AU2008304017B2 - Effluent disposal - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of dairy effluent control and disposal where the disposal on to land is on a daily basis during the milking season and at a daily rate of less than 5mm via a noded reticulation system to dedicated in pasture and/or in field arrays of discharge heads or pods ("pods"), the nodes being used to stagger during each day the feed for one or more periods each day to an array and/or each of the arrays.

Description

1 EFFLUENT DISPOSAL TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a system for reducing effluei.t volume and/or disposing of dairy effluent. BACKGROUND ART Dairy effluent comprises soic or all of (i) shed effluent; (ii) plant effluent and (ii) yard effluent. With the move to intensive daryig (eg, as in Southland, New Zealand) the amount of dairy effluent to be disposed of has risen very significantly. Nevertheless it is necessary to maintain the qualIty of strCams, rivers, lakes, ground water and wetlands in dairy areas. To this end dairy farm effluent dischargers are required to comply with resource consents and regional plan approvals. Shed effluent includes that usually hosed from a shed after milking but may include at least some of the plant effluent. Plant effluent includes that of bucket cleaning, reverse flow cleaning, better cleaning and washdown systerns. Yard effluent is generated by water addition to the yard. Manual yard cleaning systems are hose systems and hydrant systems. Automated yard cleaning systems can reduce some of the requirement for labour input. Options known for automated yard cleaning systems include backing gate. cleaning systems and flood wash systems. Backing gate cleaning usually involves both scrapers and water jets or outlets mounted on the backing gates. The present invention recognises the prospect that the dairy effluent can be disposed on pasture or land. Effluent outflow varies from dairy to dairy but litres of effluent are usually in the range from 30 to 100 litres per cow per day. A typical dairy farm has an effluent outflow of about 50 litres per cow per day. A suitable system for disposing of effluet in a pumelcd system is the K-line effluent system of RX Plastics Limited New Zealand that requires solid reduction in the effluent prior to its beitg pumped to pods to apply the farm dairy effluent. Such K-line pods typically have a throw of about 101m.

IntcrmittCIt pumping to such pods has been proposed such that, by way of example, approximately 8mm of effluent is applied in about just under 6 hours. Nevertheless compliance remains an issue. In this specification where reference has been made to patent specifications, other externmd documents, or other sources of formation, this is generally for the purpose of providing a context for discussing the features of the invention. Unless specifically stated otherwise, reference to such external documents or such sources of information is not to be construed as an adnission that such documents or such sources of information, in an1y jurisdiction, are prior art or form part of the common general knowledge in the art. It is an object of the present invention to provide an effluent disposal system which overcomes or at least ameliorates some of the abovementioncd disadvantages or which at least provides the public with a useful choice. The preferred embodiments described herein recognise that the compliance is readily aclueved with a system adapted to apply effluent at a rate of only a very few mm per day. Such a rate is less than 5mm. Preferably the rate is less than 2.5mm per day (most preferably less than 0.5mn per day). The preferred embodiments described herein recognise benefits arise from multiple deployed arrays of pods, each fed from a flow director that is more downstream in the effluent flow than a flow director itself downstream of the pImping system. These beIefits will allow or cisure the desired low mm applications over a day, wveek or more as a result of selectivity (by out flow control) to the arrays of pods. The preferred embodiments described herein recognise an advantage for a preferably nodal system of effluent despatch to deployed pod arrays of preferably about 0.5mm per application with there being no more thaI.n preferably three such applications through the same pods over a day. Such low application rates are achievable by having deployed pods selectively able to be fed effluent (and not requiring their removal for use elsewhere) and ensuring selective feeding via a right status at two nodes eg, each of a flow director of at least two flow directors in series. To achieve this end preferably a nodal indexing valve is used as at least one flow director to provide the requisite field feeds. The preferred embodiments described herein :also recogni ise aII advantage to be derived from the use of some recirculation of the effluent (preferably after some solids separation) back preferably (A) through a backing gave jetting or porting system, OR (R) through a flood wash system, thereby to reduce the overall volume of farm effluent contribution from the yard cleaning.

