Organic Fertilizers Through Electrochemistry
Timothy Camisa, Colchester, VT, invented an improved system for processing a liquid manure and producing organic fertilizer. Issued Patent Number 7,563,302 on July 21, 2009, Camisa’s intellectual property is titled “Apparatus and method for manure reclamation” and is assigned to Vermont Organics Reclamation Inc (Williston, VT). Classified by USPTO as 71/21, the invention joins 298 others pertaining to guano, stable manure or other animal-produced fertilizers. The first of these with the same original classification was issued in 1862.
Camisa’s claim 1 states:
“A method for processing liquid manure comprising:
transferring said liquid manure into an input station;
separating a first manure component and a first overflow liquor from said liquid manure at a first processing station via a first mechanical separation equipment;
adding a flocculant material to said first overflow liquor at said first processing station;
separating a second manure component and a second overflow liquor from said first overflow liquor at a second processing station via a second mechanical separation equipment;
performing direct current electrocoagulation cleaning of said second overflow liquor at a third processing station and separating a third manure component and a third overflow liquor;
and performing clarifying cleaning of said third overflow liquor at an output station and separating a fourth manure component and water.”
Note the term “electrocoagulation” in the 5th clause of the claim following the preamble (according to the USPTO Manual of Patent Examination Practice, “ "Preamble language" is that language in a claim appearing before the transitional phase, e.g., before "comprising," "consisting essentially of," or "consisting of." “). This is the same process used in US Patent 7,731,854 highlighted in my earlier post on hydraulic fracturing and wastewater treatment. Thus, we have a linkage of wastewater treatment technology found patentECO Water and Agriculture Index inventions.
