described herein, a schematic representation of the slurry treatment procedure is attached in which, by way of example, a practical case of non-limiting embodiment is represented.

Figure 1: Schematic representation.

In the fi gure the numbered elements correspond to the following:

one.

Placement of slurry in artificial lagoons.

2.

Solid part.

3.

Liquid part.

Four.

Obtaining biological fertilizer.

5.

Lagunaje of the liquid part.

6.

Oxygen.

7.

Water for irrigation.

8.

Food supplement for animals.

9.

Pure vegetable oil

10.

Biofuel

The preferred embodiment given by way of non-limiting example is constituted from the placement of about 10 tons of slurry in artificial lagoons (1) separating the solid part by means of a centrifuge

(2)

of the liquid (3). The solid part, which constitutes approximately 10% of the total, is moved to a worm production facility where it serves as food for earthworms that provide a natural biological fertilizer food (4) from their feces. The liquid part, which constitutes approximately 90% of the total, with a PH range between 4 and 10 units, is transferred to another lagoon (5), to which approximately 10 kilos of microalgae mother strains chosen for their height are added productive performance In said lagoon, the liquid part of the slurry is kept in contact with the air and in continuous movement by means of paddle wheels, by rotating arms

or by bombs, producing about 200 kilos of microalgae. This system absorbs approximately 90% nitrogen and 100% CO2, and returns 100% oxygen (6), reducing nitrates through photosynthesis. The 200 kilos of microalgae are harvested and dried, 95% of fertilized water is transferred for use in irrigation (7), while between 60% and 70% of the microalgae are used as a food supplement (8) for animals monogastric, and between 30% and 40% is introduced into a pressing plant for its transformation into pure vegetable oil (9), resulting in a new biofuel (10) for diesel engines.

Claims (3)

one.

Treatment of slurries to obtain natural biological products, consisting of the following steps: about 10 tons of slurries are placed in artificial lagoons, separating the solid part of the liquid by means of a centrifuge, transferring the solid part, which constitutes approximately 10% of the total, to a worm production facility where it serves as food for earthworms that provide a natural biological fertilizer food from their feces, characterized in that the liquid part, which constitutes approximately 90% of the total, with a range of PH between 4 and 10 units, is transferred to another lagoon, to which approximately 10 kilos of mother algae of microalgae are added, keeping said liquid part of the slurry in contact with the air and in continuous movement by means of paddle wheels, by rotating arms or by pumps, producing about 200 kilos of microalgae, absorbing this system 90% nitrogen and 100% CO2, and returning around 100% oxygen, reducing nitrates through photosynthesis.

2.

Treatment of slurries to obtain natural biological products, according to claim 1, characterized in that the 200 kilos of microalgae are harvested and dried, 95% of fertilized water is transferred for use in irrigation, while between 60% and 70 % of the microalgae are used as a food supplement for monogastric animals, and between 30% and 40% of the microalgae are introduced into a pressing plant for transformation into pure vegetable oil, resulting in a new biofuel for diesel engines.

5 6 SPANISH PATENTS AND BRANDS OFFICE Application no .: 200802187 SPAIN Date of submission of the application: 12.01.2010

REPORT ON THE STATE OF THE TECHNIQUE

Priority Date:    

51 Int. Cl.:

C02F 3/34 (2006.01)

A23K 1/00 (2006.01)

 RELEVANT DOCUMENTS  

Category

56 Documents cited Claims Affected

X

DE LA NOUE J. et al. The potential of microalgae biotehcnology: A review of production and uses of microalgae. Biotechnology Advances. 1988. Vol. 6, No. 4, pages 725-770, especially pages 725-728, 730-732, 736, 737, 740 and 747. ISSN 0734-9750. 1.2

X

SEVRIN-REYSSAC, J. Biotreatment of swine manure by production of aquatic valuable biomasses. Agriculture Ecosystems and Environment. April, 1998. Vol. 68, No. 3, pages 177-186, especially pages 177-179. ISSN 0167-8809. one

