Filterless and water-based technology for ammonia reduction in agriculture

根据文献（古特里等人，2020年）和现有最佳排放预测（NAEI，2022年）估计，与农业氨排放相关的成本为 ** 7亿英镑 **，如果不采取行动，预计价值将高达每年 ** 165亿英镑 **（皇家学会，2018年）。现有的技术解决方案 **，包括传统的洗涤器 **，效率低下，价格昂贵 **，需要大量的劳动力（经常清除粪便/泥浆）或大型地下水箱和通风基础设施。其他基于过滤器的替代方案需要昂贵且频繁的过滤器更换和处置，产生特殊废物，并产生高额的经常性成本和维护费用，使其在经济上不可行。在本项目中，我们提出了 ** 我们的创新和替代解决方案和方法 **，称为阿帕（空气污染减排），这是一项专利技术，是 ** 无过滤器和水基 **，简化了安装过程，降低了去除空气中污染物的成本，可以作为一个独立的元素或作为一个集群运行，大大降低了运行和维护成本。我们要求这笔资金，因为，尽管我们的系统已经在其他领域得到了成功的测试和应用，（工业和城市环境）和不同污染物（颗粒和气体/化学）具有优异的结果，** 我们从未测试过我们的系统是否能直接去除空气中的氨 *，也从未在农业环境中测试过 **。然而，如果第一阶段得到资助，我们相信我们可以成功的原因是，氨在水中的溶解度很高，与另一种污染物相当（甲醛），我们的技术是能够消除。此外，我们的技术已经提供 ** 一个强有力的保护知识产权 **（20项专利）和 ** 开发不同形状和形式的解决方案的灵活性 **，占用有限的空间，因此，能够更接近动物进行部署，使减排更有效，并为动物提供直接利益。我们意识到严格评估该技术的重要性，并首次在该领域应用阿帕，为此，我们已批准与 * 一家位于英国的世界领先的环境领域咨询公司 * 合作，该公司具有出色的监测能力和对排放和农业领域的深入了解，并与农场建立联系。在第一阶段，我们还将 ** 关注利益相关者的参与和最终用户的需求 ** 收集活动，这是将我们的解决方案开发和调整到一个新水平的基本步骤，调整形状/形式，并计划下一步（第2阶段），使阿帕适合在这个新领域广泛有效地应用。

The costs associated with Ammonia emissions from agriculture have been estimated from the literature (Guthrie et al, 2020) and best available projections for emissions (NAEI, 2022), at **£700m**, with projected values, if no actions are implemented, to go as high as **£16.5bn** per year (Royal Society, 2018).**Existing technological solutions**, including traditional scrubbers **are inefficient and expensive**, requiring or intense labour presence (for frequent manure/slurry removal) or large underground tanks and ventilation infrastructure. Other filter-based alternatives, require expensive and frequent filter changes and disposal, generating special waste and high recurring costs and maintenance, making them not economically viable.In this project we are proposing **our innovative and alternative solution and approach**, called APA (Air Pollution Abatement), a patented technology which is **filterless and water-based** that simplifies the installation process, makes cheaper the removal of pollutants from the air, and can operate as a stand-alone element or as a cluster, reducing drastically the running and maintenance costs.We are requesting this fund because, although our system has been already tested and applied successfully in other sectors (industry and urban environments) and for different pollutants (particles and gaseous/chemical) with excellent results, **we have never tested our system for direct removal of ammonia** **from the air and neither in an agricultural environment**. However, the reason we believe we can succeed, if this Phase 1 will be funded, is because ammonia is highly soluble in water and comparable to another pollutant (formaldehyde) that our technology is able to remove.Also, our technology offers already **a strongly protected IP** (20 patents) and **the flexibility to develop solutions in different shapes and forms**, occupying a limited space, hence able to be deployed closer to the animals making more effective the abatement, as well as providing direct benefit to the animals.We are conscious of the importance of assessing rigorously the technology and first APA application in this sector, and for that we have granted the **collaboration with** **a UK-based world leading consultancy** **in the Environmental sector**, with excellent monitoring capabilities and in-depth knowledge of the emissions and agricultural sector, and established links with farms.In Phase 1 we will also **focus on the stakeholders engagement and end-user requirements** gathering activities, which are fundamental steps to develop and fine-tune our solution to a new level, adapt shape/form, and plan for next step (Phase 2) making APA suitable to be applied widely and effectively in this new sector.