SBIR-STTR Award

During the past ten years there as been a significant decline in the amount of wool processed within the United States. From 1994 to 2003, U.S. wool mill consumption decreased by 72% and raw wool exports increased by 289.2%. The American wool industry is facing major economic changes, which include a greater dependency upon foreign markets. Increased energy and transportation costs are significantly reducing the profit margins of American wool producers as they ship their wool thousands of miles away to be processed. These costs can, however, be reduced by ensuring the sustainability and prosperity of regionally located-small to mid-sized-wool-processing facilities within the U.S. that can establish the vital link between American wool producers and American wool consumers. However, the prosperity of these wool processing facilities is being hindered by their inability to economically treat the high organic pollutant loadings from a wool mill's effluent wastewater, and also by a wool mill's dependency upon vital natural resources such as water and energy, which are often scarce in dry, rural areas. The purpose of this research is to determine if on-site treatment of wastewater from wool processing facilities can improve the economic incentives for small to mid-sized processing facilities and also reduce their dependency upon external energy and natural resources. Achieving this will give small to mid-sized facilities a competitive edge in the global market, and in turn preserve the cultural and economic identity of this vital American industry. OBJECTIVES: The primary objective of Phase I is to prove that a major step toward the preservation of the American wool industry can be achieved by increasing the economic benefits of operating a wool-processing facility through on-site treatment of wool-scouring wastewater. This study will address the environmental impacts of treating the effluent wastewater, and it will investigate alternatives to a facility's dependence upon external energy and natural resources. Two primary questions will be addressed: 1) can a wool-processing facility reduce the environmental impacts of its wool scouring effluent in an economically feasible manner, and 2) can a wool processing facility increase its economic success through reducing its dependence upon external energy sources and upon vital natural resources? The goal of these objectives is to determine a method of on-site treatment, coupled with a means for recovering useful energy from the treatment process, that will reduce a wool-processing facility's costs for processing wool and recover the startup costs for this system. It is expected that this Phase I grant will successfully show that on-site treatment of wastewater from a small to mid-sized wool-processing facility can be achieved in a manner that is economically beneficial to the company. This will be obtained through a reduction in operating costs by using alternative means for energy and by maximizing the efficient use of natural resources, while simultaneously reducing the environmental impacts by providing on-site treatment. Successfully completing these objectives will result in socially and environmentally prosperous and sustainable wool-processing facilities throughout the U.S., leading to the preservation of the American wool industry as a vital and sustainable agricultural industry. APPROACH: The proposed effort will encompass two main approaches. First, a small to mid-sized on-site treatment system will be analyzed to optimize the following: its performance in removing organic pollutants, the cost-to-benefit ratio (including social, economic, and environmental benefits), and optimal re-use and recycling of water and energy through the treatment process. Second, a laboratory-scale analysis will be used to determine the potential for recovering energy from the treatment process that can be used to reduce the system's dependency upon external energy sources. An economic analysis will be performed, and key performance parameters that make these methods economically feasible will be determined. Three treatment methods will be analyzed including: partial on-site treatment, partial on-site treatment with maximum water re-use, and full-scale on-site treatment. Design schematics and optimal operational parameters will be determined for each method and will assist in evaluating and ranking each method based upon its financial, economic, social, cultural, and environmental characteristics. The laboratory-scale treatability tests will analyze the energy potential from wool-scouring effluent under various conditions and a laboratory-scale reactor will be created to simulate and test various operating characteristics. Economic feasibility of recovering energy from the treatment tests will also be determined including lifecycle and component costs. Each of these studies will then be combined to determine a final recommendation as to the feasibility of on-site wastewater treatment including recommended design and operational characteristics

