Comparison of Characteristics of Poultry Litter Pellets Obtained by the Processes of Dry and Wet Torrefaction

Rafail Isemin, Alexander Mikhalev, Oleg Milovanov, Dmitry Klimov, Vadim Kokh-Tatarenko, Mathieu Brulé, Fouzi Tabet, Artemy Nebyvaev, Sergey Kuzmin and Valentin Konyakhin
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Rafail Isemin: Biocenter, Tambov State Technical University, Sovetskaya St. 106, 392000 Tambov, Russia
Alexander Mikhalev: Biocenter, Tambov State Technical University, Sovetskaya St. 106, 392000 Tambov, Russia
Oleg Milovanov: Biocenter, Tambov State Technical University, Sovetskaya St. 106, 392000 Tambov, Russia
Dmitry Klimov: Biocenter, Tambov State Technical University, Sovetskaya St. 106, 392000 Tambov, Russia
Vadim Kokh-Tatarenko: Biocenter, Tambov State Technical University, Sovetskaya St. 106, 392000 Tambov, Russia
Mathieu Brulé: Department of Natural Resources Management and Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural University of Athens (AUA), Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece
Fouzi Tabet: Opti’Tech, Schletterstrasse 12, 04107 Leipzig, Germany
Artemy Nebyvaev: Biocenter, Tambov State Technical University, Sovetskaya St. 106, 392000 Tambov, Russia
Sergey Kuzmin: Biocenter, Tambov State Technical University, Sovetskaya St. 106, 392000 Tambov, Russia
Valentin Konyakhin: Biocenter, Tambov State Technical University, Sovetskaya St. 106, 392000 Tambov, Russia

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 6, 1-13

Abstract: Torrefaction is a technology for the preliminary thermochemical treatment of biomass in order to improve its fuel characteristics. The aim of this work is to conduct comparative studies and select the optimal operating conditions of fluidized bed torrefaction for the processing of poultry litter (PL) into an environmentally friendly fuel. PL torrefaction was evaluated according to three different process configurations: (1) torrefaction of PL pellets in a fixed bed in a nitrogen medium at temperatures of 250 °C, 300 °C and 350 °C (NT1, NT2 and NT3); (2) torrefaction of PL pellets in a fluidized bed of quartz sand in a nitrogen medium at temperatures of 250 °C, 300 °C and 350 °C (NT4, NT5 and NT6); and (3) torrefaction of PL pellets in a fluidized bed of quartz sand in an environment of superheated steam at temperatures of 250 °C, 300 °C and 350 °C (ST1, ST2 and ST3). The duration of the torrefaction process in all experiments was determined by the time required for completion of CO 2 , CO, H 2 , and CH 4 release from the treated biomass samples. The gas analyzer (Vario Plus Syngaz) was used to measure the concentration of these gases. The torrefaction process began from the moment of loading the PL sample into the reactor, which was heated to the required temperature. After the start of the torrefaction process, the concentration of CO 2 , CO, H 2 , and CH 4 in the gases leaving the reactor initially increased and, subsequently, dropped sharply, indicating the completion of the torrefaction process. The chemical composition of the obtained biochar was studied, and it was found that the biochar contained approximately equal amounts of oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen and ash, regardless of the torrefaction method. Furthermore, the biogas yield of the liquid condensate, obtained from the cooling of superheated steam used in the torrefaction process, was evaluated. The results highlight the efficiency of fluidized bed torrefaction, as well as the performance of superheated steam as a fluidization medium.

Keywords: poultry litter; torrefaction; fluidized bed; fixed bed; biochar (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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