effect of fractionation and pyrolysis on fuel properties of poultry litter
DESCRIPTION
Proceedings available at: http://www.extension.org/67699 Raw poultry litter has certain drawbacks for energy production such as high ash and moisture content, a corrosive nature, and low heating values. A combined solution to utilization of raw poultry litter may involve fractionation and pyrolysis. Fractionation divides poultry litter into a fine, nutrient-rich fraction and a coarse, carbon dense fraction. Pyrolysis of the coarse fraction would remove the corrosive volatiles as bio-oil, leaving clean char. This paper presents the effect of fractionation and pyrolysis process parameters on the calorific value of char and on the characterization of bio-oil. Poultry litter samples collected from three commercial poultry farms were divided into 10 treatments that included 2 controls (raw poultry litter and its coarse fraction having particle size greater than 0.85 mm) and 8 other treatments that were combinations of three factors: type (raw poultry litter or its coarse fraction), heating rate (30 or 10 °C/min), and pyrolysis temperature (300 or 500°C). After the screening process, the poultry litter samples were dried and pyrolyzed in a batch reactor under nitrogen atmosphere and char and condensate yields were recorded. The condensate was separated into three fractions on the basis of their density: heavy, medium, and light phase. Calorific value and proximate and nutrient analysis were performed for char, condensate, and feedstock. Results show that the char with the highest calorific value (17.39MJ/kg) was made from the coarse fraction at 300°C, which captured 68.71% of the feedstock energy. The char produced at 300°C had 42mg/kg arsenic content but no mercury. Almost all of the Al, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Na, and P remained in the char. The pyrolysis process reduced ammoniacal-nitrogen (NH4-N) in char by 99.14% and nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) by 95.79% at 500°C.TRANSCRIPT
Kaushlendra [email protected]
April 03, 2013
Division of Forestry and Natural ResourcesWest Virginia University
Effect of Fractionation and Pyrolysis on Fuel Properties of Poultry Litter
Authors- Singh, K., M. Risse, J. Worley, K. C. Das, S. Thompson.
Year- 2010.
Title- Effect of fractionation and pyrolysis on fuel properties of poultry litter.
Journal- Journal of Air and Waste Management,
Volume (Issue)- 60(7)
Page# 875-83.
PUBLICATION DETAILS
Presentation Overview
BackgroundMethodology Results
Pyrolysis product yieldsProperties of char and condensateEfficiency of pyrolysisNutrient distribution
Conclusions
Background
http://www.osti.gov/energycitations/servlets/purl/794292-6l279H/native/794292.pdf
Georgia ranks first in the United States in production of poultry and poultry products, supplying approximately 12% of U. S. production.
EDF. 2000. Animal Waste – a National Overview. Taken from Environmental Defense Fund Scorecard (www.scorecard.org) January 15, 2000.
Problems with land application
Approximately, 39% of the P produced is potentially exported to the state’s water ways.
Risse, L. M. and S.A. Cheadle. 1996. Pollution Prevention in Agricultural Livestock Production. http://www.p2pays.org/ref/02/01305.pdf
Dark blue areas represent more than 75lbs of phosphorous loading per acre per year
Background
Poultry litter
Fertilizer Energy
Screening
Fin
e
fracti
on
Coars
e
fracti
on
Ndegwa, P. M .1990. Fractionation of poultry litter for enhanced utilization and reduction of environmental pollution. MS thesis. Clarke, GA: The University of Georgia, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering.
Background
Thermo-chemical Pathways
Poultry LitterPyrolysis Bio-oil
Gas
Char
Gasification Synthesis Gas
Hydrogen
Combustion
Fra
cti
on
atio
nC
oars
e fr
actio
nF
ine
frac
tion
Poultry litter
Pelleting operation
Pyrolysis
Gasification/CombustionEnergy
Bio-oil
Gas
Char
Energy
Energy
Bin
der
Fertilizer pellets
Ene
rgy
Our Vision
Objective
To document the effect of fractionation (screen size 0.85mm), pyrolysis temperature and heating
rate on production, nutrient content, and gross heating values of char and bio-oil.
Experimental Procedure
Characterized Bio-oil
Proximate Analysis Bomb Calorimeter
Characterized CharStorage
Sampling
Two Controls: Raw and coarse fraction with No Pyrolysis
Type: Raw, coarse
Heating rate: 10 and 30°C/min
Temperature: 300 and 500°C
Efficiency of pyrolysis
C, N, S Distribution
Data Quality Indicators: Precision, Bias, Accuracy, Data completeness, Data representativeness
Treatments
The various components in pyrolysis setup are: 1. Nitrogen gas, 2. Gas diffuser, 3. Thermocouple to measure biomass temperature 4. Furnace (CV Furnace model ), 5. Data logger, 6. Computer, 7. Condenser coil, 8. Condensate collector, 9. Ice bath condenser made of five cylinders identical to #8, 10. Water bubbler, 11. Filter made of dry rite, quartz wool, and glass wool, 12. Exhaust, 13. Water discharge to drain, 14. Water inlet to condenser, 15. Reactor, 16. Gasket , 17. Biomass holding basket.
