Let's face it: the unique complex will turn manure into drinking water

A Russian inventor has created and patented a new method for cleaning and eliminating the odor of wastewater from agricultural enterprises. The development makes it possible to process manure to the state of drinking water. For this, chemical reactions and a special electric shredder are used in the process. According to experts, the technology can find wide practical application in the agro-industrial sector, however, it will depend on its economic characteristics and test results.

How the new sewage treatment plant works

Russian inventor Vladimir Gorbashov, with the support of NTI, has developed and patented a new type of sewage treatment plant. It consumes less energy and works more efficiently, since the liquid after such cleaning completely gets rid of all microflora, that is, bacteria and viruses, and unpleasant odors. You can even drink it without fear for your health. The system is intended for use at various facilities of the agro-industrial complex, in particular pig farming, animal husbandry, poultry farming and other enterprises that produce manure.

— This development solves the problem with sedimentary sludge, the mud that remains in sewage treatment plants after biological water treatment. It usually smells strongly and requires large settling tanks. In my version, there is no smell and you need less storage space. In addition, the technology processes all sludge into organic fertilizer. Therefore, it can be used in the agro—industry, for example, on pig farms, dairy complexes, where there is usually a lot of manure and odor. The development does not depend on air temperature, which is important for cold regions, such as Yakutia, and it is many times more efficient than existing solutions," the author of the project told Izvestia.

According to the scientist's idea, manure is mixed with milled peat, and then treated with an electrohydroelectric effect — this is the effect of electricity (with a voltage of 10 kV) in a special shredder — homogenizer. It not only breaks down manure and peat particles to nanoscale size, but also completely sterilizes the mixture. Then the liquid in the pump turns into steam, which creates pressure and additionally grinds the pumping products. After that, the mixture becomes so pure that beneficial bacteria can be added to it.

They multiply quickly and in a week, according to the author's calculations, turn the mixture into fertilizer, which can increase yields by 30%. At the same time, the system itself operates on an electrohydraulic effect, when a high-voltage electric discharge in a liquid creates high pressure and shock waves. The equipment used is completely sealed, there are almost no moving parts in it, the developer added.

Where else would the new complex be useful?

The project is of interest because new approaches to wastewater treatment and municipal waste disposal in the context of increasing environmental requirements are very relevant, said the head of the Smart Supply Chain segment of the FoodNet working group NTI Sergey Kosogor.

— With the possible use of this invention, the most important economic factors and the safety factor of the fertilizers produced. For example, whether the invention makes it possible to shorten the time for obtaining organic fertilizer from sewage sludge or manure, how much it simplifies the process of obtaining fertilizer while minimizing costs, whether the waste safety class is taken into account in the production of fertilizers, whether biological organisms dangerous to human health — pathogenic microorganisms, helminths and others are destroyed during processing, whether the environmental friendliness of the process increases, — He clarified.

First of all, the economy raises questions, as well as the applicability of technology to existing industries and communications. The author needs not only to describe the technical solution, but also to calculate the feasibility study and the actual payback period. Then it will be possible to talk more specifically about the possibility of introducing the development into the real sector, suggested the leading expert of the FoodNet market NTI Alexey Cook.

According to Sergey Kosogor, in order to implement the invention, it is necessary to conduct tests on a real livestock or poultry complex so that producers can see the benefits of using the development and be confident in the safety of the process of increasing soil fertility. In addition, he recalled that currently there are many developments in agriculture and beyond, including those based on the use of bacteria that are involved in the disinfection and removal of unpleasant odors from waste from fertilizer production. How exactly it is planned to compete with such projects is still an open question.

— The main problem is not even in the smell, but in various pathogenic bacteria. Penetrating into the water, they reach wastewater and, accordingly, can infect humans. Therefore, the project represents a promising direction. Interestingly, we have found another technology related to electrical discharges, which is something new," said Alexander Vasenev, a developer of educational programs and chairman of the Opora Russia Mentoring commission.

He clarified that the technology allows, in theory, to completely remove all bacteria from wastewater. The optimal solution is an industrial design and the organization of pilot production. It will help you understand how effective the process is. If the project proves to be as useful in practice as it is on paper, it will be a huge breakthrough for agriculture and the environment, he concluded.