Gasification of Biowaste Based on Validated Computational Simulations: A Circular Economy Model to Handle Poultry Litter Waste

Abstract

Converting waste biomass resources through downdraft gasification can generate a producer gas for a combined heat and power unit. The study includes feedstock analysis, process modelling using ECLIPSE simulation software, and experimental analysis of materials in a pilot-scale fixed-bed downdraft gasifier. Anaerobic digestate and miscanthus were investigated for comparing the gasification potential of poultry litter as an energy source. Models validated through experimental analysis were applied to a case study based on a typical poultry farm in Northern Ireland.; Results found producer gas with a lower heating value up to 4.15 MJ/Nm3 can be generated. Sufficient poultry waste is generated on-site to produce the required heat and electricity for each shed, allowing the farm to switch from fossil fuels to a local renewable resource and addressing the waste disposal issue.; Downdraft gasification coupled with cogeneration could have a payback period of 4–5 years given the correct conditions. The net present value is positive for all technologies considered (i.e. internal combustion engine and the Organic Rankine cycle combined heat and power unit) under different subsidies, showing the economic viability of the solution. The break-even selling price could be lower than the current grid electricity selling price (£120/MWh) when incentives such as: (i) avoiding disposal cost of £30/tonne, (ii) selling the biochar by-product at £200/tonne and (iii) fuel displacement costs of 1.5p/kWh are considered. Graphical abstract

A Review of Poultry Waste-to-Wealth: Technological Progress, Modeling and Simulation Studies, and Economic- Environmental and Social Sustainability

“…Adeniyi et al ( 2020) developed three thermodynamic models as pyrolysis, in-line steam reforming, and gasification for treating poultry litter on Aspen Plus software, and the results showed that the optimal conditions for the in-line steam reforming of poultry litter were observed to be 400 • C temperature and 12 kg kg −1 steam-to-feed ratio, yielding a syngas composition of 70.2 mol% H 2 , 29.4 mol% CO 2 , 0.22 mol% CH 4 , and a trace amount of CO; the optimal conditions for the gasification of poultry litter were 700 • C temperature and 0.2 kg kg −1 , yielding a syngas composition of 52.6 mol% H 2 , 10.3 mol% CO 2 , 2.77 mol% CH 4, and 34.3 mol% CO, indicating that gasification generated a higher syngas yield but with less quality, while steam reforming generates higher quality but a lower yield [60]. To investigate the potential of gas production for electricity generation from poultry waste by small-scale downdraft gasification, De Priall et al (2022) simulated the process of poultry waste gasification with heat and electricity generation using the ECLIPSE simulation software by comparing it with anaerobic digestate and miscanthus as an energy source, and the simulation showed that the generated electricity from this poultry waste gasification system can support the farm to transform from fossil energy-based operations to renewable energy-based operations and solve the poultry waste disposal problems simultaneously [61].…”

“…For instance, Zang et al (2019) designed two systems for poultry waste disposal and evaluated and compared their economic and energy potentials [110]. De Priall et al ( 2022) investigate the potential of energy recovery from poultry litter wastes with gasification systems based on feedstock analysis, process modeling, and experimental analysis [61]. Ayub et al (2022) designed a hydrothermal gasification system in supercritical water for converting poultry litter into value-added products, and the best yields can be achieved as hydrogen and methane gas with a superior lower heating value [54].…”

“…Despite that, using various processes to generate different energy products, such as biogas, biodiesel, and electricity, to convert poultry waste to wealth can still reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which can be part of the efforts for mitigating global climate change. By comparing the processes of electricity generation from poultry litter pellets, digestate pellets, and miscanthus pellets with natural gas for power generation, it is found that the process of electricity generation from poultry litter pellets generates the least carbon emissions [61]. The mixture of diesel fuel and rendered chicken oil converted from broiler slaughterhouse waste can not only be used as an alternative fuel in conventional diesel engines, but can also decrease smoke emissions by 47.14%, which can help reduce pollutant emissions and mitigate climate change [142].…”

Waste Paper-Derived Porous Carbon Incorporated with Mesoporous ZIF-8 Crystals for Symmetrical Supercapacitors

“…CV is performed at different scan rates, i.e., 5,10,20,50,80,100,200, and 500 mV s −1 , to understand the charge storage mechanism of the electrode in a positive potential range. The working voltage is determined from CV curves of the electrode material i.e., PAC-800, ZIF-8, and PAC-800/ZIF-8.…”

“…1 At the same time, it is required to move toward a circular economy by generating energy from waste. 2 It can be done by pyrolysis and combustion, 3 anaerobic digestion, 4 gasification, 5 landfill gas recovery, 6 etc. Most of the energy storage devices use carbon-based materials such as raw materials or products; therefore, recycling waste carbon into smart energy materials can provide opportunities for waste handling as well as widening their use in energy storage devices.…”