Method for processing and recycling animal waste and method for doing business using the same

Abstract

A method for processing animal waste reduces ammonia levels and moisture and eliminates darkling beetles by heating and compressing the animal waste (such as soiled litter). In the preferred embodiments, the heating and compressing are done simultaneously using a screw-type extruder that is commercially available, but has only been used to date for producing animal food and feed products. By heating and compressing the animal waste, the volume of waste is reduced, bacteria in the waste is destroyed, and all darkling beetles in the waste are killed. In addition, the resulting processed waste may be recycled because it is free of bacteria and in a dry form. The preferred embodiments also include methods for doing business that include the processing of animal waste.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A method for processing animal waste comprising the steps of: 
 (A) heating the animal waste to at least a predetermined temperature; and    (B) compressing the animal waste.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein steps (A) and (B) are performed simultaneously by an extrusion process.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the predetermined temperature is sufficient to kill bacteria and insects in the animal waste.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the predetermined temperature is 132° C.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the predetermined temperature is 145° C.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the predetermined temperature is 160° C.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein steps (A) and (B) are performed simultaneously by a screw-type extruder.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the animal waste comprises poultry waste.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the animal waste comprises a litter material that contains excrement.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the litter material comprises organic material.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the litter material comprises inorganic material.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the litter material comprises processed material.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the litter material comprises synthetic material.  
     
     
         14 . A method for a poultry farm to do business comprising the steps of: 
 (A) placing clean litter on the floor of a poultry house;    (B) raising a first plurality of birds in the poultry house, during which the birds defecate on the litter, thereby soiling the litter;    (C) removing the first plurality of birds from the poultry house;    (D) removing the soiled litter from the poultry house;    (E) processing the soiled litter by heating the soiled litter to at least a predetermined temperature;    (F) placing the processed litter on the floor of at least one poultry house; and    (G) raising at least a second plurality of birds in the at least one poultry house.    
     
     
         15 . The method of doing business of  claim 14  wherein the step of processing the soiled litter further comprises the step of compressing the soiled litter.  
     
     
         16 . The method of doing business of  claim 15  wherein step (E) comprises the step of running the soiled litter through a screw-type extruder.  
     
     
         17 . The method of doing business of  claim 14  wherein the predetermined temperature is sufficient to kill bacteria and insects in the animal waste.  
     
     
         18 . The method of doing business of  claim 14  wherein the predetermined temperature is 132° C.  
     
     
         19 . The method of doing business of  claim 14  wherein the predetermined temperature is 145° C.  
     
     
         20 . The method of doing business of  claim 14  wherein the predetermined temperature is 160° C.  
     
     
         21 . A method for a poultry farm to do business comprising the steps of: 
 (A) placing processed litter in the bottom of a poultry house, wherein the processed litter comprises soiled litter that contains excrement and that is processed by heating the soiled litter to at least a predetermined temperature; and    (B) raising a first plurality of birds in the poultry house, during which the first plurality of birds defecate on the processed litter.    
     
     
         22 . A method for a poultry farm to do business comprising the steps of: 
 (A) placing litter in the bottom of a poultry house;    (B) raising a first plurality of birds in the poultry house, during which the first plurality of birds defecate on the litter;    (C) removing the first plurality of birds from the poultry house;    (D) removing the soiled litter from the poultry house;    (E) processing the soiled litter by heating the soiled litter to at least a predetermined temperature; and    (F) selling at least a portion of the processed litter.    
     
     
         23 . The method for doing business of  claim 22  wherein the step of processing the soiled litter further comprises the step of compressing the soiled litter.  
     
     
         24 . The method for doing business of  claim 23  wherein the steps of heating and compressing the soiled litter are performed simultaneously by a screw-type extruder.  
     
     
         25 . The method for doing business of  claim 22  wherein the predetermined temperature is sufficient to kill bacteria and insects in the animal waste.  
     
     
         26 . The method for doing business of  claim 22  wherein the predetermined temperature is 132° C.  
     
     
         27 . The method for doing business of  claim 22  wherein the predetermined temperature is 145° C.  
     
     
         28 . The method for doing business of  claim 22  wherein the predetermined temperature is 160° C.  
     
     
         29 . A method for doing business comprising the steps of: 
 (A) transporting an apparatus that processes soiled litter to a poultry farm; and    (B) processing on the poultry farm soiled litter that contains excrement using the apparatus.    
     
     
         30 . The method for doing business of  claim 29  wherein the step of processing the soiled litter comprises the steps of heating the soiled litter to at least a predetermined temperature.  
     
     
         31 . The method for doing business of  claim 30  wherein the step of processing the soiled litter further comprises the step of compressing the soiled litter.  
     
     
         32 . The method for doing business of  claim 31  wherein the apparatus comprises a screw-type extruder that performs the steps of heating and compressing simultaneously.  
     
     
         33 . The method for doing business of  claim 30  wherein the predetermined temperature is sufficient to kill bacteria and insects in the animal waste.  
     
     
         34 . The method for doing business of  claim 30  wherein the predetermined temperature is 132° C.  
     
     
         35 . The method for doing business of  claim 30  wherein the predetermined temperature is 145° C.  
     
     
         36 . The method for doing business of  claim 30  wherein the predetermined temperature is 160° C.  
     
     
         37 . A method for doing business comprising the steps of: 
 (A) transporting soiled litter that contains excrement to an apparatus that processes soiled litter; and    (B) processing the soiled litter using the apparatus.    
     
     
         38 . The method for doing business of  claim 37  wherein the step of processing the soiled litter comprises the steps of heating the soiled litter to at least a predetermined temperature.  
     
     
         39 . The method for doing business of  claim 38  wherein the step of processing the soiled litter further comprises the step of compressing the soiled litter.  
     
     
         40 . The method for doing business of  claim 39  wherein the apparatus comprises a screw-type extruder that performs the steps of heating and compressing simultaneously.  
     
     
         41 . The method for doing business of  claim 38  wherein the predetermined temperature is sufficient to kill bacteria and insects in the animal waste.  
     
     
         42 . The method for doing business of  claim 38  wherein the predetermined temperature is 132° C.  
     
     
         43 . The method for doing business of  claim 38  wherein the predetermined temperature is 145° C.  
     
     
         44 . The method for doing business of  claim 38  wherein the predetermined temperature is 160° C.