WSE Publication No. 599
Effective Date: August 15, 2000
Engineering Data Sheet
0225
Process: Zero Discharge Dairy Farm Waste Treatment
While producing 6.5-7.0 gallons of milk
per day the average cow also generates
8-10 gallons of wastewater and 14
pounds of solid waste. Odorous and
expensive to dispose of, these wastes
are a significant management burden on
the farm and the environment.
New technology can now change the
way operators view waste treatment.
WaterSmart Environmental’s cutting edge
and modern SuperAnaerobicDigesterTM
Treatment Process not only provides
highly
efficient
and
cost-effective
treatment of cow wastes, it goes a step
further and converts one of the byproducts of that treatment, biogas, into a
usable, and sustainable fuel source. With
this modern SuperAnaerobicDigesterTM
Process, the burden of concentrated
waste treatment becomes a huge and fully
sustainable and continuing asset to the
farmer.
Each SuperAnaerobicDigesterTM process
treatment
plant
is
totally
energy
independent as the waste itself generates
far more energy than is required for treatment. The
excess energy produced may be sold and used as a
primary fuel (methane gas) or converted into
electricity.
The General Design Data table below and the charts on
page 2 show the quantities of energy that cow wastes
can produce.
In order to design equipment is
supplied to capture ammonia-nitrogen, phosphorus,
and potassium nutrients as liquid fertilizer. The fully
treated effluent is recycled as potable livestock
drinking water. The residual sludge qualifies as
Class A Biosolids thus enabling its beneficial
use as a soil conditioner or as an organic
fertilizer. The attached process engineering
drawing No. S-5060 shows a dairy farm treatment
plant. Standard designs to 100,000 standing head are
available.
The United States Environmental
Protection Agency has designated
WaterSmartEnvironmental, Inc. as
an "Ag-STAR
Ally"
for
its
groundbreaking technology.
For
more information on becoming an
AgSTAR Partner or Ally telephone
the AgSTAR Hotline at 1-80095AgSTAR.
General Design Data - AgSTAR
Average weight of all cows:
1,300 pounds each
Total wet waste factor:
8.0%
Average wet waste =
1,300 x 0.08 or 104 pounds per day
Total solids =
Volatile solids =
13.5% of average wet waste or
104 x 0.135 = 14.0 pounds per day
75% of total solids or
14.0 x 0.75 = 10.5 pounds/day
Average volatile solids reduction =
92.5%
Volatile solids methane yield =
12.0 cubic feet per pound of volatile
solids removed
Volatile solids removed =
10.5 x 0.925 = 9.71 pounds per day
=
From the Engineering Department of
Approximate methane conversion factor is:
9.71 x 12.0 = 116 cubic feet/day
12 CFH = 1 kW
1997 WaterSmart Environmental, Inc.
© 2000
Waste-generated biogas per standing head measured in cubic feet per hour
(CFH) and cubic meters per hour (m3/h). The appropriate kilowatt sized gas
generator is also shown
Standing Head
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1,000
CFH
483
967
1,450
1,934
2,417
2,900
3,383
3,868
4,350
4,833
m3/h
13.7
27.4
41.1
54.8
68.5
82.2
95.9
110
123
137
40
80
120
160
200
240
280
320
360
400
kW
Standing Head
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
8,000
9,000
10,000
CFH
4,833
9,666
14,500
19,332
24,166
29,000
33,832
38,664
43,498
48,332
3
m /h
137
274
411
826
685
822
1,237
1,652
1,511
1,370
kW
400
800
1,200
1,600
2,000
2,400
2,800
3,200
3,600
4,000
Standing Head
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
90,000
100,000
CFH
48,332
96,664
145,000
193,000
242,000
290,000
338,000
386,000
435,000
484,000
m3/h
1,370
2,740
4,110
5,480
6,850
8,220
9,590
10,960
12,330
13,700
kW
4,000
8,000
12,000
16,000
20,000
24,000
28,000
32,000
36,000
40,000
Dairy Waste-To-Energy
…no land disposal of manure
…zero liquid discharges
Made possible by the
™
SuperAnaerobicDigester
Optimized Anaerobic
Treatment Process
© 2001 WaterSmart Environmental, Inc.
No Lagoons.
 All liquid and solid wastes are continuously
treated, not stored.
 Existing lagoons may be decommissioned.
 Animal deads are processed and added to
the waste feedstock rather than rendered.
 Eliminates all potential for surface runoff
and groundwater pollution.
No Land Disposal of Solids
or Liquid Manure.
 Dairy waste solids and liquids are
continuously treated by anaerobic
digestion and converted into methane
gas, carbon dioxide gas, organic
fertilizer, and liquid fertilizer
concentrate.
 Animal deads are ground and added to
the digester as organic wastes.
No Liquid Discharges.
 The digester effluent is highly purified by
reverse osmosis (RO) treatment.
