Biocrude oils from the fast pyrolysis of poultry litter and hardwood

Journal Article · Mon Feb 15 04:00:00 EST 2010 · Waste Management

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2009.09.042· OSTI ID:21357641

Beis, S; Kim, S S; Tarrant, R; Mante, N O ^[1]

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1. Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061 (United States)

The safe and economical disposal of poultry litter is becoming a major problem for the USA poultry industry. Current disposal methods such as land application and feeding to cattle are now under pressure because of pollution of water resources due to leaching, runoffs and concern for mad cow disease contamination of the food chain. Incineration or combustion is potentially applicable to large scale operations, but for small scale growers and EPA non-attainment areas, this is not a suitable option because of the high cost of operation. Thus, there is a need for developing appropriate technologies to dispose poultry litter. Poultry litters from broiler chicken and turkey houses, as well as bedding material were converted into biocrude oil in a fast pyrolysis fluidized bed reactor. The biocrude oil yields were relatively low ranging from 36 wt% to 50 wt% depending on the age and bedding material content of the litter. The bedding material (which was mostly hardwood shavings) biocrude oil yield was 63 wt%. The higher heating value (HHV) of the poultry litter biocrude oils ranged from 26 MJ/kg to 29 MJ/kg while that of the bedding material was 24 MJ/kg. The oils had relatively high nitrogen content ranging from 4 wt% to 8 wt%, very low sulfur (<1 wt%) content and high viscosity. The viscosities of the oils appeared to be a function of both the source of litter and the pyrolysis temperature. The biochar yield ranged from 27 wt% to 40 wt% depending on the source, age and composition of the poultry litter. The biochar ash content ranged from 24 wt% to 54 wt% and was very rich in inorganic components such as potassium and phosphorous.

• OSTI ID: 21357641
• Journal Information: Waste Management, Journal Name: Waste Management Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 30; ISSN WAMAE2; ISSN 0956-053X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ALKALI METALS
ANIMALS
APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY
ASH CONTENT
BIOFUELS
BIRDS
CATTLE
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
CONTAMINATION
COST
DECOMPOSITION
DISSOLUTION
DOMESTIC ANIMALS
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FLUIDIZED BED REACTORS
FOOD CHAINS
FOOD INDUSTRY
FOWL
FUEL DISPERSION REACTORS
FUELS
GROUND DISPOSAL
HOMOGENEOUS REACTORS
INDUSTRY
LEACHING
MAMMALS
MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
METALS
NITROGEN
NONMETALS
OIL YIELDS
OXIDATION
POLLUTION
POTASSIUM
PYROLYSIS
REACTORS
RESOURCES
RUMINANTS
RUNOFF
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SULFUR
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
VERTEBRATES
VISCOSITY
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WATER POLLUTION
WATER RESOURCES
YIELDS