Slurry separation

vantage · Jul 26, 2023

We’re about to dig a new lagoon, which because of our soil type will have to be lined.
We bed on deep sand, one shed has a V sand channel leading to a shuttered concrete pit, that is roofed. Another shed also has a V channel, but this runs into a small receiver tank, where the plan is/was to pump into the other V channel, then to pit. We will also pump across collection yard , dispersal yard and dairy washings to the pit.
I’m well aware lined pits and sand are a no, no, but, as we get such good results on sand, I’m trying to get an affordable system together.
What piston pump makes and sizes are available, to transfer sand slurry?
Does anyone use a simple screen separator?
The plan here is to take the sandy liquid , with more sand free liquid slurry into a gravity separator, to get sand out, possibly to reuse and sand free separated slurry to pump to the lined lagoon.
The alternative is mats, mattresses, cubicle bedder, which I estimate will be pretty similar in cost, but for a poorer result.
Thoughts and experiences please!

Boysground · Jul 26, 2023

I have a houle piston pump, it’s great will pump most thing’s including the odd foot block and collar. One pump ever 20 seconds about 40 gallons a time I think. Also have a screen separator, the sand has almost killed it I think it’s about 8 years old we do a couple of screens a year.

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lazy farmer · Jul 26, 2023

vantage said:
We’re about to dig a new lagoon, which because of our soil type will have to be lined.
We bed on deep sand, one shed has a V sand channel leading to a shuttered concrete pit, that is roofed. Another shed also has a V channel, but this runs into a small receiver tank, where the plan is/was to pump into the other V channel, then to pit. We will also pump across collection yard , dispersal yard and dairy washings to the pit.
I’m well aware lined pits and sand are a no, no, but, as we get such good results on sand, I’m trying to get an affordable system together.
What piston pump makes and sizes are available, to transfer sand slurry?
Does anyone use a simple screen separator?
The plan here is to take the sandy liquid , with more sand free liquid slurry into a gravity separator, to get sand out, possibly to reuse and sand free separated slurry to pump to the lined lagoon.
The alternative is mats, mattresses, cubicle bedder, which I estimate will be pretty similar in cost, but for a poorer result.
Thoughts and experiences please!

@frederick for the sand Seperation bit

frederick · Jul 27, 2023

vantage said:
We’re about to dig a new lagoon, which because of our soil type will have to be lined.
We bed on deep sand, one shed has a V sand channel leading to a shuttered concrete pit, that is roofed. Another shed also has a V channel, but this runs into a small receiver tank, where the plan is/was to pump into the other V channel, then to pit. We will also pump across collection yard , dispersal yard and dairy washings to the pit.
I’m well aware lined pits and sand are a no, no, but, as we get such good results on sand, I’m trying to get an affordable system together.
What piston pump makes and sizes are available, to transfer sand slurry?
Does anyone use a simple screen separator?
The plan here is to take the sandy liquid , with more sand free liquid slurry into a gravity separator, to get sand out, possibly to reuse and sand free separated slurry to pump to the lined lagoon.
The alternative is mats, mattresses, cubicle bedder, which I estimate will be pretty similar in cost, but for a poorer result.
Thoughts and experiences please!

So this is the sand we are recovering with a sand lane. This will halve the amount we need this year. All the rest of the sand is still with the fibres. We have had to clean the tower out after it's first year for the roof. There was some sediment but this was all organic matter. No detectable sand made it to the tower.

This was using a sperrin separator for 270 cows housed for 6 months. No noticeable wear yet.

We are running a landia submersible pump. Our number of cows wore one impeller out over the winter. The piston pumps are a lot more expensive and installation even more expensive if you need to build a dry sump for it. An additional 18-20k on the pump will pay for a few rebuilds. Any bigger than 300 or fully housed and piston is probably the way to go.

I have avoided any pumps apart from up to the separator. I have heard even with a piston pump if the consistency is wrong and the pipe doesn't fully drain the sand will rapidly settle out in any pipe simply used to transfer slurry.

None of this comes cheap but it does the job

Boysground · Jul 27, 2023

frederick said:
View attachment 1126748
So this is the sand we are recovering with a sand lane. This will halve the amount we need this year. All the rest of the sand is still with the fibres. We have had to clean the tower out after it's first year for the roof. There was some sediment but this was all organic matter. No detectable sand made it to the tower.

This was using a sperrin separator for 270 cows housed for 6 months. No noticeable wear yet.

We are running a landia submersible pump. Our number of cows wore one impeller out over the winter. The piston pumps are a lot more expensive and installation even more expensive if you need to build a dry sump for it. An additional 18-20k on the pump will pay for a few rebuilds. Any bigger than 300 or fully housed and piston is probably the way to go.

I have avoided any pumps apart from up to the separator. I have heard even with a piston pump if the consistency is wrong and the pipe doesn't fully drain the sand will rapidly settle out in any pipe simply used to transfer slurry.

None of this comes cheap but it does the job

My piston pump only does a vertical to the separator, our reception pit is not big enough and if that fills too much with sand we have issues and the intake to the pump will block. The plan is to double the size of the pit and put a mixer in it. The panels are here we just need to get find the time to do it.

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frederick · Jul 27, 2023

Boysground said:
My piston pump only does a vertical to the separator, our reception pit is not big enough and if that fills too much with sand we have issues and the intake to the pump will block. The plan is to double the size of the pit and put a mixer in it. The panels are here we just need to get find the time to do it.