 The RO concentrate contains ammonia
nitrogen orthophosphates, and potassium
salts, the main components of liquid
fertilizer.
 The RO permeate is continuously
recycled for livestock drinking water.
Total Treatment Design.
Solids (Digestate)
Composition.
 Grit and sand.
 Insoluble Sulfides of Cadmium, Calcium,
Copper, Iron, Lead, Manganese, Trivalent
Chromium, and Zinc.
 Approximately 1-1-1 NPK (Nitrogen,
Phosphorus, and Potassium)
 Qualifies as Class “A” Biosolids in
compliance with 40 CFR Part 503
 Also Qualifies as Organic Fertilizer
Solids Management.
 May be used as livestock bedding
material since it is pathogen free.
 May be sold to the marketplace as an
organic fertilizer commodity.
 May be sold to the marketplace as a soil
conditioner or soil amendment.
Liquid Streams.
 Liquid fertilizer concentrate.
 Reverse osmosis permeate.
Liquid Fertilizer
Concentrate.
 Contains about 20-10-10 NPK in a
concentrated water solution.
 Contains trace amounts of aluminum,
magnesium, and sodium salts
Reverse Osmosis
Permeate.
 Total dissolved solids < 50 mg/L
 Total coliform count < 1MPN/100 mL
 BOD < 1 mg/L
 COD < 1 mg/L
 TOC < 1 mg/L
 TSS < 1 mg/L
 NPK < 10 mg/L
Liquids Management.
 Liquid fertilizer concentrate may be
directly used by the farmer for routine
crop nutrient requirements.
 Liquid fertilizer may be sold to the
marketplace as a commodity.
 Reverse osmosis permeate water is
continuously recycled as livestock
drinking water.
Other Co-Products.
 Methane gas.
 Carbon dioxide gas.
Co-Product Methane.
 Is compressed, dried, and stored at 300
psig for site use and for generation of
electricity.
 Compressed methane may also be sold
as CMG (compressed methane gas) or
LMG (liquefied methane gas).
 Generated electricity may be used at
with excess sold to utility grid.
Co-Product Management.
 No release of methane gas to the
environment.
 No release of carbon dioxide gas to the
environment.
 No gas releases accomplish a 500%+
reduction in greenhouse gas effect.
Complete Odor Control.
 No liquid or solid manures are ever land
applied to create odors.
 Odors within enclosed livestock barns are
controlled by continuous use as power
plant combustion air thereby achieving
complete thermal oxidation. Odors are
therefore destroyed rather than discharged
to the environment.
Co-Product
Carbon Dioxide.
 Is compressed, dried, purified, and
liquefied for sale to the marketplace as
a commodity.
 Meets food and medical grade quality.
The SuperAnaerobicDigester™ Process
Is the only process that combines:
 Two-phase Anaerobic Digestion
 Thermophilic Bacteria
 Staged Phase Treatment
 Fixed Growth Media
 Flow Recirculation
 pH and Temperature Control
 Essential Nutrient Addition
Bacteria Can Produce Fuel
From Liquid & Solid Wastes.
 Solid waste landfills biologically generate
methane gas (called biogas) as clear evidence
of the ability of bacteria to produce fuel.
 Biogas is a mixture of carbon dioxide and
methane gas. It has a heating value of about
25,000 kJ per cubic meter.
 Biogas can be used as a primary fuel or to
generate electricity.
Wastewater Treatment
Plants Use Bacteria.
 Almost all wastewater treatment plants use
bacteria to treat the water.
 Aerobic plants use aeration. They consume
about 8,000 kJ per kg COD (Chemical Oxygen
Demand) removed.
 WaterSmart’s OAT™ anaerobic plant generates
about 22,000 kJ/kg COD for an energy
improvement of about 30,000 kJ/kg COD.
Wastes That Can Be
Converted Into Biogas.
 Municipal
Wastewater
 Landfill Leachate
 Chemical
Manufacturing
 Pulp & Paper Mills
 Sugar Mills
 Palm Oil Mills
 Breweries & Distilleries
 Fish & Food
Processing
 Agricultural Solid
Wastes
 Cardboard & Sawdust
 Ethanol Plants
 Rubber Plantations
...More Eligible Wastes.
 Animal Feed Lot Wastes
 Dairy & Cheese Production
 Fruit & Vegetable Canning
 Pharmaceutical Wastes
 Rendering Plants
 Textile Manufacturing
 Municipal & Industrial Digester Sludge
 Food and Green Wastes
 Municipal Solid Wastes
A Renewable And Alternative
Energy Source.
 These many wastes are generated each and
every day in the normal course of living.
 The routine treatment or disposal of
wastes is tremendously expensive.
 The SuperAnaerobicDigester™ process,
however, makes their treatment or disposal
profitable, an extremely pleasant surprise.
Excess Energy Produced.
 The SuperAnaerobicDigesterTM process uses
some of the methane it generates to heat the
wastewater being treated.
 The excess methane can be sold, used to
operate pumps, or generate electricity.
