PNExt project

Situations/Problems:-

(1) High demand of mineral fertilizer to produce more food.

(2) Recently, Phosphorus demand is increasing to manufacture battery (lithium iron phosphate battery) for electric vehicle.

(3) Mineral fertilizer production is a energy intensive process required a significant amount of fossil fuel and water. Phosphorus fertilizer is produced from rock phosphate mining and this process pollute the environment.

(4) Phosphorus leaching to surface water is a serious issue for water ecosystem.

(5) Organic waste such as, sewage sludge, digested sludge (sludge from biogas plant), compost contains a significant amount of fertilizer component which can be recycled as fertilizer. But these organic waste are not recycled in large scale due to (1) bulky for transportation, (2) might contains heavymentals, pharmaceutical residues, microplastics etc.

Our solutions:-

Developed Biochemical process (PNExt process) to extract phosphorus (P) from sludge, digested sludge incinerated sludge Ash, animal manure, septic waste, fecal sludge, sewage sludge, etc. Similarly, extraction of nitrogen (N) from reject water, urine, compost air washing water, etc.
The extracted P and N are recovered as an ammonium phosphate and ammonium sulfate fertilizer.
This process hygienize the sludge and removes heavy metals.
The residual sludge is converted into biochar or briquette.

Pitch slides about PNExt