Energy conversion and gas emissions from production and combustion of poultry-litter-derived hydrochar and biochar (original) (raw)

Biochar produced from poultry litter waste

Research, Society and Development

Brazil generates substantial quantity of poultry litter waste because of its worldwide prominence in the production of broiler chickens. The volume of the poultry litter biomass generates considerable environmental impact. The objective was to characterize the biochar produced from poultry litter residue under different conditions with the aim of determining the best residence time and temperature. Poultry litter was collected after two batches of chicken breeding. Five treatments for biochar production were carried out at a temperature of 450 °C (defined by thermogravimetric analysis - TGA) and residence times of 0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 6h. The biochar produced was assessed using proximate analysis, moisture content, gravimetric yield, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and HHV (higher heating value). The results revealed that the best conditions for biochar production was 450 °C (pyrolysis) and residence time of 0.5h, with 37.21% gravimetric yield....

Combustion Behavior of Animal-Manure-Based Hydrochar and Pyrochar

ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 2018

The sustainability of energy production can be increased by combusting waste-derived solid fuels, alone or as blends with coal. This paper investigated whether two thermochemical processes (hydrothermal carbonization and pyrolysis) can be used in sustainable manure management systems to convert surplus manure waste streams into renewable fuels. Hydrochars and pyrochars derived from swine manure and poultry litter at various process conditions were characterized. Their combustion behavior was studied by thermogravimetric analysis, individually and simulated as a blend with fossil coal. The hydrochars underwent two combustion stages, active and char combustion, while the pyrochars and four fossil coals showed only one stage. The substantial differences in characteristic combustion temperatures, kinetic parameters, and ash content between animal-manure-derived chars and coal suggest that fossil coals should not be replaced entirely with char, but used preferably as a blend. Simulation of blends with coal showed combustion characteristics similar to coal alone with amounts up to 10% (hydrochar) and 80% (pyrochar). Although more scale-up and ash characterization study is needed before implementation, the results suggest high potential of cocombusting small percentages of animal-manure based hydrochar and pyrochar with coal in existing coal power generation facilities.

Characterization of the Poultry Litter Biomass for Production of Biochar

Revista Virtual de Química, 2019

Brazil emerges as the world's second-largest producer of broiler chicken. In production, there is the formation of the poultry litter, usually consisting of sawdust, water, feed, droppings and feather of the chickens. After the chicken lots are created, the material is discarded. The aim of this study was to characterize the biomass from poultry litter to analyze its potential as a raw material for biochar. The samples were collected in three different times: Pinus spp. sawdust, poultry litter with creation of one chicken lot and with creation of two chicken lots. Moisture tests and proximate analyzes were performed for the three materials and chemical analyzes for the two poultry litter samples. The chemical analyzes did not present significant differences among the samples. The tests showed an increase in moisture content as the chicken lots were create in the litter, reaching 22.11 % after the creation of two lots. The results indicated that from two lots of chickens it is not appropriate to create more lots with the same litter. This material is generally discarded. However, the poultry litter with creation of two lots showed potential to be harnessed as raw material in the manufacture of biochar.

Biochar Derived from Agricultural Waste Biomass Act as a Clean and Alternative Energy Source of Fossil Fuel Inputs

In this study, pyrolysis was used to upgrade the agricultural biomass waste (ABW) and increase its energy at pyrolysis temperatures ranging from 350 to 950 C and a residence time of 60 minutes. The produced biochars were characterized and their fuel qualities (such as, fixed carbon & carbon percentage, gross calorific value, pH and surface area) were evaluated. Physiochemical analysis showed that the biochar has improved fuel qualities compared to the raw biomass, such as decreased volatile matter, increased carbon content, pH and its gross calorific value with lower ash content. The evolution of derived biochar, as determined by TG-DTG and FT-IR, showed that most hemicellulose and cellulose were decomposed at below 350 C while the decomposition of lignin only occurs at higher pyrolysis temperatures. The biochars had increased ignition temperatures and higher combustion temperature regions compared to raw biomass feedstock. The present study showed that pyrolysis pointed the differences in fuel qualities among different agricultural biomass feedstocks. It also compromises with a promising conversion process for the production of biochar which has an alternative, clean and environment friendly energy source.