-3 DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION Aspects of the present invention are described herchi and in our divisional specification number 2013203155 which is divided from which the present specification. Reference may be made in the description to subject matter which is not in the scope of the appended claims but relates to subject matter claimed in the divisional specification. That subject matter should be readily identifiable by a person skilled in the art and may assist putting into practice the invention as defined in the appended claims. Described herein is, in or for a dairy effluent disposal system, a separation means comprising or including a storage reservoir to receive dairy effluent and a liquid outtake from the storage reservoir; wherein at least one Wall, through which liquid can weep, holds or is adapted to hold solids of sufficient size from said liquid outtake. In a first aspect the present invention is, in, or for, a dairy effluent disposal system, a separation means comprising or including a storage reservoir to receive dairy effluent into one or both of two effluent receiving zones of the storage reservoir and to cause or allow a liquid oLutflow via a liquid outtake from a non-effluent receiving zone of the storage reservoir; wherein a pair of opposing uptight weeping walls in the storage reservoir flanks the liquid outtake, and through each of the weeping walls Liqidc can weep from an effluent receiving zone to the non-effluent receiving zone to allow, via the liquid outtake, said liquid outflow for reticulation to on ground and/or on pasture disposal; and wherein slots of each said weeping wall allow the hqjuid flow through the weeping wall yet hold, or are adapted to hold, solids of sufficie.it size away from said non-effluent receiving zone having said liquid outtake. Preferably the storage reservoir allows machine (eg, front end loader) removal of solids that do not pass through said weeping walls. Preferably, the separation means is substantially as herein described with reference to any emlbod iment shown in the accompanying drawings. Preferably said weeping Walls define the slots by being slatted. T1referably the pair Of weeping walls extend as opposing walls fully across the reservoir to define each of the two receiving zones, each separated by a weeping wall from said liquid outtake. Preferably the pair of weeping walls are at least substantially parallel. Preferably the slotted walls are of vertically running slats (eg, to allow a sliding down of solids not able to be carried through between slats).

4 Described heroin is separation means for separating sone solids from liquid and smaller solids, said apparatus comprsm-g an open reservoir to receive dairy effluent, a liquid outtake from within said reservoir, and a pair of wall(s) on opposite sides of said quid outtake to restrict movement of solids not able to veepp through the wall(s) to said liquid outtake. Preferably said structure is stbstantially as hereinafter described with reference to any one or more of the accompanying drawings. Preferably said wall(s) are slatted. Preferably said slats are vertical slats. In another aspect the present invention is a facility for, in or adjacent to a dairy milking and/or feeding facility adapted for separating some larger effluent solids from effluent liquid and smaller effluent solids, said facility having an open rescrvoLr to receive dairy effluent, a liquid outtake from within said reservoir, and a part Of at least substantially pairallel upright wec)ing walls on Opposite sides of said liquid outtake to restrict movement to the liquid outtake of solids not able to weep through slots of the weeping walls with liquid of the received effluent; ,wherein said weeping -walls form at least part of a dividing structure of the reservoir into two effluent receiving zones distinct from a liquid outtake zone defined at least in part by the weeping walls and which includes the liquid outtake. In another aspect the present invention is the use of the aforementioned separation means or facility which is part of a dairy effluent disposal system having reticulation to multiple arrays of dispensing pods such that, without movement of the pods, and by control of flow to each array over tine a disposal rate of below 10mm per week (preferably less than 5mm (per week) can be achieved with a maxinum of less than 1mm (preferably a maximum of about 0.5mm) per application. Preferably such reticulation is through at least two flow directors. Preferably the pumping to the first said director ("primary flow director") is from a collected and/ortcollecting effluent, preferably from which at least solids of a size that present an issue from the dispensing pods point of view has been removed. Preferably the control of flow is to provide intermittent flows. Described herein is a dairy effluent disposal system where pumped effluent outflows [selectively (automatically or manmually controlled)] via a series of at least 1-wo flow directors internuttently into each of a plurality dispensing pod arrays.

