The amendment of the Fertilizer Act, the Fertilizer Ordinance, and the Fertilizer Ordinance 2017, as well as the classification of fermentation residues as hazardous to water, has made the discharge of liquid manure and fermentation residues in Germany considerably more difficult. This has resulted in increased cost and land pressure in regions characterized by agriculture. The management and processing of liquid manure and fermentation residues is of importance, especially given the current high nitrate groundwater pollution in Germany. Recovery of nutrients is only possible to a limited extent with the currently applied methods.
This is the subject of the joint project KompaGG-N "Complete processing of liquid manure and fermentation residues - process development under consideration of regional material flow concepts for nutrients and pollutants". The aim is to identify robust and economical process chains for the complete processing of liquid manure and fermentation residues. This is intended to relieve the burden on agricultural enterprises and significantly reduce the environmentally harmful nutrient surplus in agriculture. The focus here is, among other things, on the SEQUESTA (Sequential Evaporation) process from BIORESTEC GmbH, in which, mainly, marketable ammonia water is obtained, and the TERRAMOX® (Deammonification) process from E&P Analgenbau GmbH, which has already been established on a large scale in the purification of process water for municipal sludge treatment. Additionally, the effects of upstream solids separation on process stability are being investigated. In addition to the further development and adapted optimization of the above-mentioned processes, the completion of the project will offer the producers of liquid manure and fermentation residues a specifically adapted and economically sensible process chain which will enable a relief of regional nutrient and pollutant flows using coordinated processes.
The kick-off on 09.19.2019 in Hanover marked the start of the research project, which will run until August 2022. BIORESTEC GmbH, E&P Anlagenbau GmbH, as well as the Institute for Sanitary Engineering and Waste Management (ISAH), and the DVGW Research Centre at the Engler-Bunte Institute, Water Chemistry and Water Technology (DVGW-EBI), are looking forward to productive cooperation.
The KompaGG-N project is funded within the framework of the KMU-innovativ funding program of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research with a volume of € 1.3 million.