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Our pit is about 45m3 with a mixer. Sand builds up around the edges in a circle until it's the right shape for the mixer and then no more builds up

Blue. · Jul 27, 2023

vantage said:
We’re about to dig a new lagoon, which because of our soil type will have to be lined.
We bed on deep sand, one shed has a V sand channel leading to a shuttered concrete pit, that is roofed. Another shed also has a V channel, but this runs into a small receiver tank, where the plan is/was to pump into the other V channel, then to pit. We will also pump across collection yard , dispersal yard and dairy washings to the pit.
I’m well aware lined pits and sand are a no, no, but, as we get such good results on sand, I’m trying to get an affordable system together.
What piston pump makes and sizes are available, to transfer sand slurry?
Does anyone use a simple screen separator?
The plan here is to take the sandy liquid , with more sand free liquid slurry into a gravity separator, to get sand out, possibly to reuse and sand free separated slurry to pump to the lined lagoon.
The alternative is mats, mattresses, cubicle bedder, which I estimate will be pretty similar in cost, but for a poorer result.
Thoughts and experiences please!

Can you bring some puddle clay in for lining instead of a plastic liner?
I know it’s what I’m going to do.

vantage · Jul 27, 2023

Blue. said:
Can you bring some puddle clay in for lining instead of a plastic liner?
I know it’s what I’m going to do.

I’d like to, but we haven’t found clay on the farm, plus there’s none locally. Only need some to mix, I think you need 18% +, but could be more or less.
Currently ditching on a rented block, need to see what’s hiding!

Blue. · Jul 27, 2023

vantage said:
I’d like to, but we haven’t found clay on the farm, plus there’s none locally. Only need some to mix, I think you need 18% +, but could be more or less.
Currently ditching on a rented block, need to see what’s hiding!

Aggregate washing plants have clay left over,just depends how far away they are.
Next door’s lagoon was lined with clay off a different part of the farm,all depends on distance and access to it.

Cotlandfarmer · Jul 27, 2023

vantage said:
We’re about to dig a new lagoon, which because of our soil type will have to be lined.
We bed on deep sand, one shed has a V sand channel leading to a shuttered concrete pit, that is roofed. Another shed also has a V channel, but this runs into a small receiver tank, where the plan is/was to pump into the other V channel, then to pit. We will also pump across collection yard , dispersal yard and dairy washings to the pit.
I’m well aware lined pits and sand are a no, no, but, as we get such good results on sand, I’m trying to get an affordable system together.
What piston pump makes and sizes are available, to transfer sand slurry?
Does anyone use a simple screen separator?
The plan here is to take the sandy liquid , with more sand free liquid slurry into a gravity separator, to get sand out, possibly to reuse and sand free separated slurry to pump to the lined lagoon.
The alternative is mats, mattresses, cubicle bedder, which I estimate will be pretty similar in cost, but for a poorer result.
Thoughts and experiences please!

I guess you have been granted planning permission?
NRW and counsil eyes are everywhere

I know of two farms locally that are applying retrospectively and it's proving to be a nightmare.

vantage · Jul 27, 2023

Cotlandfarmer said:
I guess you have been granted planning permission?
NRW and counsil eyes are everywhere
I know of two farms locally that are applying retrospectively and it's proving to be a nightmare.

Yes, planning 18 months ago.
Stupidity in the extreme to dig a pit without planning, IMHO!

sjt01 · Jul 27, 2023

Boysground said:
I have a houle piston pump, it’s great will pump most thing’s including the odd foot block and collar. One pump ever 20 seconds about 40 gallons a time I think. Also have a screen separator, the sand has almost killed it I think it’s about 8 years old we do a couple of screens a year.

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Our main Houle pump has just had a new cylinder at about 47,000 hours operation over 11 years on our digester. After having to rebush and reshaft the flappers, we have fitted an auto greasing system and they now last several years instead of being an annual job with manual greasing.
It is amazing quite what they will handle, occasionally get odd shaped pieces of metal wedged under the flappers but easily removed. We now use pieces of old conveyor belt as flapper tips, which outlast the standard plastic parts, and have made other minor improvements.

jonny72 · Jul 27, 2023

Sorry to hijack but looking into a separator and looking for recommendations low running cost and simple to maintain sepator and pump

frederick · Jul 27, 2023

jonny72 said:
Sorry to hijack but looking into a separator and looking for recommendations low running cost and simple to maintain sepator and pump

You don't get much simpler than a sperrin. But if your not on sand a screw press will get it drier and you can get the grant.

jonny72 · Jul 27, 2023

Scotland, no grants!

Sid · Jul 28, 2023

For those reusing sand, as its inert, is it bacteria free enough to reuse without any additional treatment.

The reusing of solids from a screw etc is banned, iirc, on the basis of possible faecal contamination

vantage · Jul 28, 2023

Sid said:
For those reusing sand, as its inert, is it bacteria free enough to reuse without any additional treatment.

The reusing of solids from a screw etc is banned, iirc, on the basis of possible faecal contamination

The sand separator I’m thinking of getting, will reclaim 95% of the sand, which can be washed clean.
Better job than deep litter!

Sid · Jul 28, 2023

vantage said:
The sand separator I’m thinking of getting, will reclaim 95% of the sand, which can be washed clean.
Better job than deep litter!

So it needs washing in clean water?

vantage · Jul 28, 2023

Sid said:
So it needs washing in clean water?

Probably, although rain would do, there’s no fibre in it .

frederick · Jul 28, 2023

vantage said:
The sand separator I’m thinking of getting, will reclaim 95% of the sand, which can be washed clean.
Better job than deep litter!

Which machine is that.

Slurry separation

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0 %

Up to 25%

25-50%

50-75%

75-100%

100% I’ve had enough of farming!

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