Vermifiltration:
An on-farm wastewater treatment system composed of a bed of organic media, such as woodchips or sawdust, seeded with earthworms that bio-oxidize applied waste, outputting effluent that is lower in nutrients and vermicompost that can be sold for profit, while reducing emissions of GHG and other air pollutants such as ammonia.
Polymer Flocculant-based Solids/Liquids Separation:
A practice for solid-liquid separation using polymers to aggregate suspended solids to form settleable particles and to convert particles into large, rapidly settling flocs (flocculation).
Algae Raceways with a Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor:
A system of wastewater treatment utilizing an oxygen-rich algal liquid to supply oxygen to an aerobic biofilm reactor. Aerobic treatment of wastewater takes place in a MBBR, where the aerobic biomass grows on biofim and breaks down organic pollutants. The process continues with algae grown in an open raceway pond, producing oxygen through photosynthesis; this is recirculated through the MBBR to supply oxygen to the aerobic process taking place on the biofilm.
Evaporative Liquid Waste Processing Systems:
A process that uses mechanical vapo recompression to separate manure liquid and solid fractions. Vapor (steam) is then used to dry solids and further distill liquid into clean water and aqueous ammonia. Dry solids and aqueous ammonia can be used as fertilizer on-farm or sold.
Subsurface Drip Fertigation Using Liquid Manure:
Fertilizing with liquid manure through a specialized subsurface drip system as opposed to flood irrigation.
Weeping Walls:
A system that separates solids and liquids by using gravity. The system consists of two basins constructed of concrete and a perforated (weeping) material separated by a drainage channel. Manure is added to a basin, liquids drain through the weeping walls into the drainage channel, while retaining solids in the basin. The solids from the basin can then be recycled as bedding, soil amendments, or marketed for additional income.
Aerated Static Composting:
A form of thermophilic composting accelerated and managed through the pushing or pulling of air through the composting pile. The air is typically delivered by perforated pipe or pipes at the bottom of the pile, which keeps the pile oxygenated and expedites the normal composting process. It also maintains the population and diversity of beneficial oxygen-consuming bacteria.