A comparative review of biochar and hydrochar in terms of production, physico-chemical properties and applications

Slow-pyrolysis of biomass for the production of biochar, a stable carbon-rich solid by-product, has gained considerable interest due to its proven role and application in the multidisciplinary areas of science and engineering. An alternative to slow-pyrolysis is a relatively new process called hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of biomass, where the biomass is treated with hot compressed water instead of drying, has shown promising results. The HTC process offers several advantages over conventional dry-thermal pre-treatments like slow-pyrolysis in terms of improvements in the process performances and economic efficiency, especially its ability to process wet feedstock without pre-drying requirement. Char produced from both the processes exhibits significantly different physiochemical properties that affect their potential applications, which includes but is not limited to carbon sequestration, soil amelioration, bioenergy production, and wastewater pollution remediation. This paper provides an updated review on the fundamentals and reaction mechanisms of the slow-pyrolysis and HTC processes, identifies research gaps, and summarizes the physicochemical characteristics of chars for different applications in the industry. The literature reviewed in this study suggests that hydrochar (HTC char) is a valuable resource and is superior to biochar in certain ways. For example, it contains a reduced alkali and alkaline earth and heavy metal content, and an increased higher heating value compared to the biochar produced at the same operating process temperature. However, its effective utilization would require further experimental research and investigations in terms of feeding of biomass against pressure; effects and relationships among feedstocks compositions, hydrochar characteristics and process conditions; advancement in the production technique(s) for improvement in the physicochemical behavior of hydrochar; and development of a diverse range of processing options to produce hydrochar with characteristics required for various industry applications.

Cogeneration of Biochar and Heat from Rice Hull: Its Application in the Poultry Industry

A lot of studies worldwide show that biochar is a powerful tool to address some of the most urgent environmental problems of our time: global warming, soil degradation, water pollution by agro-chemicals, and waste management. In the Philippines, biochar from rice hull is commonly used as soil conditioner and as main ingredient in the production of organic fertilizers. To popularize the use of biochar in the farm and improve the system of producing it, the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) developed the continuous rice hull (CtRH) carbonizer in 2010. As its name implies, it operates in continuous mode with almost smokeless emission. The heat generated during its operation is recoverable for use as energy source in various farming operations. This action research was conducted in response to the need of a farmer/poultry grower for cost-reducing and environment-friendly technologies for his farm. Specifically, it aims to integrate the CtRH carbonizer in the poultry operations in order to accomplish two things: (a) make use of the carbonizer-generated heat for brooding chicks to replace the conventionally-used liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and (b) production of biochar as ingredient of organic fertilizer together with the chicken manure. The study involved overcoming challenges of retrofitting the CtRH carbonizer into the automated heating system of a modern tunnel-type poultry house (capacity of 35,000 chickens) that has to comply with the standards set by the broiler integrator whom the farmer was in contract with. Results of the performance test trials showed that the CtRH carbonizer, equipped with heat recovery attachment, can substitute the existing LPG heater to provide the needed heat for brooding chicks, saving 5 to 6 tanks of LPG (50kg/tank) for every one heater replaced. At the price of rice hull and LPG of Php 0.20/kg and Php 70/kg, respectively, a net savings of Php 69,958 per growing period or Php 489,706 per year could be realized per building for brooding. Additional income is expected from the coproduced biochar (1,300kg) which, together with the chicken manure (13,300 kg), can be processed into organic fertilizer. Moreover, with the integration of the CtRH carbonizer in the poultry operations, greenhouse gas (GHG) emission of around 23 tons CO2e per building per year could be prevented.