-5 Prcferably the selectivity is by time control and/or sequential control of outflow or valve indexing control of outflow. Described heroin is apparatus for dairy effluent disposal, said apparatus comprising or includulg, as part of a reticulation and release system; a pump to intake effluent and to discharge it, a primary flow director to receive the ef[iluent discharged by the pump and to discharge selectively Over time, a plurality of secondary flow directors, each to receive over tune discharge effluent from the primary focus flow director, and deployed arrays of effluent release devices, each array being on or over land and each array receiving a flow of effluent to release wx'hen its array is selected (manually or automatically) (sequentially or otherwise) to receive effluent by both being the primary and its secondary flow director. Described herein is a dairy effluent disposal system having (a) effluent reticulation to multiple on land discharge arrays, whereby (i) effluent can be reticulated interittently for interiUttent discharge from each, (ii) effluent is not discharging from all arrays at once, (iii) the pumping, the intermittency and the diversity of arrays leads to a low m discharge rate on the land to receive the discharging effluent. Preferably the pumping is via first a primary flow director adapted with each of at least some of its outlets to feed a secondary flow director from which its outlets each feeds to a said array. Preferably at least said primary flow director directs flow at least two ways. Preferably at least each secondary flow director can direct flow at least twvo ways. Preferably each secondary flow director can divert flow at least three ways (more preferably at least four ways). A preferred embodiment, by way of example, has at least one or more of the secondary flow directors directing flow six ways. In sone embodiments of the system described herein said primary flow director can direct flows at least three ways. More preferably four ways. II one particular embodiment a primary flow director can direct flows six ways. Preferably each array of outlets is, for example, a typical K-line pod or other dispensing apparatus and there may, by way of example, be at least 10 pods. The number of pods can be any 6 number at least two per array with no closed flnmber. More preferably 2 to 100. Most preferably, and by way of example, the number of pods is of the order from 10 to 50 eg, about 24-25. Preferably the primary flow director is a serial director of flow and preferably not a flow director that partitions between that phrase. Likewise the secondary flow directors may be rotary valved directors that again over most of the outflow do not partition outflows ie, the flow is largely or totally "on" or largely and totally "off". Optionally, but preferably, some recycled effluent is usetd for yard clearing eg, via a backing gate system or a flood wash system. Described herein is a method of on land disposal of dairy effluent which uses puimiping apparatus into a reticuldaioi system to On pasture or field discharge arrays, wherein the method comprises, in such a reticulation system, passing the pumped flow of effluent to each individual array via first a prunary flow directing apparatus and second a secondary flow directing apparatus only when the primary flow directing apparatus feeds the dedicated secondary flow apparatus to the array and arrays dedicated secondary flow apparatus so allows its feed to and through its discharge array. Optionally, but preferably, some recycled effluent is used for yard clearing eg, via a bacig gate system or a flood wvash system. Described herein is a methods of on land disposal of dairy effluent at environmentally acceptable low discharge rates to multiple lan(l areas, each of which land area has its own ielicatedi array of discharge heads or pods ("pods"), foaher characterised in that to discharge effluent to a particular array of pods there must be a pumiped flow to and through a primary flow director and from thence to and through a secondary flow director. Preferably the priniary flow director feeds selectively or intermittently, or both (preferably without any or long periods of flow partition) to a secondary flow director, being one of at least two secondary flow directors and that or each secondary flow director feeds selectively or intermittently, or both (preferably without any or long periods of flow partition) to each of the arrays it feeds. Preferably the pumping is from an effluent collection. Preferably the flow directors serial feed each of their outlets. Preferably where the primary flow director has X outlets, each to a secondary flow director of Y outlets, and each array has Z pods: X is at least two (preferably two to six (eg, four)); Y is at least two (preferably at least four (eg, six)), and each Y can be the same or different; and -7 Z is at least twvo (prc.fcrahly at least four, more preferably at least ten and still more preferably at least twenty (eg, about twenty four)), and each Z can be the same or different. Described herein is a method of dairy effluent control and disposal where the disl)osal on to land is on a daily basis during the milking season and at a daily rate of less than 5mm via a noded reticulation system to dedicated in pasture and/or in field arrays of discharge heads or pods ("pods"), the nodes being used to stagger during each day the feed for one or more periods each day to an array and/or each of the arrays. Preferably the rate is less than 2mm/day. Preferably the effluent has been reduced in volua me by effluent being sprayed/ discharged from the backing gate. Preferably the pumped feed is from a sump from which large solids content is substantially excluded. Preferably at least two nodes must serially pass a flow to allow passage to an array. Optionally, but preferably, some recycled efftuCt is used for yard cleaning eg, via a backing gate system or a flood wash system. Described herein is a system for recycling and disposing of effluent from a farming facility comprising: a solids separation means for at least substantially separating the solid content of said effluent from the liquid content of said effluent ("liquid effluent"), a storage means for storing said liquid effluent, a distribution node for distributing said liquid effluent from said storage means to multiple discharge zones, and a discharge means for discharging said liquid effluent in each said discharge zone, wherein a portion of said liquid effluent may be recycled from said storage means for reuse in said farming facility. Preferably said solid separation means includes at least one liquid permeable wall to facilitate the separation of said liquid effluent from said solid effluent. Preferably said stor:ige means Mcltides a first storage tank and a second storage tank. Preferably said liquid effluent can be recycled from said first storage tank to said farming facility (eg, to a backing gate yard cleaning and/or flood wash system). Preferably said liquid effluent can be transported from said first storage tank to said second storage tank. Preferably a filtering means filters said liquid effluent prior to it being transported to said second storage tank.