 The excess green power electricity can be used
by the treatment plant, sold to the local electric
utility, or even to a distant business or city
through the Internet.
Positive Return On
Investment.
 When one generates a profit from the
treatment of wastes, a positive return on
investment (ROI) always results.
 Rather than a burden on society, wastes
may now be viewed as an asset--an
incredible reversal of common perception.
 Wastewater treatment plants of the
anaerobic digester design can now
pay for themselves!
Energy Costs.
 Wastewater treatment is very expensive, particularly
because of energy costs which increase at 3-5%
every year.
 A typical biological wastewater treatment plant uses
about 8,000 kJ per kg COD (Chemical Oxygen
Demand) removed.
 WaterSmart’s SuperAnaerobicDigesterTM
process can produce up to 22,000 kJ/kg COD
removed, for an energy improvement of about
30,000 kJ per kg COD.
Capital Equipment Costs.
 Are also very expensive, on the order of
US$2K+ for every kg of COD treatment
capacity.
 If ammonia, nitrate, phosphorus, or heavy
metal removals are required, the associated
costs are much higher.
 WaterSmart’s Anaerobic Treatment Plant
costs about half as much as other anaerobic
systems treating the same amount
of COD or Volatile Solids.
Environmentally Friendly
And Sensible.
 Korea’s Sudokwon Landfill, the world’s largest,
has the motto: “Don’t Waste Wastes.”
 We share that view and believe wastes
should be converted into something useful,
like fuel or electricity, if it can be done so
safely and economically.
 In so doing, waste volumes are greatly
reduced to better manage the environment for
ourselves and the next generation.
Odors?
Absolutely None!
 All treatment is carried out in closed
vessels
 Hydrogen Sulfide is removed from
produced biogas.
 All gasses are captured and used or
recycled. None escape.
Environmental Damage?
Absolutely None!
 No emissions to atmosphere.
 Heavy metals removed as insoluble
sulfides.
 Organic constituents removed to
innocuous levels.
 Effluent contains nutrients which are
beneficially recycled.
Beneficial Co-Products
In addition to methane gas, the digester process
generates other useful and profitable co-products.
 Carbon Dioxide
 Organic Fertilizer
 Liquid Fertilizer Concentrate
 Reverse Osmosis Permeate Water
Greenhouse Gasses
 A methane powered generator or gas turbine
will discharge EPA permissible amounts of
carbon dioxide when producing electricity.
 If a fuel cell is used to make electricity, no
carbon dioxide is discharged.
 No methane is ever discharged to the
environment.
Noise…
Practically none!
The loudest component is a biogas
powered generator or turbine -similar to a truck engine.
Noise producing equipment can easily be
enclosed for noise attenuation.
Sludge
 0.01 pounds of solids produced for
every pound of BOD removed—about
25% that of competitive anaerobic
treatment plants!
 The SuperAnaerobicDigesterTM
process sludge qualifies as Class
“A” Biosolids that can be sold as
fully certified organic fertilizer.
Single Vessel Design.
Carbon Dioxide outlet
Methane outlet
97% CO2
85-95% CH4
5-15% CO2
0-1% H2S
Vertical circular insulated
process vessel with dome cover
0-3% N2 + H2S
Liquid outlet
Static water level
Acidogenic stage isolation wall
Methanogenic stage isolation wall
Phase partition wall
1st stage acidogenic digester
2nd stage acidogenic digester
Headworks.








After trash removal:
Grind or comminute the raw wastewater.
No primary treatment required.
Biosolids may be ground and added.
Organic wastes may also be added.
Liquid organic wastes may also be added.
Green Wastes may also be added.
Food wastes may also be added.
Sophisticated Design
But Easy To Operate.
 Automatic controls simplify routine plant
operations.
 Close process control translates into a
high degree of treatment efficiency.
 Minimal plant operator skill required.
Digester Upgrades Available.
 Existing anaerobic digesters may usually be
upgraded to the digester process thus saving
project site construction and piping costs.
 A complete upgrade to the digester process
can increase the digester capacity 10 times.
 Beneficial use or sale of the produced methane,
electricity, Class A biosolids, reverse osmosis
permeate water, and carbon dioxide makes the
upgrade a positive ROI.
Summary.
 Wastes can be beneficially converted into fuel or
electricity.
 An efficient anaerobic treatment process results in
a positive return on investment.
 The SuperAnaerobicDigester™ process is the
most efficient anaerobic treatment available.
 SuperAnaerobicDigester™ plants are smaller,
less expensive, do not smell, and generate a
profit.
 Reverse Osmosis permeate can be continuously
recycled for livestock drinking water
For Project Feasibility
Studies and Proposals
Contact: WaterSmart Environmental, Inc.
POC: Chuck Steiner @ 913-428-7520
Fax: 913-428-7520
email:
chucksteiner@watersmart.com
Website: www.watersmart.com