# US 10,766,801 B2 · Method for treating animal waste

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- Number: US 10,766,801 B2
- Document ID: US10766801B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/587,646
- Filed: 2017-05-05
- Published: 2017-11-16
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2011-08-22
- Assignees: EnviroKure, Incorporated
- Applicants: EnviroKure, Inc.
- Inventors: William Blaine
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10766801B2

## CPC

- C02F 11/004: {Sludge detoxification}
- A01C 3/00: Treating manure; Manuring
- B01F 27/0722: {perpendicular with respect to the rotating axis}
- B01F 27/0724: {directly mounted on the rotating axis}
- B01F 27/85: with two or more stirrers on separate shafts
- B01F 33/86: {Mixing heads comprising a driven stirrer}
- B01F 35/3231: {Driving several stirrer shafts, e.g. about the same axis}
- B01F 35/413: {by means of clamps or clamping arrangements for fixing attached stirrers or independent stirrer units}
- B01F 35/43: Supporting receptacles on frames or stands
- C02F 9/00: Multistage treatment of water, waste water or sewage
- C05F 3/00: Fertilisers from human or animal excrements, e.g. manure
- C05F 3/06: Apparatus for the manufacture
- C05F 17/00: Preparation of fertilisers characterised by biological or biochemical treatment steps, e.g. composting or fermentation
- C05F 17/10: Addition or removal of substances other than water or air to or from the material during the treatment (for activating or stimulating the treatment C05F17/20)
- C05F 17/50: Treatments combining two or more different biological or biochemical treatments, e.g. anaerobic and aerobic treatment or vermicomposting and aerobic treatment
- C21B 13/008: {Use of special additives or fluxing agents}
- C21B 13/0093: {Protecting against oxidation}
- C02F 1/004: {using large scale industrial sized filters}
- C02F 1/02: by heating (methods of steam generation F22B; preheating boiler feed-water or accumulating preheated boiler feed-water F22D)
- C02F 1/32: with ultraviolet light
- C02F 1/385: {by centrifuging suspensions (centrifuges B04B)}
- C02F 1/66: by neutralisation; pH adjustment (for degassing C02F1/20; using ion-exchange C02F1/42; for flocculation or precipitation of suspended impurities C02F1/52; for removing dissolved compounds C02F1/58)
- C02F 1/68: by addition of specified substances, e.g. trace elements, for ameliorating potable water (medicinal water A61K)
- C02F 1/76: with halogens or compounds of halogens {(C02F1/4674 takes precedence)}
- C02F 2103/20: from animal husbandry
- C02F 2209/006: comprising a software program or a logic diagram
- C02F 2301/08: Multistage treatments, e.g. repetition of the same process step under different conditions
- C02F 2303/04: Disinfection
- C02F 2303/24: Separation of coarse particles, e.g. by using sieves or screens
- C02F 2303/26: Reducing the size of particles, liquid droplets or bubbles, e.g. by crushing, grinding, spraying, creation of microbubbles or nanobubbles
- Y02A 40/20: Fertilizers of biological origin, e.g. guano or fertilizers made from animal corpses
- Y02P 20/145: the feedstock being materials of biological origin
- Y02W 30/40: Bio-organic fraction processing; Production of fertilisers from the organic fraction of waste or refuse
- C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes)
- A01C: PLANTING; SOWING; FERTILISING (parts, details or accessories of agricultural machines or implements, in general A01B51/00 - A01B75/00)
- B01F: MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING (mixing paints B44D3/06)
- C05F: ORGANIC FERTILISERS NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C05B, C05C, e.g. FERTILISERS FROM WASTE OR REFUSE
- C21B: MANUFACTURE OF IRON OR STEEL (preliminary treatment of ferrous ores or scrap C22B1/00)
- Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
- Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT

## Abstract

Methods and apparatus for the treatment of animal waste are disclosed, together with a treated animal waste and fertilizer and growth media products derived therefrom.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for producing a liquid fertilizer from animal waste, the method comprising:
a) adjusting moisture content and pH of the animal waste to produce an animal waste slurry comprising at least about 75 wt % moisture and a pH of about 5.5 or above;
b) allowing components of the animal waste slurry to remain in contact for a period of time;
c) reducing particle size of solids in the animal waste slurry;
d) separating the animal waste slurry into a substantially liquid component and a substantially solid component; and
e) subjecting the substantially liquid component to one or more processing steps comprising (1) aging the substantially liquid component to facilitate breakdown of solids remaining in the substantially liquid component (2) removing part or all of solids remaining in the substantially liquid component, and/or (3) reducing particle size of solids remaining in the substantially liquid component, thereby producing the liquid fertilizer;
wherein steps b) through e) are conducted at a pH of about 5.5 or above.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the animal waste is poultry waste.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the poultry waste is chicken waste.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the moisture of the animal waste is adjusted at least in part by the addition of a nutrient-enriched liquid.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the nutrient-enriched liquid is selected from liquid animal waste and/or the substantially liquid component separated from the animal waste slurry.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the pH of the animal waste slurry is between about 5.5 and about 7.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the pH of the animal waste is adjusted by the addition of an acid.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the allowing components of the animal waste slurry to remain in contact comprises contacting or mixing the components for between about 30 minutes and about 5 hours.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the reducing the particle size of solids in the animal waste slurry comprises grinding, milling, shearing, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the particle size of solids in the animal waste slurry is reduced to an average size of about 149 micrometers or less.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the step of separating the animal waste slurry into a substantially liquid component and a substantially solid component comprises centrifugation, screening, pressing, filtration or a combination thereof.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the further processing of the substantially liquid component comprises aging the substantially liquid component for at least about 2 hours.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the further processing of the substantially liquid component comprises removing part or all of any solids remaining in the substantially liquid component by one or more filtrations.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more filtrations produces a filtrate having particles of an average size less than about 100 micrometers.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising an additional step of removing or killing pathogens present in the animal waste.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the pathogens are removed or killed by heat, ultraviolet irradiation, chemical agents, or any combination thereof.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the chemical agent comprises chlorine dioxide or a precursor thereof.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting the moisture content of the animal waste to produce an animal waste slurry comprising at least about 77%.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, further comprising adjusting the moisture content of the animal waste to produce an animal waste slurry comprising at least about 79%.