Preferably said liquid effluent can bc transported from said second storage tank to said distribution node. Preferably said distribution node is a rotary valve. Preferably said rotary valve can distribute effluent flow to multiple discharge zones. Preferably there is a distribution node located within each said discharge zone. Preferably said distribution node located within each said discharge zone distributes said liquid effluent to multiple discharge heads or pods ("pods"). In a preferred embodiment the pods are in arrays and each array requires its selection by the distribution node in order to receive a flow. Described herein is a method of recycliig and disposing of effluent from a farming facility comprising the steps of: collecting effluent from said farming facility, separating the solid content of said effluent from the liquid content of said effluent ("liquid effluent"), (optionally) recycling a portion of said liquid effluent back to said farming facility, transporting a portion of said liquid effluent to multiple discharge zones, discharging said liquid effluent in said multiple discharge zones. Optionally the recycling can be for yard cleaning purposes (eg, via a flood, wash, or other system). In another aspect the invention consists in apparatus systems, procedures or methods substantially as herein described or inherent in the descript ion and/or any one or more of the accomnpanying drawings. Other aspects of the invention may become apparent from the following description which is given by wvay of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings. As used herein "dairy effluent" means some or all of the effluent kinds previously described and imay mean all or some of it. As used herein "pods" refer to any on pasture or field (eg, agricultural) release mechanism. It may be pods of the aforementioned K-line system. As used herein "mm" in respect of application is as customarily used in the effluent disposal att. As used herein "flow director" can include flow splitting but preferably does not. Preferably it is any suitable selector than moves (preferably automatically) from one selection to another thereby to provide interittency of flow (preferably over hours rather than minutes). As used herein "low discharge rates" are very much below the 8mm/day low rates referred to ill prior art in respect to K-line usage.

-9 As used herein the term "and/or" means "and" or "or", or both. As used herein "(s)" following a noun means the plural and/or singular forms of the noun. The term "comprising" as used in this specification and claims means "consisting at least in part of". When interpreting statemIAents in this specification and claims which include that term, the features, prefaced by that term in each statement, all need to be present but other features can also be present. Related terms such as "comprise" and "comprised" are to be interpreted in the same malner. As used herein the term "slat", "slats" or variations of it include any suitable boards or other elongate members (eg, of steel, fibreglass, aluminium, plastics, etc.) able to be edgewise positioned one against the other so as to alow weeping of liquid between the elongate members. It matters not what material such elongate inenibers are made eg, whLethur wood or other. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 'The invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of an effluent disposal system, Figure 2 is a plan view of a first form of solids removal facilty, Figure 3 is a cross-section view of the solids.removal facility of Figure 2, Figure 4 is a cross-section view of two holding tanks, Figure 5 is a plan view of an CEluent disposal system, Figure 6 is a plan view of a sprinilder system for use within a effluent disposal system, Figure 7 is a plan view of a flood wash system for a duiry shed yard, Figure 8 shows a variation of the embodiment of Figure 1, Figure 9 shows a variation of the embodiment of Figure 2, Figure 10 shows the solids separation facitliy of Figure 9 in diagrammatic crossection, Figure 11 show a pair of slatted weeping walls providing a protected liquid uptake zone, and Figure 12 is a perspective of the arrangement of Figure 11. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED FORMS The present invention will be described by reference o a milking parloua: but it should be appreciated it has appucation to animal shelters (eg, of Herd Homes), wintering barns, stand-off pads, etc.). With reference to figure I there is shown an effluent disposal system.

