Technical feasibility of briquette production from poultry litter

Abstract

With the industrialization of agricultural processes in rural properties, including poultry has had significant increases in production capacity. The breeding of birds through confinement has generated production residues, such as poultry litter, which, when discarded "in natura", causes environmental damage, and therefore, a differentiated management is necessary. There is a need for the study for a new destination for these wastes, taking advantage for the production of heat energy. This work aimed to evaluate the technical viability of the production of briquettes with poultry litter, from physical and chemical analysis of the final product obtained, as well as the resulting ash. Using a hydraulic press, briquettes from eight substrates composed of chicken and turkey beds mixed with sawdust and sugarcane bagasse were compressed in pre-established proportions. The analyzes showed that the pure turkey bed presented the highest humidity (53.89%). The sawdust turkey bed briquette had the highest calorific value [3.61 kcal g^-1 (kilocalories per gram)]. The ash from the burning of the briquettes presented in its composition essential components such as phosphorus, potassium, calcium, manganese and nitrogen in amounts, providing its use as fertilizer. The results of the study showed that the compost in chicken and turkey poultry litter burned by briquettes for heat generation proved to be technically feasible. Moreover, the ashes resulting from the burning process have potential as fertilizer can be used on plantations.