Top 7 Solids Separation and Dewatering Equipment in the USA (2025): Industry-Tested Choices to Cut Hauling Costs, Boost Nutrient Recovery, and Reduce Polymer Use

The Bauer S855 Belt Press Separator is a market-proven choice for mid-size farms because of its compact footprint, straightforward serviceability, and lower upfront capital outlay than many fully automated competitors. It balances solid capture performance for barn manure with easy integration into existing manure handling lines, providing a cost-effective alternative to larger, higher‑automation units from GEA or Huber.

The McLanahan SP-180 is a heavy-duty screw press built for continuous, industrial-strength manure separation with proven reliability and long wear life, giving it an advantage on large farms and municipal-organic processing sites. While its upfront cost can be higher than compact designs such as the Daritech or Bauer S855, its robust construction and service network lower lifecycle costs through reduced downtime and longer intervals between part replacement, producing dryer cakes comparable to top-performing PSS models.

The GEA ecoforce 2-Phase Decanter is positioned as a best-in-class solution for barn manure solids dewatering by using a two-phase separation approach that increases cake dryness and reduces liquid carryover for fibrous, variable manure feeds. It is engineered for high solids capture with lower energy per ton of dry solids compared with conventional single-phase decanters, trading a somewhat higher initial investment for reduced hauling and disposal costs over the unit lifecycle relative to the other units listed.

The McLanahan RDS-30 is a high-capacity rotary drum screen tailored for large-scale manure handling, delivering superior throughput and modular scalability that suit bigger dairy complexes or centralized manure treatment facilities. While its upfront capital can exceed smaller farm-focused models like the DariTech RS2, the RDS-30 often yields lower per-ton operating costs and easier integration into larger nutrient recovery or solids-handling lines than lighter-duty alternatives. When maximum processing rate and industrial-grade durability are required, McLanahan’s solution typically provides the best lifecycle economics.

The McLanahan Sand-Manure Separator is a specialist inclined screen optimized for sand recovery and high-solids separation, delivering significant savings by enabling bedding reuse and reducing apron/scraper wear. Unlike the other general manure screens listed, its technical advantage is targeted sand reclamation and dryer cake output; this typically requires higher capital but can provide the fastest payback on farms that manage sand-bedded freestall systems.

A purpose-built plate-and-frame filter press that earns its best-in-class position for barn manure dewatering by delivering consistently high cake dryness with low polymer consumption and predictable batch operation. Compared with continuous screw and rotary solutions on this list, the McLanahan 470mm offers simpler mechanicals and lower long‑term chemical costs, making it attractive for farms that prioritize maximal solids capture and predictable operating expenses over continuous throughput.