- 10 A yard, pad or floor 1 may contain animals such as cows. A yard 1 may be used to hold cows prior to, or after milking has occurred. Milking may Occur in] the adjacent milking facility 2. Whule cows are being held in the yard 1 they may excrete waste which may build up on the floor of the yard 1. A build up of solid waste on the floor of the yard 1 creates an unpleasant odour and unsuitable conditions for the cows. There is therefore a need to clean the floor of the yard 1. A backing gate 3 may be employed within the yard 1, which is able to move along the length of the yard 1. The backing gate 3 preferably has a cleaning system 4 (eg, spray nozzle system) which cleans the solid waste of the floor of the yard 1. As the backing gate moves along the length of the yard the cleaning system 4 may spray water or effluent water to wash away the solid waste. The solid wastewater mixture (effluent) may be collected at point 5 and pumped or gravity fed, via pipe 6 to a solids removal facility 7. Wit-h rrerence to Figure 2 there Is sh(w i sflids rem()val facility 7. The s()lid reoli val facility 7 may for example be a "weeping wall" facility. The effluent pumped or gravity fed through pipe 6 may enter the solid removal facility 7. There may two ponds, pond 10 and pond 1 . Alternatively any number of ponds my he employed with the solid removal facility 7. First and second gates can be opened and closed to allow effluent to travel from the pipe 6 into pond 10 or pond 1L If the second gate was closed and the first gate was open, effluent would flow and collect in pond 10. Conversely, if the first gate was closed and the second gate was open effluent would flow and collect in pond 11. T.he Walls 14 have narrow slots which excess liquid from the ponds 10 or 11 can drain through into a central channel 15. Solid waste is therefore collected in the ponds 10 or 11 after the liquid content of the effluent has drained into the central channel 15. The solid waste may be removed by any means from the ponds 10 or 11. Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the solid removal facility 7. The line 20 represents the ground level, the solid removal facility 7 is terefore preferably located in the ground. Effluent enters the solid removal facility 7 through pipe 6 where it is held. The liquid part of the effluent may drain through the wall 14 while the solid part of the effluent collects in the pond 10 or 11. The liquid effluent that is collected in the channel 15 may be pumped by a sump pump 16 through a pipe 17. The pipe 17 may be connected to a tank 30. The tank 30 can preferably hold, for example, between 10,000 to 100,000 (preferably 25,000 to 30,000) litres of liquid effluent. Effluent which accumulates in the tank 30 canl be pumped via pump 31 to the backing gate 3 where it can be used for the cleaning system 4. The effluent is therefore recycled and used to clean the solid waste from - 11 the floor of the yard 1. This system of recycling the effluent may therefore be employed to completely clean the yard of solid waste without using any fresh water. This may reduce the water usage per cow to 25 litres per cow. FIfflientir mtvay ilso flow From inmk 30 ro rtnk 32 vii a pipe 33. Before pissing thronigh pipe 33, the effluent may pass through a filter 34. The filter 34 may be any suitable filter that can stop any solids or hair from passing into the tank 32. All solids and hair will therefore remain in the first tank until pumped out via pipe 31 to the cleaning system 4. An example of a fitter which may be used is the "Bio Filter" which has a 3mm filter screen. After the effluent has passed from tank 30 to tank 32, it may be stored in tank 32 until it is needed for disbursement. With reference to Figure 1, effluent may be pumped from tank 32, via pipe 40 to a six port rotary valve 41. There are 6 mains feed lines 42 connected to the six port. rotary valve 41. Every time the pump turns on the rotary valve will rotate to the next port and divert the effluent down another mains feed line 42. With reference to Figure 5 there is shown the six port rotary valve 41 with six mains feed hnes 42. Effluent may be puinped through the rotary valve 41 as desired. A backup pump may be incorporated into the system, sh ould the primary pump fail. At the end of each main feed line there is preferably a four port rotary valve 50. Each four port rotary valve 50 feeds four different effluent fields via pipes 51. Each pipe 51 may have 4 effluent disposal sprinkler systems 52. Figure 6 shows the effluent disposal systems 52, each one having six pods 53. Such a system may, for example, be a "K-line" system. The sprinkler system 52 is a flexible hose line sprinkler system having a low application rate. The sprinlder system has a series of plastic pods 53 protecting a small sprinkler firmly attached to low density polythene pipe. 'The system is preferably run on low pressure and is designed to distribute effluent liquid oin a slow absorption method for up to a 24 hour period, firstly to eliminate the need to shift irrigation several times a day and secondly, to allow maximum absorption into the soil, reducing run-off and pooling. Operaion- at-lowpessute will-help to ....... ... minimise aerosol creation and therefore smell. The small, flexible, strong, lightweight lines can be shifted in only minutes by a 4 wheeled motor bike, by simply driving across the paddock. The following example may be used to illtustra te an embodiminenut of the present itnventiton: A dairy effluent disposal system has a six port rotary valve at the pumping shed, every tiue the pump turns on the rotary valve will rotate to the next port and divert the liquid down another mains deed line. At the end of each mains feed line is a four port rotary valve feeding four different efflcut fields with 24 puds iii each field. The system will allow for a farmer to set and forget as the pods will only need to be shifted from one end of the paddock to the other when de grass and seed heads needs to be topped.