Batch Pyrolysis Reactor
Results: Pyrolysis Product Yield
Only temperature had effect on product yields. The achieved heating rates were in the range of 2.5 to 2.9 degC/min against target heating rates
Results: Condensate Phases
Heavy Phase
Medium Phase
Light Phase
Results: Condensate Phase Yield
heavy5%
medium81%
light14%
Condensate phases at 500°C
No treatment factor has significant effect on condensate phase yields
Pyrolysis Product Properties
Bio-CharEnergy ContentProximate analysis
Condensate
Results: Calorific value of chars
Treatment detail Calorific Value MJ/kgRaw, No Pyrolysis 13.80 ± 0.69a
Coarse, No Pyrolysis 16.63 ± 2.24b
Raw, 10˚C/min, 300˚C 15.83 ± 2.35b
Coarse, 10˚C/min, 300˚C 17.03 ± 1.40c
Raw, 30˚C/min, 300˚C 16.26 ± 1.69b
Coarse, 30˚C/min, 300˚C 17.39 ± 1.27c
Raw, 10˚C/min, 500˚C 16.36 ± 1.69b
Coarse, 10˚C/min, 500˚C 16.57 ± 1.42b
Raw, 30˚C/min, 500˚C 16.52 ± 2.18b
Coarse, 30˚C/min, 500˚C 16.73 ± 1.61c
Note: Numbers followed by same letter are not significantly different at 95% confidence level.
Heating value of wood char is generally 28-29 MJ/kg
(Raw)
(Coarse fr
action)
(Coarse, 3
00°C, 1
0°C/m
in)
(Coarse, 3
00°C, 3
0°C/m
in)
(Coarse, 5
00°C, 3
0°C/m
in)
14.5719.40
1.52 1.94 1.81
65.30 67.50
45.00 48.17
25.5523.93 21.91
33.61 31.33
43.12
10.77 10.59
21.39 20.49
31.33
Proximate analysis resultsMoisture Volatile matter Ash Fixed carbon
Only temperature affected proximate results
Results: Condensate properties
Type Appearance Carbon Oxygen Calorific value, MJ/kg
Moisture Content
coarse fraction (screen # 20, 0.85 mm) at 500°C and 30°C/minHeavy Phase
dark black, semi solid, tar like
56.64 ± 19.13a 28.60 ± 18.79a 31.46 ± 2.99a 4.00 ± 3.22a
Medium Phase
orange-brown water like
5.42 ± 2.10b 81.35 ± 2.55b 5.35 ± 0.54*b 41.98 ± 9.09b
Light Phase
gave dark grey easy flowing liquid
66.97 ± 16.40a 15.82 ± 19.14a 25.80 ± 3.21a 12.69 ± 7.74a
Medium phase was mostly waterLight phase may be used as boiler fuels
Nutrient Distribution
CarbonNitrogenSulfurMinerals
Results: Carbon distribution
Results: Nitrogen distribution
Results: Sulfur distribution
Minerals- It Matters..
Source of arsenic is roxarsone, an antibiotic additive to poultry feed.
Excessive dissolved organic carbon enhances arsenic solubility making its way to water bodies.
Poultry litter can have maximum of 41mg/kg arsenic for land application.
Pyrolysis process reduced ammonium nitrogen by 99% and nitrate nitrogen by 95%
Results: Efficiency of pyrolysis
Char coal energy conversion Coarse fractions had lower energy conversion
efficiency than raw poultry litter (p-value= 0.0153)
Increasing pyrolysis temperature reduced energy conversion efficiency (p-value=0.0003)
Coarse fraction char prepared at 300°C and 30°C/min retained 68.71± 9.37% of the total feedstock energy
Results: Efficiency of pyrolysis
Fixed carbon yield Only temperature significantly increased fixed carbon
yield from 18.82 ± 3.30% to 24.89 ± 3.13% when raised from 300°C to 500°C regardless of poultry litter type.
Charcoal Carbon yield The charcoal prepared at 300°C captured 64.26 ±
6.35% of the total feedstock carbon; however, 51.65 ± 5.84% carbon yield was recorded when pyrolysis temperature was 500°C.
Conclusions
The highest calorific value of the char coal (17.39 ± 1.27 MJ/kg) was made from the coarse fraction pyrolyzed at 300°C which captured 68.71± 9.37% of the total feedstock energy.
The pyrolysis process doubles the ash content in char but increased fixed carbon by 2.42 times that of the original feedstock.
Conclusions
Poultry litter must be heated above 500°C if the preferred product is light phase of the condensate to produce low grade liquid fuel but it would only capture 4.90 ± 3.91% of the feedstock carbon.
The medium fraction (84.62 ± 2.25% yield at 500°C) captured 27.54% of the total feedstock nitrogen at two temperatures and may be used as fertilizer.
Acknowledgements
Dr. Sid Thompson Dr. K.C. Das
K. Singh
Dr. Mark Risse
Dr. John Worley
Jim Palmer, EPA
That’s All Folks !!!!
Background and Justification
Economics of Poultry Litter fuel
• A typical farm (100k head/year) will produce about 125 dry tons litter each year
• If we use 100 dry tons of that litter in a 75% efficient gasifier, it would be equivalent to 9300 gallons of LPG, or $10,000 in equivalent value.
• The value of the resulting 25 tons of ash would be $1250 (as a fertilizer).
• The poultry grower only uses 6000 gallons of LPG in a year (82 dry tons of litter).
Reardon, J. P., J. Wimberly, and J. Avens. 2001. Demonstration of a small modular bio-power system using poultry litter. DOE SBIR Phase-1. Littleton, CO.: Community Power Corporation.