New technology for ammonia recovery from poultry litter

Authors: Rothrock, Michael; Szogi, Ariel; Vanotti, Matias

Submitted to: ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/12/2009
Publication Date: 10/12/2009
Citation: Rothrock Jr, M.J., Szogi, A.A., Vanotti, M.B. 2009. New technology for ammonia recovery from poultry litter [abstract]. American Society of Agronomy-Crop Science Society of America-Soil Science Society of America International Meeting Abstracts.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Abatement of gaseous ammonia in poultry houses is beneficial to both improve health/productivity of the birds and to reduce emissions into the environment surrounding the production facility. Current ammonia abatement technologies from poultry houses can be classified into four broad categories: 1) to increase ventilation to keep ammonia levels down inside the houses; 2) to treat the ammonia in the exhaust air using scrubbing or filtration techniques, thus preventing its release into the environment; 3) addition of chemical amendments to litter; and 4) to selectively pull and treat the air closer to the litter surface, where ammonia levels are more concentrated, using dedicated ventilation systems independent of the house ventilation system. While these systems significantly reduce ammonia emissions, they typically require dedicated ventilation systems which increase energy demands. Research will be presented on a new abatement technology that combines some of the benefits of the technologies mentioned above and recovers nitrogen in a concentrated purified form, but is independent on intense air movement or chemical amendments. The final products are cleaner air inside the poultry house and a concentrated liquid nitrogen that can be used in agriculture as a fertilizer.