ICARB Agricultural Workshop
Glasgow Caledonian University
7th June 2011
Colin BURTON
Greenhouse gas emissions
in animal husbandry
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• Impacts from the management of wastes
• Treatment options and abatement techniques
• Measuring emissions
• The way forward : whole farm strategies
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Livestock production in Europe
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Potential environmental impact
nitrates
BODphosphorus
nitrous oxide
methane
ammonia
pathogens
odours
Global warmingOzone
depletion
Soil contamination
Nutrient overload
Acidification
Disease
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The main gases from animal manure
• Methane
• Nitrous oxide
• Carbon dioxide
• Ammonia
G
A
O
G
G
Greenhouse gas (global warming)
Linked to acid rain
Depletion of ozone in stratosphere
G
O
A
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Nitrogen transformations
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Nitrous oxide
82%
Ammonia
18%52%
7%29%
Dust (PM10)Methane
Water pollution
Livestock agriculture and pollution
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• Treatment options and abatement techniques
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Sources of emission
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Spreading strategies
Weather
Timing and season
Location
QuantitiesPN
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Aerobic treatment of liquid effluent
• Removal of up to 100% of the organic
matter as BOD5
• (Pig slurry) Removal of up to 40% of
organic matter as COD
• Removal of offensive odours;
stabilisation for 2 to 3 months
• Removal of up to 100% of the
ammoniacal nitrogen
• Temperatures up to 70oC; some removal
of pathogens
• Improved and quicker settlement of
suspended matter
Biological process
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N2O emissions during aerobic treatment
• Residence time : 2 et 20 jours
• Dosing cycle : every hour
• Systeme : CSTR (continous stirred tank reactor
2 jours
20 jours
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Anaerobic digestion
• Removal of up to 100% of the BOD5
organic matter as methane & CO2
• Some reduction in offensive odours;
some stabilisation
• No change in the level of ammoniacal
nitrogen
• Some reduction of some pathogens
• Up to 80% of the bio-gas produced may
be required for slurry heating
• Fugitive emissions of methane
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What can AD achieve?
• Biogas production
• Lower demand for fossil fuel
• Avoid subsequent CH4 production
• Odour abatement
• Reduction of organic load
• Reduction in some disease
organisms
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What AD can’t achieve?
• Effect the nitrogen content
• Effect the phosphorous content
• Sterilisation of the manure
• Removal of heavy metals
• Effluent safe for release to the
river
• To pay for itself without external
help
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Treatment of emissions to air
Filters
Cyclones
Biofilters Incineration Scrubbing
Adsorption
Ozone UV
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• Measuring emissions
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Measuring gas emissions
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24 hour ammonia emissions
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0
20
40
60
80
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Mean
farm
em
issio
n g
/LU
/day
Temperature,
deg.C
Cattle (blue diamonds) : natural ventilation
Pigs (red squares) : mechanical ventilation
Selected emission factors (ammonia)
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• The way forward : whole farm strategies
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Importance of the « whole farm » approach
NH3
NH3
NO3-
Which technology to cut emissions?
N2ONH3
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Mass balance concepts
Any manure treatment system
Accumulation within system
Emissions to air
CH4, N2O, N2, CO2, H2O, SO2 etc.
B
Wastes and effluents
from farm
A
Exported manure products
Composts, dried solids, sludges etc..
D
Bio-gas for heat
or electricity
C
Land-spreading
E
Discharge to
surface water
F
Crop products
E1
E2
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Any questions ?
After 4 hours of wandering, some began to wonder if the
project leader really did know the way to the restaurant