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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Florence, South Carolina » Coastal Plain Soil, Water and Plant Conservation Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #107285
Title: FIELD-SCALE EVALUATION OF TWO LAGOON-BASED SWINE WASTE TREATMENT ALTERNATIVES

Author
item RASHASH, D - NS COOP EXT SERV
item Vanotti, Matias
item ZERING, K - NC STATE UNIV.
item CAMPBELL, RAY - NCDA&CS, RALEIGH, NC

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/27/1999
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Two field demonstrations of alternative swine waste treatments were begun during spring '97. The Partial Lagoon Aeration project was conducted at a 7,300 head capacity feeder-to-finish operation, in Sampson County, that consisted of seven swine houses and two lagoons. A 1/2-hp floating aerator was used for the project. The nutrient concentrations observed within the test lagoon liquid during the April through October '98 period were less than those observed during the same period of the previous year as follows: TKN, 17.7%; ammonia-N, 17.1%, and total phosphorus, 22%. During the same time periods, the nutrient concentrations within the control lagoon were not significantly different. The aerator used very little electricity (5670 kWh) during the project, with a total energy cost of approximately $340 for the entire 19 months. The Polymer Enhanced Solids Separation project was conducted at a 14,400 head capacity feeder-to-finish operation, ,in Bladen County, that consisted of 12 swine houses and 3 lagoons. The houses were grouped such that the effluent from four houses discharged into its own lagoon. Two of the lagoons were conventional treatment, whereas the third lagoon received waste liquids that were mixed in a pumping pit and passed through a solids separator. The test lagoon contained approximately 13% less total Kjeldahl nitrogen and 12% less total phosphorus than did the control lagoon. Bench-scale separation evaluations indicated that the 1/32" screen would be a more efficient choice, than the 1/16" screen, for situations either with or without polymer additions. Addition of 60 mg/L polyacrylamide (PAM) cationic polymer was determined to be the optimal dose, based on improved removal efficiency and polymer cost.