Thermochemical Conversion of Poultry Waste for Energy Production
Summary
Poultry waste, principally comprising manure and litter, represents a major by-product of intensive poultry farming worldwide. Thermochemical conversion harnesses heat-driven processes to transform this biomass into energy carriers such as heat, electricity, syngas, bio-oil and biochar, while simultaneously reducing environmental liabilities. Major pathways include direct combustion in fluidised or fixed-bed reactors, gasification under sub-stoichiometric conditions to yield a combustible gas mixture, fast or slow pyrolysis to produce liquid bio-oils and solid char, and hydrothermal routes for wet feedstocks. These processes offer decentralised solutions for on-farm heat and power generation, nutrient recovery for soil amendment and integration with combined heat and power (CHP) systems. Advances in reactor design, feedstock pre-treatment to lower moisture and ash content, and emission control have enhanced energy yields and reduced pollutants. Challenges remain in optimising feedstock variability, mitigating fouling and agglomeration in reactors, and ensuring economic viability through cost reduction and policy support. Collectively, thermochemical conversion of poultry waste aligns with circular economy principles, addressing greenhouse gas emissions, nutrient recycling and energy security across agricultural regions.
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Thermochemical Conversion of Poultry Waste for Energy Production publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in thermochemical conversion of poultry waste for energy production across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Thermochemical conversion: Heat-driven transformation of biomass into energy or chemical products.
Combustion: Complete oxidation of fuel in excess air to produce heat, CO₂ and H₂O.
Gasification: Partial oxidation under limited oxygen to generate a combustible gas (syngas).
Pyrolysis: Thermal decomposition of biomass in the absence of oxygen, yielding bio-oil, syngas and biochar.
Syngas: A mixture of CO, H₂, CO₂ and CH₄ produced by gasification, used as a fuel or chemical feedstock.
Biochar: Carbon-rich solid residue from pyrolysis, used as soil amendment or carbon sink.
References
- Sustainable Valorisation of Animal Manures via Thermochemical Conversion Technologies: An Inclusive Review on Recent Trends. Waste and Biomass Valorization (2022).
- Environmental and economic sustainability of poultry litter gasification for electricity and heat generation. Waste Management (2019).
- Experimental investigation of poultry litter gasification and co-gasification with beech wood in a bubbling fluidised bed reactor – Effect of equivalence ratio on process performance and tar evolution. Fuel (2020).
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