Study of a commercial-scale poultry manure oxy-fuel gasification plant via CFD modeling and safety assessment

An emerging solution of poultry manure gasification for energy production is becoming attractive because of the enormous potential of livestock manure as renewable feedstock and environmental hazards by conventional disposal. As a novel technology, oxy-fuel gasification combines the advantages of biowaste gasification and potential for carbon capture and storage (CCS) and is expected to achieve negative carbon emissions. However, studies on the oxy-fuel gasification of poultry manure are lacking. This study developed a 3D Eulerian–Lagrangian model of poultry manure gasification in an industrial fixed-bed gasifier based on a power plant in Singapore. The feasibility of oxy-fuel gasification of poultry manure was explored, and the gas-solid flow, process mechanism, and gasification efficiency were investigated. The results indicate that the oxy-fuel gasification of poultry manure in an industrial-scale gasifier can operate stably at Oxy-21 (21 vol% O₂/79 % CO₂) and Oxy-30. The heating value of syngas from Oxy-21 gasification is equivalent to that of air gasification, while the cold gas efficiency is slightly lower, and Oxy-30 gasification produces a higher energy yield as well as 20 % CO and 40 % CO₂ in syngas. The Nitrogen-free and CO₂-rich fuel gas from oxy-fuel gasification facilitates subsequent CCS implementation. To analyze the practical application of the technology, a safety assessment was conducted on the dust hazards of this plant, which showed the explosion risk was the lowest class. This study offers a numerical simulation method for studying gasification processes and provides sustainable management of commercial-scale poultry manure gasification plants to achieve safe and carbon-negative waste-to-energy applications.