SOS AQUAE: Microfiltered Digestate treatment to Fertigation, an integrated system to improve nutrient upcycling

The operational group SOS_AQUA aims to advance and promote sustainable agricultural techniques associated with the use of "renewable" fertilisers derived from slurry and digestate treatment. The goal is to enhance the efficient use of existing nutrients on farms while reducing reliance on synthetic mineral fertilisers. A technically and economically viable solution with low filtration costs has been developed. Initially; the digestate underwent common solid-liquid separation; resulting in a solid fraction and a clarified liquid fraction. The clarified fraction then went through microfiltration at 50 μm; producing microfiltered digestate; which can be transferred to the field and utilised. It can be mixed with water for fertigation on growing crops and injected into a Subsurface Drip Irrigation system with drip lines buried at a depth of 25 cm.