High-temperature, air-blown gasification of dairy-farm wastes for energy production

A study was carried out to investigate the feasibility of integrating an advanced gasifier into the operation of a dairy farm for converting biomass wastes into fuel gas that can be used for power production. The disposal/utilization of excess animal wastes is a serious problem facing the dairy industry. Implementation of a gasification system on the dairy farm may provide an economical means of disposing of this waste. In our scheme, an advanced, high-temperature air-blown gasification system is used to convert the waste into synthetic fuel gas. A ceramic regenerative heater supplies the high-temperature air. Results of performance calculations indicated gasification conversion efficiencies of 65-85% are possible, depending on the gasifier operating configuration. The syngas produced by the gasifier can be used on the farm for generating electricity and heat, or for other energy needs, thus helping to reduce the operating cost of the farm. In a case study, using information collected from an Upstate New York dairy farm, the results showed that gasification of dairy wastes would allow this particular farm to produce more than two times the amount of energy required for self-sufficiency. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.