Nutrient Separation Process
Polymer-assisted mechanical separation for cleaner lagoon water and concentrated phosphorus management.
The Nutrient Separation Process reduces suspended solids, phosphorus, and volatile solids from digestate or pressate while producing a P-reduced effluent and a concentrated cake.
Phosphorus reduction
75-85%
TSS reduction
>90%
Hauling volume
15%
Polymer-assisted DAF separation running on site.
Reduced Effluent
Cleaner effluent for lagoon storage or downstream manure management.
Concentrated Cake
Higher-solids material at roughly one-tenth of the original volume.
Managing digestate and pressate is operationally difficult.
Phosphorus limits, suspended solids, hauling volume and lagoon capacity all put pressure on day-to-day operations.
Phosphorus-saturated land limits local application.
High suspended solids reduce flushing efficiency and drive lagoon maintenance costs.
Long-distance hauling and liquid manure disposal increase operating costs.
Higher volatile solids increase lagoon gas emissions.
Typical baseline composition before treatment.
Total solids
3.70%
Phosphorus
400 ppm
930 ppm as P2O5Total suspended solids
21,900 ppm
Total volatile solids
2.1%
Total Kjeldahl nitrogen
0.26%
Potassium
0.25%
Sulfur
0.02%
Calcium
0.16%
Magnesium
0.07%
Sodium
0.22%
Iron
87 ppm
Zinc
40 ppm
Polymer-assisted mechanical separation
NSP uses DAF-style separation with polymer addition to reduce suspended solids and phosphorus while concentrating material into a manageable cake.
NSP / DAF Relationship
The Nutrient Separation Process (NSP) uses DAF-style, polymer-assisted mechanical separation to remove suspended solids and concentrate phosphorus-rich material into a manageable cake.
Primary Outputs
The process produces a P-reduced effluent for lagoon storage or downstream manure management, plus a concentrated cake stream.
Volume Reduction
Cake volume is approximately one-tenth of the original stream, reducing hauling and disposal volume.
Performance at a Glance
| Metric | Before | After NSP | Total Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total solids | 3.70% | 1.7% | Significant lagoon solids reduction |
| Phosphorus | 400 ppm | 70 ppm | 75-85% P reduction |
| Total suspended solids | 21,900 ppm | 2,100 ppm | >90% TSS reduction |
| Total volatile solids (TVS) | 2.1% | 0.8% | >60% TVS reduction |
| Pressate volume for long-distance disposal | 100% | 15% | 80-90% volume reduction |
Typical composition before and after NSP
Baseline pressate composition alongside the composition of the NSP output streams.
Baseline / Pressate Typical Composition
| Metric | Unit | Typical value |
|---|---|---|
| Total solids | % | 3.70% |
| Phosphorus | ppm | 400 ppm |
| Phosphorus (P2O5) | ppm | 930 ppm |
| Total suspended solids | ppm | 21,900 ppm |
| Total volatile solids (TVS) | % | 2.1% |
| Total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) | % | 0.26% |
| Potassium | % | 0.25% |
| Sulfur | % | 0.02% |
| Calcium | % | 0.16% |
| Magnesium | % | 0.07% |
| Sodium | % | 0.22% |
| Iron | ppm | 87 ppm |
| Zinc | ppm | 40 ppm |
NSP Typical Composition
| Metric | MD Press Cake | Effluent | Effluent Reduction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total solids | 20.4% | 1.7% | 53% |
| Phosphorus | 3,300 ppm | 70 ppm | 84% |
| Total suspended solids | 0 | 2,100 ppm | 90% |
| Total volatile solids (TVS) | 13.6% | 0.8% | 62% |
| Total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) | 0.90% | 0.20% | 23% |
| Potassium | 0.28% | 0.23% | 7% |
| Sulfur | 0.11% | 0.01% | 44% |
| Calcium | 0.96% | 0.03% | 84% |
| Magnesium | 0.32% | 0.03% | 54% |
| Sodium | 0.19% | 0.19% | 12% |
| Iron | 609 ppm | 10 ppm | 88% |
| Manganese | 68 ppm | 2 ppm | 85% |
| Zinc | 248 ppm | 5 ppm | 89% |
Values represent typical composition and expected performance; results vary with each site's material.
Budgetary requirements
Preliminary facility, capital, polymer and utility assumptions for a reference installation.
Footprint
1,000-2,000 sq ft building space
Installed CAPEX
$1.5M based on 5,000 head / 173,000 GPD
Polymer OPEX
$100K-$200K per year
Utilities
Very low electrical usage
Five-step implementation sequence
A straightforward progression from sizing through operator training.
System sizing and specifications
Equipment procurement
Equipment installation
Commissioning
Operator training
Size a system for your site
Every installation is sized and tuned around the material it will actually treat. Get in touch to start with yours.