-12 With 24 effluent fields, the application rate would be 4.3mm per weck and a maximum of 0.5mm per application. It would take 10 hours minimum before an application is re-applied to the same field. Assuming there are 500 cows and there is 50 litres of effluent per cow to bc disposed of. The total volume of effluent to be disposed of per day is therefore 25,000 litres. This can be split into 12,500 litres in the morning and 12,500 litres in the evening. The pump canl run intermittently, ie, on for 7 minutes and off for 7 minutes. The application rate of effluent per field per mouths is 18.7mm with a maximum of 0.5mm per application. Some fields will operate twice in one 24 Hour period. The pods are to be shifted monthly giving application rates of approximately 9.4m per two month period. 'The area of land that is required in this example is approximately 5400m 2 per effluent field. For 24 effluent fields, this equates to 129600m 2 , or 32 acres. There is also a requirement for an alternative field, therefore the total area of land required is 64 acres. The following example may be used to illustrate the effluent output per cow assuming the efflueut is recycled to the backing gate. By recycling water back to the backing gale i:md u.sinig a cleaming system (eg, with spray ........ nozzles) up to 30,000 litres of effluent could be recycled per milking. This could completely clean the solids from the yard without using any fresh water. in such a configuration, water usage per coV could be reduced to 30 litres per cow. For 500 cows, this would equate to 15,000 litres. 15,000 litres can be divided into 7,500 litres to dispose of in the morning and 7,500 ltres at eight. Assuming an effluent application rate of 0.5tnn and a puivp cycle time of 7 minutes on and 7 minutes off, it would take 0.75 hours to dispose of 7,500 litres of effluent. This equates to a total time of 1.5 hours per day. Figure 7 shows an arrangement where recycling effluent is used for yard clearance by a flood wash system. Flood washing of dairy yards can be done by various methods: . Maim pipeline in concrete or plastic with smaller outlets at spacings to cover the whole y:lrd. 2. Another method is to open a large tap and spew water at volume onto the yard. 3. Smaller dump drums are very effective but not used as often as they are manually tripped and tend to overflow and waste water if not set properly. The a rrn igemen t of Figuire 7 has he a iry shed 54 and a yard 55 The weeping vall arrangement 56 feeds a dump tank 57 prior to excess being fed to holding tank 58. The flood wash conduit 59 with multiply outlets is set to provide flooding and collected run-off from yard 55.

