ORGANIC LIQUID FERTILIZER
A fertilizer derived from an organic source and a method of making are provided. The fertilizer of the present invention advantageously has a nitrogen content greater than 4%. The method of making the fertilizer also produces potable water.
1 . A method for making a liquid fertilizer comprising the steps of:
a) obtaining a liquid organic waste filtrate that contains ammoniacal nitrogen;
b) adjust the pH of the organic waste filtrate to between 5 and 7; and
c) removing water from the liquid organic waste filtrate, to which the pH has been adjusted, to obtain a liquid fertilizer that comprises at least 4% ammoniacal nitrogen,
wherein the fertilizer meets the criteria for USDA organic certification under the National Organic Program.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of removing water from the liquid organic waste filtrate obtains a fertilizer that comprises at least 5% ammoniacal nitrogen.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of adjusting the pH of the organic waste filtrate comprises adding a first acid to the organic waste filtrate.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the method further comprises the step of adding a second acid to the liquid organic waste filtrate after performing the step of removing water from the liquid organic waste filtrate.
5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the first acid is selected from the group consisting of citric acid, lactic acid, L-malic acid, acetic acid, formic acid, oxalic acid, uric acid, phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, hydrofluoric acid, and perchloric acid.
6 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the first acid is an organic acid.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the organic acid is selected from the group consisting of citric acid, lactic acid, L-malic acid, acetic acid, formic acid, oxalic acid, and uric acid.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid organic waste filtrate is obtained through filtering a liquid organic waste comprising poultry manure and water.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid organic waste filtrate comprises less than 5,000 ppm of suspended solids, the suspended solids having a particle size of less than or equal to 24 microns.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises recovering the water removed from the liquid organic waste filtrate as potable water.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid organic waste filtrate is obtained by filtering a discharge from an anaerobic digester that is charged with animal manure.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the discharge from the anaerobic digester has a temperature of between 90° F. and 140° F.
13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of obtaining the liquid organic waste filtrate comprises filtering a liquid organic waste that comprises dissolved protein, ammoniacal nitrogen, and phosphate.
14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid fertilizer is substantially free of pathogens.
15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid fertilizer is substantially free of phosphates.
16 . A method for making a liquid fertilizer comprising the steps of:
a. obtaining liquid organic waste;
b. removing suspended solids from the liquid organic waste to form a liquid organic waste filtrate comprising from 0 to 20,000 ppm of suspended solids, the suspended solids having a particle size of less than or equal to 24 microns;
c. adjust the pH of the liquid organic waste filtrate to between 5 and 7; and
d. removing water from the liquid organic waste filtrate, to which the pH has been adjusted, to create a liquid fertilizer that contains nitrogen, wherein the nitrogen is ammoniacal nitrogen,
wherein the fertilizer meets the criteria for USDA organic certification under the National Organic Program.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the step of removing water from the liquid organic waste filtrate obtains a fertilizer that comprises at least 5% ammoniacal nitrogen.
18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the step of adjusting the pH of the organic waste filtrate comprises adding a first acid to the organic waste filtrate.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the method further comprises the step of adding a second acid to the liquid organic waste filtrate after performing the step of removing water from the liquid organic waste filtrate.
20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the first acid is selected from the group consisting of citric acid, lactic acid, L-malic acid, acetic acid, formic acid, oxalic acid, uric acid, phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, hydrofluoric acid, and perchloric acid.