Although the state of Wyoming ranks second in the nation in wool production, a commercial scouring facility does not exist in this region. Raw wool, called greasy, is shipped out of the region, and more often out of the country for further processing. Rarely does this Wyoming product ever return to its state of origin. Value is added outside of the state. During Phase II, we will operate a localized experimental facility, using existing technology proving the concept that locally adding value to wool will increase producer wool income. Through a local processing facility, ranchers will be able to implement management practices in wool preparation which will improve their profitability and the efficiency of the marketing system. Producers will also see the benefit of retaining ownership of their premium wool fleece further into the supply chain and thus increasing their income potential. ---------- Sheep ranching and wool production have been a part of our country's rural heritage for more than a hundred years, with small and mid-sized ranches serving as the backbone of our country's sheep operations. Presently, small operators account for more total ewes than larger operations. This means that small ranches offer the best potential for growth of sheep operations in the future. The American Sheep Industry states that success depends on small operations increasing their production level of sheep and that "small operations are our most important asset for rebuilding sheep inventory."(American Sheep Industry Weekly, Feb 18, 2011). In the last decade, U.S. wool output has been cut in half, and the country has gone from utilizing about 75% of its domestic wool production 10-15 years ago to exporting 75% .The United States is in danger of losing its market infrastructure for sheep because of rapidly declining numbers. The American sheep industry is estimated to have a total economic impact on society worth approximately 4.5 billion dollars and it employs both directly and indirectly approximately 100,000 people. It is important to ensure that this significant portion of American society and culture is preserved. The mills that serve as a part of the infrastructure in the sheep industry continue to search for ways in which to reduce their costs. Regional mills located in rural areas are impacted by scarce water resources and high energy costs, which directly affect the wool scouring process. Additionally, the high contaminant loadings (high chemical oxygen demand-COD, total suspended solids-TSS, and grease content) make these facilities very susceptible to non-compliance with stricter discharge regulations. This situation creates a new opportunity for the expansion and sustainability of regional domestic mill operations as long as they can overcome environmental challenges in a sustainable way. Mountain Meadow Wool intends to open the door for these regionally located mills to take advantage of this opportunity through the proposal of a new wool processing system. This system will use water and energy more efficiently, and will address the end use of all waste created during the scouring process. MMW will accomplish this through the prototyping of aerobic treatment, composting, and constructed wetlands as final treatment processes for a wool processing system. Regional mills as well as a variety of mini-mills operating in the 20-300lb/day range will be able to use this new process to wash wool sustainably and profitably while meeting stringent U.S. environmental regulations. The underlying goal of this research is to enable these mills to improve both their profitability and their environmental sustainability, so that the small- and mid-sized ranching operations utilizing these mills were able to diversify their operations and increase their income. OBJECTIVES: Based on Phase I success, Mountain Meadow Wool's Phase II work will pursue four new objectives related to prototype demonstration: 1) an optimized souring line that includes primary solids removal and heat recovery; 2) a secondary treatment for grease, dirt and the effluent waste water, 3) a tertiary treatment; and 4) integration of the first three components to prove that the new system being developed can increase the economic and environmental sustainability of small-scale wool processing facility operations. APPROACH: Technical Objectives and Measurable Goals to meet the objectives by utilizing the applicable hypothesis. Objective 1: To prototype and prove the efficient performance of the phase I Optimized Scouring Line through a complete scouring system with primary solids removal and heat recovery: HYPOTHESIS: "The phase I 'Optimized Scouring Line' (OSL) can increase production capacity by 300% and reduce the heating requirements per lb of wool processed by 65%" Objective 2: To prototype and test the performance of the Phase I partial on-site treatment system through secondary treatment of grease, dirt and effluent wastewater: HYPOTHESIS: The Phase I 'Partial On-site Treatment' system can recover 8% of the total wool grease as well as remove 60-80% of the BOD while generating a net fiscal margin that produces a 5-7 year pay-back" Objective 3: To prototype and test the performance of the phase I Full-Scale on-site Treatment through tertiary treatment from a constructed sub-surface wetland and composting: HYPOTHESIS: "The phase I 'Full-Scale On-site Treatment' system can remove 98% of the nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPE) and 99% of the pesticide residues from wool scouring wastewater as well as 90% of the remaining total suspended solids and 80% of the remaining BOD while also generating a salable compost with a final effluent water that meets EPA surface discharge regulations" Objective 4: To perform a comprehensive system analysis of the complete Optimized Scouring and wastewater treatment system by merging the technologies developed in Objective 1 thru 3 and assessing their overall performance and economic impact: HYPOTHESIS: " The system approach to a small-scale wool scouring and wastewater treatment that optimizes