HAMPTON, VA — The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has granted Pancopia LLC U.S. Patent 12,060,290 for its Animal Husbandry Nutrient and Odor Management System—foundational intellectual property that promises to transform how the swine industry manages ammonia, water, and nutrients. The company plans to conduct full-scale commercial trials of its FreshFlush™ system implementing this patented approach.
The patent, issued August 13, 2024, protects a novel biological approach to treating flush water used in swine barns. Unlike conventional methods that attempt to remove ammonia after it becomes a problem, Pancopia's patented process conditions flush water before it enters the barn, preventing ammonia from reaching the air where it harms animals and workers.
"This patent represents a fundamental shift in how the industry can approach ammonia management," said William E. Cumbie, the patent's inventor and CEO of Pancopia. "For decades, researchers have focused on removing ammonia from barn air or treating lagoon effluent. Our approach stops the problem at its source by conditioning the flush water so that ammonia is transformed and cannot be released to the air either in the barns or to the atmosphere."
Recovering Value from Waste
Animal agriculture produces five to ten times more nutrient waste than human systems. This waste drives health issues, air-quality problems, and lost performance. Pancopia's patented technology accelerates natural processes to recover water and nutrients, helping farms unlock value inside their largest waste streams while reducing operating costs.
The Science Behind the Patent
The patented system makes engineered use of natural biological processes to accelerate the conversion of ammonia to a form that improves swine health and productivity while dramatically reducing airborne ammonia in barns. Rather than fighting nature, the technology harnesses it—using the same nitrifying bacteria found in healthy soils and water systems worldwide.
Pancopia's approach achieves superior results at a fraction of the cost by working with biological processes rather than against them.
From Space Stations to Swine Barns
Pancopia's technology began with NASA's life-support systems for water and nutrient recycling. But there are only so many toilets in space. The company's biggest environmental opportunity is here on Earth, where these same technologies can help animal agriculture recover resources profitably.
The invention was developed with support from USDA Phase 1 SBIR award 2018-33610-28501. Subsequent Department of Energy funding is enabling commercialization of the FreshFlush system implementing this patented approach, with full-scale trials planned.
Expected Benefits
Based on laboratory testing and pilot studies, the FreshFlush system is expected to reduce airborne ammonia in swine barns, improving air quality, supporting pig health, and boosting performance. By stabilizing nitrogen and improving water reuse, the technology aims to help farms cut mortality, reduce odor, and lower operating costs. Commercial trials will validate these benefits under real farm conditions.
With over 3,000 swine lagoons in North Carolina alone and the industry facing continued environmental and regulatory pressure, Pancopia's patented approach offers producers a practical path to improved profitability while addressing one of agriculture's most challenging environmental issues.
