Role of Thermochemical Conversion in Livestock Waste-to-Energy Treatments: Obstacles and Opportunities

Integrating thermochemical conversion (TCC) technologies with current animal waste treatment practices can treat and reduce quantities of manure from consolidated animal feeding operations. Additionally, TCC technologies can produce value-added, renewable energy products. These products can meet heating and power needs or be catalytically converted into liquid fuels. The primary objectives of this study were to assess opportunities and obstacles in the treatment and energy conversion using currently available TCC processes. Both dry and wet livestock manures were assessed. Dry wastes like poultry litter and feedlot manures can be processed directly via pyrolysis and air/steam gasification technology. The solids in the aqueous waste streams from dairy and swine operations can undergo wet gasification or direct liquefaction processes. Alternatively, these solids can be separated and dried before conversion. Due to high ash and sulfur contents, pretreatment of manure is necessary to prevent catalyst poisoning and promote effective unit operation. While the energy input requirements for a conceptual wet gasification manure treatment system of a model swine farm is larger than a traditional anaerobic digestion operation, there are many significant advantages in implementing TCC technology including the following: compact design; faster treatment times; reduction of odors, BOD, and pharmaceutically activated compounds; and elimination of sludge.