the removal and treatment of contaminants, the efficiency of energy and water use, and recycles wastes into saleable products will outperform both economically and environmentally batch-process scouring systems". The Phase II Project will endeavor to answer the following research questions related to Objective 4: What is the life cycle cost for an optimized scouring and wastewater treatment system including operation and maintenance costs What is the economic impact that this improved system approach to small-scale wool scouring will have upon regional facilities, mini-=mills, and local/regional ranchers and What is the overall mass balance of inputs and outputs of the complete scouring and wastewater treatment system PROGRESS: 2011/09 TO 2012/08 OUTPUTS: Objective I: To Proto-type and Prove the efficient performance of the OSL. During the initial months of the grant period, much effort was directed toward the design of the unit. Our team met weekly with Manufacturing Works engineers. OSL parameters were defined. Initial CAD drawings of the prototype scouring system were completed. A cost analysis on manufacturing is being conducted. Bids were obtained from two regional manufacturing companies for a turnkey unit. However their estimates exceeded the project budget. Our team elected to complete the manufacture of the OSL in-house, while contracting portions of the machining of the unit to these same manufacturing companies. Manufacturing Works is awaiting the unit's completion and will then produce a set of final drawings that can be reproduced by a manufacturer. To date, two of the five bowls in the scouring system are in place and being used in production. Objective II: To proto-type and test the performance of the partial onsite treatment system through secondary treatment of grease dirt and effluent wastewater. Mountain Meadow Wool (MMW) consulted with Dr. Robert Stobart, University of Wyoming, and Ben Hostetler of Lifewater Engineering. A conceptual drawing for wool grease recovery was created. Initial tanks and testing equipment have been purchased. Testing has begun on grease recovery and solid removal systems using the wastewater generated in the existing scouring operation. A hydro-cyclone testing unit was obtained and data was collected for four weeks. Objective III: Prototype and test the performance of the Phase I full-scale on site treatment through tertiary treatment from a constructed subsurface wetland and composting Dr. Otto Stein, University of Montana travelled to MMW to consult with the team on the wetland construction and principals of tertiary treatment utilizing the vertical flow method. Ben Hostetler has produced a design for incorporating the wetlands unit into the scouring train, effluent treatment. We will be constructing four to six vertical flow wetland units. Each unit will be specifically designed in order to obtain data under several scenarios. A composter unit has been purchased and will be set up for composting sludge from the solids tank. Objective IV: To perform a comprehensive system analysis of the complete scouring and wastewater system. This objective will be performed during the final weeks of year two in the grant project. PARTICIPANTS: PI: Karen R Hostetler PI: Valerie Spanos PI Duties as Grant Administrators included resource allocation, personnel and team coordination and communication. The PIs attended the Larta training for Commercialization and have established on-going conversations with potential customers and partners. This is being accomplished through networking within the yarn and spinning industry as well as the Wyoming Wool Growers Association. Gary Senier, Mountain Meadow Wool's Plant Manager. His role has included design collaboration with Manufacturing Works Engineers, providing drawings and feedback on the system design. He also has been the primary fabricator of the OSL and has had direct oversight and communication for off-site manufacturers used in the project. This project has allowed Mr. Senier a hands-on professional development experience in innovative prototype design and fabrication. Ben Hostetler, Mountain Meadow Wool's Environmental Engineer. His role has included Design collaboration with Manufacturing Works Engineers, Gary Senier and all other team members. He has been particularly focused on designing the data collection, testing and monitoring protocols for the effluent treatment loop. He has worked directly with equipment vendors. Manufacturing Works is the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) with NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) in Wyoming. They have provided service specifically on the engineering processes of the scouring line and specific design of the treatment system. Their engineers worked closely with Mr. Senier in producing a CAD drawing that was then taken to several manufacturing companies in order obtain estimates for the manufacture of a turnkey manufacturing. