Patent ID: 7371328
Filing Date: 2008-05-13
Classification: A01C,A01K,C02F,C05F,Y02A,Y02P,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method of treating animal waste, comprising: removing animal waste from an animal confinement area; passing the animal waste to a holding tank; mixing a lime solution with the animal waste in the holding tank to create a waste mixture; maintaining the pH of the waste mixture at 11 or higher within the holding tank for a selected time period; removing ammonia from the waste mixture, wherein ammonia is removed from the waste mixture by directing the waste mixture through an ammonia stripper and stripping the ammonia therefrom; transferring the waste mixture to a solids separator; separating the waste mixture into solids and a liquid; wherein separating the waste mixture into solids and a liquid comprises transferring the waste mixture from the holding tank to a solids separator and adding a flocculant and a coagulant to the waste mixture and wherein in the solids separator, the solids of the waste mixture move upwardly and overflow the solids separator while the liquid is drained from the solids separator; after separating the solids, returning the liquid to the animal confinement area for reuse; continuously flushing the animal confinement area by directing the returned liquid through the animal confinement area; and wherein the animal waste directed to the holding tank includes both solid waste and liquid waste, and wherein as a result of mixing the lime solution with animal waste the method includes breaking down the colloidal bonds of the solid waste in the holding tank, causing the urea of the animal waste in the holding tank to release ammonia, and killing pathogens in the waste mixture in the holding tank.