- 13 The arrangement of other embodiments as shown in Figures 8 through to 12 will now be described. In respect of the embodiment of Figure 8 the same references have been used as for Figure I but there is shown, as an option, a plurality of outlet pipes 60. The arrangement of Figure 9 is more preferred to that as previously described in that there is shown diagrammatically (preferably within a deer fence or the equivalent (riot shown)) an optional pump shed 61 and two 30,000 litte RX plastic tanks 62 which are preferably about 3.9mz in diameter. There is shown a p1pe. such as a 1 50mm diameter PVC pipe 63. from the cow shed adapted to feed in one direction 64 as shown, or when desired, in the other direction 65 when desired. Such a feed is preferably above the weeping xalls 66 and 67 which, as a pair, keep the outtake (which is within the vicinity 68 not shown) clear from the solids collection zones 69 and 70 respectively. These zones 69 and 70 are preferably of a concrete bottom eg, for example 1 Ocm thick preferably with NOVAFLOThI range 71 and 72 respectively in gravel underneath to minimise tank flotation with ground Water. An excavator can be used to remove solids from time to time. Preferably there is, in addition Lto aly out feed from Zones 71 and 72 of liquid, a mai out feed of liquid from 68 within the weeping wall structure. In that respect, preferably there is a plastic 200 litre drum used as a sump from which the out feed is provided. Figure 11 shows an arrangement as actually constructed where there are slats 73 and 74 (eg, treated timber boards) held apart by appropriate framing with a walkway 75 thereover. A handrail or the like arrangement 76 is preferably provided. [igure 12 shows the structure of Figure 11 from one side from which it can be seen that there are parallel slats to allow weeping from that side. The same occurs with the other wall 74. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate the variations that can occur without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims (18)

1. In, or for, a dairy effluent disposal system, a separation inealns comprising or including a storage reservoir to receive dairy effluent into one or both of two effluent receiving zones of the storage reservoir :md to cause or allow a liquid out flow via a liquid oulnta ke from a non-effluent receiving zone of the storagC reservoir; wherein a pair of opposing upright sweeping walls in the storage reservoir flanks the liqud outtake, and through each of the weeping walls liquid can weep from an effluent receiving zone to the nioI-effluenit receiving zone to allow, via the liquid outtake, said liquid outflow for reticutlation to on ground and/or on pasture disposal; and wherein slots of each weeping wall allow the liquid flow through the weeping wall yet hold, or are adapted to hold, solids of sufficient size away from said non-effluent receiving zone having sid liquid outtake.

2. Separation means of claim 1 wherein the storage reservoir allows removal of solids that do not pass through said weeping Walls.

3. Separaton meais of claim 1 or 2 wherein said weeping walls define the slots by being slatted.

4. Separation means of any one of the preceding claims wherein the pair of weeping walls extend as opposing walls fully across tie reservoir to defilie each of the two receiving zones, each separated by a weeping wall from said liquid outtake.

5. Separation means of any one of the preceding claims wherein the pair of weeping walls are at least substantially parallel.

6. Separation means of aiy olle of the preceding claims wherein the slotted walls are of vertically rutinning slats.

7. Separation means of any one of the preceding claims substantially as herein described with reference to any embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings.

8. A facility for, in or adjacent to a dairy milking and/or feeding facility adapted for separating some larger effluent solids from effluent liquid and smaller effluent solids, said facility having an open reservoir to receive dairy eff1uelit, a liquid outtake from within said reservoir, and a pair of at least substantially parallel upright weeping walls on opposite sides of said liquid outta ke to restrict movement t.o th liquid otitake of solids not able to weep through slots of the weeping w:dls with hquid of the received effluent; - 15 whercin said weeping walls form at least part of a dividing structure of the reservoir into two effluent receiving zones distinct from a liquid outtake zone defined at least in part by the weeping walls and wh1lich includes the lquid outtake.

9. A facility of claim 8 substantially as herein described with reference to any embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings.

10. A facility of claim 8 or 9 wherein said walls are slatted.

11. A facility of claim 10 wherein the slats are vertical slats.

12. The use of a separation means of any one of claims 1 to 7 or a facility of any one of claims 8 to 11 which is part of a clairy effluent disposal system having reticulation to multiple arrays of dispensing pods such that, without movement of the pods, and by control of flow to each array over tune a disposal rate of below 10mm per week can be achieved with a maximum of less than 1mm per application.

13. A system of claim 12 wherein the disposal rate is below 5mm per week.

14. A system of claim 12 or 13 wherein there is no more than 0.5mm per application.

15. A system of any one of claim 12 to 14 wherein such. reticulation is through at least two flow directors.

16. A system of claim 15 wherein the pIlumnping to the first said director ("primary flow dIrector") is from a collected and/or collecting effluent.

17. A system of claim 16 wherein pumping is from collected and/or collecting effluent from which at least: solids of a size that present an issue from the dispensing pods point of view has been. removed.

18. A system of any one of claims 12 to 17 wherein the control of flow is to provide lateritn.ittent flows.