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. IMPACT: 2011/09 TO 2012/08 Objective I: To Proto-type and Prove the efficient performance of the OSL. MMW's Plant Manager, working with Manufacturing Works Engineers spent well over the 80 contract hours in refining the OSL's designs for efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and ease of use by the end-users, giving MMW a high level of confidence in the unit's commercialization appeal. We found that this highly specialized machine prompted the potential manufacturers to add a significant overage charge in their bids. By manufacturing the prototype in-house, we will stay within budget and we can adapt to design changes easily. As we keep in mind our future customers who may be in rural setting where specialized parts are not easily obtained, we have attempted to provide parts which can be purchased at local hardware stores. To date, two of the five bowls in the scouring system are in place and being used in production. Any issues that arise with the use of these bowls can result in a design change as the remaining three bowls are completed. Objective II: To proto-type and test the performance of the partial onsite treatment system through secondary treatment of grease dirt and effluent wastewater. During the period in which a hydro-cyclone unit was utilized a great deal of data was collected and is currently being analyzed. Initial analysis is showing that aeration of the primary settling tank can greatly increase the greasy foam production with a promising rate of grease removal. The majority of water quality indicators are present in the first scouring bowl and not in the second scouring bowl demonstrating that the dirt grease and nutrients are contained in bowl one. The inclusion of a hydro-cyclone indicated the amounts of solids in the effluent water can be successfully reduced. The hydro-cyclone did present operational difficulties which are currently being analyzed. This may reduce the feasibility of the hydro-cyclone prior to the settling tank. We also tested the hydro-cyclone in removing the white phase grease which was not effective because the grease too quickly returned to its emulsified state. We conducted a particle size analysis of the dirt found in the hydro-cyclone and in the bowl. The results spoke to the efficiency of the hydro-cyclone. Imhoff Cone Settling tests revealed that even though the hydro-cyclone was effective in removing a large majority of the settable solids, 12 hours after the hydro-cyclone test a substantial amount of solids were still present. These solids would still need to be removed separately. Once the suint bowl is in place another Imhoff Cone Settling test will be conducted to determine the use of the hydro-cyclone. Objective III: Prototype and test the performance of the Phase I full-scale on site treatment through tertiary treatment from a constructed subsurface wetland and composting: Plant selection, unit sizes, flow rates etc. were discussed and the optimum design for this application was determined. Ben Hostetler and Gary Senier have created a materials list for unit construction. Objective IV: To perform a comprehensive system analysis of the complete scouring and wastewater system: To be completed in year 2 ---------- Sheep ranching and wool production have been a part of our country & #8223;s rural heritage for more than a hundred years, with small and mid-sized ranches serving as the backbone of our country & #8223;s sheep operations. Presently, small operators account for more total ewes than larger operations. This means that small ranches offer the best potential for growth of sheep operations in the future. The American Sheep Industry states that success depends on small operations increasing their production level of sheep and that "small operations are our most important asset for rebuilding sheep inventory."(American Sheep Industry Weekly, Feb 18, 2011). In the last decade, U.S. wool output has been cut in half, and the country has gone from utilizing about 75% of its domestic wool production 10-15 years ago to exporting 75% .The United States is in danger of losing its market infrastructure for sheep because of rapidly declining numbers. The American sheep industry is estimated to have a total economic impact on society worth approximately 4.5 billion dollars and it employs both directly and indirectly approximately 100,000 people. It is important to ensure that this significant portion of American society and culture is preserved. The mills that serve as a part of the infrastructure in the sheep industry continue to search for ways in which to reduce their costs. Regional mills located in rural areas are impacted by scarce water resources and high energy costs, which directly affect the wool scouring process. Additionally, the high contaminant loadings (high chemical oxygen demand-COD, total suspended solids-TSS, and grease content) make these facilities very susceptible to non-compliance with stricter discharge regulations. This situation creates a new opportunity for the expansion and sustainability of regional domestic mill operations as long as they can overcome environmental challenges in a sustainable way. Mountain Meadow Wool intends to open the door for these regionally located mills to take advantage of this opportunity through the proposal of a new wool processing system. This system will use water and energy more efficiently, and will address the end use of all waste created during the scouring process. MMW will accomplish this through the prototyping of aerobic treatment, composting, and constructed wetlands as final treatment processes for a wool processing system. Regional mills as well as a variety of mini-mills operating in the 20-300lb/day range will be able to use this new process to wash wool sustainably and profitably while meeting stringent U.S. environmental regulations. The underlying goal of this research is to enable these mills to improve both their profitability and their environmental sustainability, so that the small- and mid-sized ranching operations utilizing these mills were able to diversify their operations and increase their income.