Y

EN 2217945 A1 (A) 01.11.2004, pages 1-5. 1.2

Y

EN 2139523 A1 (METALICAS BMM S A) 01.02.2000, the whole document. 1.2

X

US 2003213745 A1 (HAERTHER et al.) 20.11.2003, paragraphs 0002,0003,0040,0045,0050,0053,0064,0099. one

TO

EN 2219161 A1 (PELLICER VIDAL FCO JAVIER; ETCHEVERRY DINO LEANDRO) 16.11.2004, pages 1-3. one

TO

JOHNSON, M. et al. Production of oil-rich algae from animal manure using attached algal culture systems.American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. Annual International Meeting 2008. 29.06.2008-02.07.2008. Vol. 4. Pages 2101-2109. ISBN 978-1-60560-536-4. 1.2

Category of the documents cited X: of particular relevance Y: of particular relevance combined with other / s of the same category A: reflects the state of the art O: refers to unwritten disclosure P: published between the priority date and the date of priority submission of the application E: previous document, but published after the date of submission of the application

This report has been prepared • for all claims • for claims no:

Date of realization of the report 30.09.2010

Examiner E. Ulloa Calvo Page 1/5

Application number: 200802187 REPORT ON THE STATE OF THE TECHNIQUE Minimum documentation sought (classification system followed by classification symbols) C02F, A23K Electronic databases consulted during the search (name of the database and, if possible, search terms used) INVENES, EPODOC, WPI, BIOSIS, COMPDX, NPL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, INSPEC, XPESP  WRITTEN OPINION Application number: 200802187 Date of Written Opinion: 30.09.2010

Statement

Novelty (Art. 6.1 LP 11/1986)

Claims 1,2 Claims ------------------- IF NOT

Inventive activity

Claims ------------------- YES

(Art. 8.1 LP11 / 1986)

Claims 1.2 NO

The application is considered to comply with the industrial application requirement. This requirement was evaluated during the formal and technical examination phase of the application (Article 31.2 Law 11/1986).  Opinion Base.- This opinion has been made on the basis of the patent application as published.  WRITTEN OPINION Application number: 200802187 1. Documents considered.- The documents belonging to the state of the art taken into consideration for the realization of this opinion are listed below.

Document

Publication or Identification Number publication date

D01

DE LA NOUE J. et al. Biotechnology Advances. 1988. Vol. 6, No. 4, pages 725-770. 1988

D02

SEVRIN-REYSSAC, J. Agriculture Ecosystems and Environment. April, 1998. Vol. 68, No. 3, pages 177-186. 04-1998

D03

ES 2217945 A1 01.11.2004

D04

ES 2139523 A1 01.02.2000

D05

US 2003213745 A1 11/20/2003

D06

ES 2219161 A1 11/16/2004

D07

JOHNSON, M. et al. American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. Annual International Meeting.29 / 06/200802/07 / 2008.Vol.4. Pages 2101-2109. 07-2008

