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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Florence, South Carolina » Coastal Plain Soil, Water and Plant Conservation Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #286741
Title: Recovery of ammonia from poultry litter using flat gas permeable membranes

Author
item Rothrock, Michael
item Szogi, Ariel
item Vanotti, Matias

Submitted to: Journal of Waste Management
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/8/2013
Publication Date: 4/8/2013
Citation: Rothrock Jr, M.J., Szogi, A.A., Vanotti, M.B. 2013. Recovery of ammonia from poultry litter using flat gas permeable membranes. Journal of Waste Management. 33(6):1531-1538.

Interpretive Summary: 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 in poultry houses typically require dedicated ventilation systems. These ventilations systems alone or in combination with scrubbing/filtration techniques or addition of chemical amendments to litter significantly reduce ammonia concentrations in poultry houses but increase energy demand and operational costs. The potential use of flat gas-permeable membranes was investigated as components of a new process to capture and recover ammonia in poultry houses, but it is independent of intense air movement or chemical amendments. This process includes the passage of gaseous ammonia through a microporous membrane, capture with a circulating dilute acid on the other side of the membrane, and production of a concentrated ammonium salt. The potential benefits of this technology include cleaner air inside poultry houses, reduced ventilation costs, and a concentrated liquid ammonium salt that can be used as a plant fertilizer.

Technical Abstract: The use of flat gas-permeable membranes was investigated as components of a new process to capture and recover ammonia (NH3) in poultry houses. This process includes the passage of gaseous NH3 through a microporous hydrophobic membrane, capture with a circulating dilute acid on the other side of the membrane, and production of a concentrated ammonium (NH4) salt. Bench- and pilot-scale prototype systems using flat expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) membranes and a sulfuric acid solution consistently reduced headspace NH3 concentrations from 70 to 97% and recovered 88 to 100% of the NH3 volatilized from poultry litter. The potential benefits of this technology include cleaner air inside poultry houses, reduced ventilation costs, and a concentrated liquid ammonium salt that can be used as a plant fertilizer.