October 4, 2006

US university to convert poultry waste to good use

A team of University of Georgia scientists is working to break the state's poultry litter into two products, both of which would be useful to the state while protecting the environment.

With funding from an EPA grant, UGA researchers are searching for ways to add value to poultry waste. Broilers

are the top product in the state's agriculture, with a market worth US$4 billion. The sheer volumes meant massive amounts of poultry waste is churned out every year.

Through a process called fractionation, two types of materials from the poultry litter are produced, separating the fine and coarse parts, both of which could be used, said Mark Risse, a UGA Cooperative Extension engineer and member of the research team.

The coarse, energy-rich poultry litter material is put through an intense heating process called pyrolysis to create char and bio-oil. The char can be used anywhere charcoal is used. Bio-oil can be refined further and used as diesel-like fuel.

UGA engineers say developing a cheap source of energy from poultry litter would provide a cleaner source of energy. According to their estimates, using poultry litter as fuel could save the US 283 million gallons of fossil fuel.

The fine material is formed into pellets for use as fertiliser. The litter in pelletised form allows a slower release of nutrients into the soil so that pollution from pathogens would be reduced.

Although directly applying the litter is more commonly practiced now, in north Georgia, there is insufficient land to spread the litter, said K.C. Das, coordinator of the UGA Biorefinery.

Two or three companies are looking at the process currently, Risse said.