Investigation of poultry litter conversion into useful energy resources using fast pyrolysis

Abstract

The present study explored a thermochemical treatment method as an alternative approach to process animal feedlot (poultry litter). Fast pyrolysis of poultry litter experiments was conducted using a Pyroprobe 5200 reactor in the temperature range of 400-600 °C. The influence of reactor temperature on the yield of pyrolytic gases, condensate (bio-oil) and biochar yield was reported along with the mass balance. The biochar yield decreased consistently with an increase in temperature (from ~62 wt.% at 400 °C to ~ 40 wt.% at 600 °C), whereas the maximum bio-oil yield 23.2 wt.% was reported at 600 °C. The evolved pyrolytic gases were dominated by CO and CO2 and have shown an increasing trend with the temperature. Evolved gases were measured by a micro-gas Chromatograph. The yield of the liquid fraction (bio-oil) and biochar were quantified for the mass balance analysis. The yield of liquid and biochar are in agreement with previous work.