Biochars and hydrochars prepared by pyrolysis and hydrothermal carbonisation of pig manure

Waste Management, 2018

Pyrolysis of organic wastes for biochar preparation has been proved as a useful way of waste management. However, the elevated water content of some organic wastes precludes its use without a drying step before pyrolysis treatment. For this reason, hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of wet biomass could be an inexpensive alternative management method. The main objective of the present work is to compare the properties of biochars and hydrochars obtained from thermal treatment of pig manure. Biochars were prepared at 300°C (BPM300), 450°C (BPM450) and 600°C (BPM600) and hydrochars were obtained using a pig manure solution (ratio 30:70) that was heated at 200°C (HPM200), 220°C (HPM220) and 240°C (HPM240) during 2 h. Characterization of biochar and hydrochar samples showed that pyrolysis led to chars with more aromatic structures and high thermal stability while HTC process originated chars with more aliphatic structures. HPM220 and HPM240 showed the highest values of field capacity water content and available water probably due to their higher O/C ratios and the macroporosity development in the range from 200 to 30,000 nm. These results suggested that HTC could be an interesting method to obtain soil growing media or green roof materials with adequate hydrophysical properties.

Biochar produzido a partir de resíduos de cama de frango Biocarbón producido a partir de desechos de cama em avicultura

2021

Brazil generates substantial quantity of poultry litter waste because of its worldwide prominence in the production of broiler chickens. The volume of the poultry litter biomass generates considerable environmental impact. The objective was to characterize the biochar produced from poultry litter residue under different conditions with the aim of determining the best residence time and temperature. Poultry litter was collected after two batches of chicken breeding. Five treatments for biochar production were carried out at a temperature of 450 °C (defined by thermogravimetric analysis TGA) and residence times of 0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 6h. The biochar produced was assessed using proximate analysis, moisture content, gravimetric yield, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and HHV (higher heating value). The results revealed that the best conditions for biochar production was 450 °C (pyrolysis) and residence time of 0.5h, with 37.21% gravimetric yield. W...

Poultry Litter Biochar: An Approach towards Poultry Litter Management – A Review

International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences, 2017

Poultry litter is an abundantly available waste biomass, which is used for direct land applications since a long time. Direct use of poultry litter on agricultural lands causes many environmental concerns like, nutrient runoff, eutrophication, flaw odor, greenhouse gas emission due to decaying and microbial contamination. To reduce the environmental concerns, thermochemical conversion of poultry litter into biochar can be an economically sustainable approach. Poultry litter converted into biochar with pyrolysis process also produces additional value products, syngas and bio-oil. Use of poultry litter biochar can improve the soil fertility, water holding capacity and nutrient retention power. Poultry litter biochar also has capacity for remediation of organic and inorganic contaminants from soil and water.

Biochar from Biomass and Waste

Waste and Biomass Valorization, 2010

There is an increasing realisation that biomass and organic wastes are valuable feedstocks for second generation biorefining processes that give rise to platform chemicals to substitute for dwindling petrochemical resources, and for pyrolysis processes that produce syngas, bio-oil, and biochar from biomass, organic wastes, and the biorefining residuals of the future. The experimental work described has focused on physical properties and compositions of biochars produced from miscanthus (Miscanthus x giganteus), willow (Salix spp) and pine (Pinus sylvestris) at 500°C and at 400, 500, and 600°C in the case of the miscanthus. Although the morphologies of the cell structures were maintained in the pyrolysis, the surface area of the miscanthus biochar was greatly increased by heating at 600°C for 60 min. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectra showed the disappearance of evidence for the carbohydrate and lignin plant components as the pyrolysis temperature was raised, and the compositions of miscanthus biochars after heating for 10 and for 60 min at 600°C were very similar and composed of fused aromatic structures and with no traces of the aliphatic components in the starting materials. In greenhouse and growth chamber experiments the growth of maize (Zea mays L) seedlings was found to be inhibited by soil amendments with biochar from miscanthus formed at 400°C for 10 min, but stimulated by miscanthus char formed at 600°C for 60 min. In the course of discussion the relevance of the results obtained is related to the roles that soil amendments with biochar can have on soil fertility, carbon sequestration, on the emissions of greenhouse gases from soil, on fertilizer requirements, and on waste management. It is clear that biochar soil amendments can have definite agronomic and environmental benefits, but it will be essential to have clear guidelines for biochar production from various feedstocks and under varying pyrolysis parameters. It will be equally important to have a classification system for biochars that clearly indicate the product compositions that will meet acceptable standards. A case can be made for sets of standard biochars from different substrates that meet the required criteria.