Possibilities of Climate Control of Poultry Complexes through Co-Combustion of Poultry Waste–Solid Biomass for Agriculture in Romania

Abstract

The dynamics of poultry waste co-combustion with solid biomass has been theoretically and experimentally analyzed by authors in several works. The current work is focused on a case study regarding the energy recovery from poultry waste in order to use it for heating a 1000 m3 chicken rearing complex, considering the specific climatic conditions in Romania. Even if biomass has significant national potential, there are only a few experimental incentives in our country to use it for energy production. Since poultry manure is characterized by high moisture and low calorific value, its co-combustion with solid biomass was chosen. Thus, laboratory experiments involving the combustion of 20–30% poultry waste were carried out on a 55 kW pilot boiler. This is an environmentally friendly and low-cost approach. The tests showed that phosphorus and potassium are concentrated by the combustible mass disappearance in the ash (P = 3.2–5.5% and K = 2.2–3.8%), leading to the conclusion that it represents a much more valuable fertilizer than raw waste, since it is lighter and much easier to store, transport, and spread over the agricultural area. The poultry waste mix with solid biomass was taken into account for heating a chicken rearing hall module by considering the needs of each period (cycle) in the development of the chicken-bird flow in accordance with a temperate-continental climate, such as Romania’s climate. The resulting annual fuel consumption is 53.27 t. This quantity represents 42.60 t of biomass and 10.67 t of poultry manure. The co-combustion showed pollutant emissions within the legal limits and no presence of ammonia, which was incinerated on the biomass layer surface.