Observations on documents: The application describes the treatment of liquid slurries in lagoons by means of microalgae, in an aerobic process and with agitation (claim 1), as well as an additional stage of harvesting and drying the microalgae produced for use as a food supplement or to transform them into pure vegetable oil, in addition to the use of purified water in irrigation (claim 2). The preamble of the application describes the known process of initial separation of the solid component of the slurry by means of a centrifuge, as well as the use of the solid part as food for worms in vermiculture installations. Document D01 collects different methods of producing microalgae as well as uses that are given to them. Document D02 narrates a treatment of pig manure by means of microalgae. Document D03 anticipates the treatment of slurry with microalgae in aerated lagoons. Document D04 treats liquid manure in a raft with aeration and agitation, after solid / liquid separation of the manure by means of a centrifuge. Document D05 describes the aerobic treatment of wastewater of different origins by means of microalgae. Document D06 performs a biological purification of animal excreta with a previous solid / liquid separation stage, using the resulting solid in vermiculture. Document D07 produces oil-rich microalgae, which can be used to obtain biodiesel, growing them in animal liquid manure. It solves the main problem so far, the cost of collecting biomass, using a support to which they are attached (polystyrene foam). The microalgae produced are used to obtain oil, and as animal feed, while the water, once treated, is used in irrigation. 2. Statement motivated according to articles 29.6 and 29.7 of the Regulations for the execution of Law 11/1986, of March 20, on Patents on novelty and inventive activity; quotes and explanations in support of this statement NEW (Art. 6.1 L.P.) Claims 1 and 2 meet the novelty requirement. INVENTIVE ACTIVITY (Art. 8.1 L.P.) The technical object of the application is the treatment of liquid slurries in lagoons by means of microalgae, in an aerobic process and with agitation (claim 1), as well as an additional stage of harvesting and drying the microalgae produced for use as a food supplement or to transform them into pure vegetable oil, in addition to the use of purified water in irrigation (claim 2). Report on the State of the Art (Written Opinion) Page 4/5  WRITTEN OPINION Application number: 200802187  Additional sheet D01 or D02 documents D01 collects different methods of producing microalgae as well as uses that are given to them. Determines the suitability of liquid manure as a nutritional medium for its cultivation, being its subsequent collection one of the problematic factors. The biomass obtained has a high nutritional power, and can be used in animal feed. Make a discussion about the most appropriate final destination: food, obtaining desirable chemical compounds or for energy. The purified water can be used in irrigation. It performs an aerobic treatment with agitation by means of vane wheels, rotating arms, pumps or any other system known in the state of the art. D02 narrates the treatment of pig manure by means of microalgae in an aerobic process and with agitation, as well as the subsequent use of these microalgae as food for zooplankton. Documents D01 and D02 differ from claim 1 in that the solid part has not been previously separated from the starting manure. Although, it would be obvious for a person skilled in the art to carry out the same treatment on liquid manure when it is already done on manure without that previous separation, more taking into account that the solid / liquid separation of slurry is a well known and therefore obvious technique . Thus, and in view of D01 or D02, claim 1 lacks inventive activity. D01 also has all the specific characteristics reflected in claim 2, so that in view of this document claim 2 does not meet the requirement of inventive activity. Disclaimer: The preamble is not considered in the valuation, as it is part of the known state of the art (the applicant himself considers it that way by not including these stages in the characterizing part). Various forms of solid / liquid separation of slurry are already known in the state of the art, as well as the use in vermiculture of the separated solid part. A clear example of this can be seen in document D06. Documents D03 and D04 Document D03 anticipates the treatment of slurry with microalgae in aerated lagoons, as well as the use of biomass produced for animal feed and for obtaining other useful compounds (fatty acids, among others). D03 differs from claim 1 in not specifying agitation, and from claim 2 in not specifying that purified water can be irrigated. The use of treated water in irrigation is a technique traditionally used, and therefore lacks inventive activity. The technical effect produced by the agitation is to favor the contact between the microalgae and the liquid slurries, which can lead to an improvement in the purification results. However, there is a document D04 that treats liquid slurries in a raft with aeration and agitation, after solid / liquid separation of the slurries by means of a centrifuge, and which also uses the treated treated water. It would be obvious to one skilled in the art to combine D03 with the additional features of D04 and thus improve the microalgae / slurry contact. Therefore, and in view of D03 in combination with D04, claims 1 and 2 do not meet the inventive activity requirement. Document D05 D05 describes the aerobic treatment of wastewater of different origins (for example, pig slurry) by a microalgae culture. In one of its possible embodiments, it cultivates the microalgae in a tank, with aeration, agitation and using as nutrients the water itself (slurry). Optionally it carries out a previous filtration of it to eliminate solids from it. Once the crop has been developed, it is thrown into the lagoon to treat the mass as a whole, which may optionally include agitation. D05 differs from claim 1 in some aspects of the preamble. Although, this is part of the known state of the art (see document D06), and does not provide any surprising technical effect to the object of invention being analyzed (that which is part of the characterizing part). Therefore, and in view of document D05, claim 1 does not meet the inventive activity requirement. Report on the State of the Art (Written Opinion additional sheet) Page 5/5