Gasifier Feed Rate Control for Animal Waste Energy Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for processing poultry litter are inefficient and do not effectively harness its energy potential, leading to environmental concerns and economic burdens on farmers, while also failing to provide multiple forms of energy in an environmentally friendly manner.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that involves transferring animal waste to a gasifier, circulating heated water through a heat exchanger to generate electricity using an organic Rankine cycle system, and varying the feed rate based on British thermal units (BTU) to maintain a desired combustion temperature, allowing for the conversion of waste into usable energy forms like heat and electricity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If high temperature combustion is used to convert animal waste to ash, then volume reduction is achieved, but energy efficiency is poor and multiple energy forms cannot be provided
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the combustion parameters by controlling oxygen supply and temperature zones within the gasifier. Instead of uniform high-temperature combustion, the system creates different thermal zones that enable both volume reduction and energy capture, transforming the combustion process from inefficient burning to controlled gasification that produces usable energy forms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the previously wasted combustion heat into a beneficial resource by capturing it through heat exchangers. The hot flue gases that were simply vented are now used to generate steam for power generation and hot water for heating applications, turning the harmful waste heat emission into multiple useful energy products.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If land application of poultry litter is restricted due to environmental regulations, then water quality is protected, but economic burden on farmers increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the energy value from animal waste that was previously unused or simply land-applied. By installing a gasifier system, farmers can extract thermal energy, electrical energy, and chemical energy from the waste stream, creating multiple revenue streams that compensate for the loss of land application benefits while maintaining environmental compliance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a multi-functional system that simultaneously achieves environmental protection, energy generation, and economic benefit. The gasifier system serves multiple functions: volume reduction of waste, heat generation for heating, steam generation for power, and potential chemical product recovery, replacing the single function of land application with a versatile energy recovery platform.
3Productivity
If feed rate of animal waste is increased to meet energy demand, then energy output increases, but combustion temperature control becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control by monitoring combustion temperature and adjusting the feed rate accordingly. Sensors detect temperature variations in the gasifier, and the control system modulates the waste feed rate to maintain optimal combustion conditions, ensuring stable operation even at high energy output levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the feed rate dynamic rather than static, allowing continuous adjustment based on real-time combustion conditions. The system can rapidly respond to changes in waste composition, moisture content, and energy demand by varying the feed rate, maintaining temperature control while optimizing energy production.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach increases efficiency in processing animal waste, reduces reliance on fossil fuels, and provides a bi-modal energy output that can meet varying energy demands, improving nutrient management and reducing environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
transferred the animal waste to a gasifier and burned the animal waste
Implementation Method 2
circulated water through a heat exchanger in a flue stack of the gasifier to generate heated water
Implementation Method 3
circulating the heated water through an evaporator of the organic Rankine cycle system to vaporize a refrigerant
Implementation Method 4
pumping the heated water to either an organic Rankine cycle system to generate electricity
Implementation Method 5
circulating the vaporized refrigerant from the evaporator, through a turbine to generate the electricity
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system of processing animal waste is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, the method includes transferring animal waste to a gasifier to burn the animal waste, circulating water through a heat exchanger in a flue stack of the gasifier to generate heated water, and pumping the heated water to either an organic Rankine cycle system to generate electricity, a radiant heater, or any combination thereof. In addition, the method includes circulating the heated water through an evaporator of the organic Rankine cycle system to vaporize a refrigerant, and circulating the vaporized refrigerant from the evaporator, through a turbine to generate the electricity. Also, the method includes using a manure spreader to feed the animal waste to the gasifier at a varying feed rate that is based on contemporaneously calculating a British thermal units (BTU) of the animal waste being fed to the gasifier.