Lowara pumps drive livestock operations

Rota Guido Srl

Bergamo, Italy

Xylem Lowara in biogas

ANIMAL OUTPUT PROCESSED FOR SAFE DISPOSAL, REUSE AND RENEWABLE ENERGY

Xylem scope
Xylem Lowara have installed several different types of pumps in this process cycle. Ranging from the DLV submersible pump fitted with Vortex impeller used in the pressurization of wastewater obtained from the separation of the digestate. Various high efficiency e-range pumps have also been used including the e-SH horizontal pump in 316 stainless steel for the circulation of concentrates and the e-SV high pressure vertical multistage pump for reverse osmosis. Other pumps using open channel impellers have been used to fill the process tanks that produce ammonium sulphate byproduct used as a fertilizer.

The project
In a major breeding farm from Bergamo, Italy, Rota Guido Srl has installed two reverse osmosis (RO) and ultrafiltration plants that, coupled with a biogas plant ensure local livestock operations are efficient, sanitary and environmentally responsible. These plants manage treatment and waste disposal from cattle and pig facilities, ensuring best production performance, optimal microclimate and air quality, nitrogen suppression and proper use of livestock effluent in compliance with environmental regulations mandated by the European Community.

The proper use of the effluents from the livestock settlements represents a guarantee for maintaining a proper relationship among livestock breeding and the environment, also in light of the guidelines contained in the standards provided by the European Community.

Animal waste is first processed in the biogas facility, which creates biogas and digestate, a substance rich in nutrients. While the biogas is used to create energy that supports the livestock breeding operations, the digestate must be further processed for appropriate disposal and/or reuse. The digestate is separated into solids, which are primarily used as fertilizer, and slurry, a semiliquid mixture of fine particles of manure suspended in water.

The slurry is treated further and then reused.

“The pumping system that transports this liquid must be reliable, correctly sized and made of materials, such as stainless steel that can process highly corrosive substances.”

The Solution
The breeding farm from Bergamo uses Lowara pumps for lifting and transporting this slurry for storage and treatment. A Lowara DLV pump with vortex impeller is used to move the slurry in its rawest state, three e-SHE horizontal, single-stage stainless steel pumps handle the concentrate resulting from the ultrafiltration process, and four vertical stainless steel multistage pumps provide water pressure for the RO operation. By undergoing these stages of wastewater treatment, the water can safely be disposed of or reused for irrigation and other agricultural or industrial processes onsite.
Lowara pumps are also used to move water to the process tanks and stripping tower, which produce ammonium sulfate, another type of fertilizer.

Client: Rota Guido srl
Rota Guido Srl, an Italian livestock equipment company and leader in the biogas sector, helps solve one of the most critical agri-industrial challenges faced by farmers today — the safe treatment, disposal and reuse of animal waste and its byproducts.