Dewatering of phosphorus extracted from liquid swine waste

Phosphorus (P) recovery from liquid swine manure is an attractive technology when on-farm application of liquid swine manure is not an option. We developed a technology that enables separation of this P, but its high moisture content makes transportation difficult. In this work, we investigated dewatering procedures to concentrate the P product. Sludge rich in calcium phosphate (>20% P2O5) was obtained using a field prototype, and it was further dewatered using a combination of polymer treatment and filter bags. Anionic polyacrylamide polymer treatment (⩾20 mg/L) was effective to flocculate the P-rich sludge, which enhanced filtration and dewatering. Without polymer, filtration was incomplete due to clogging of filters. Non-woven polypropylene and monofilament filter bag fabrics with mesh size ⩽200 μm retained >99% of suspended solids and total P. Solids content dramatically increased from about 1.5% to >90%. These dewatered solids can be transported more economically off the farm for use as a valuable fertilizer material.