greenhouse gas emissions in animal husbandry | colin burton

ICARB Agricultural Workshop

Glasgow Caledonian University

7th June 2011

Colin BURTON

Greenhouse gas emissions

in animal husbandry

2 ICARB Agricultural Workshop - Glasgow Caledonian University - 7th June 2011

• Impacts from the management of wastes

• Treatment options and abatement techniques

• Measuring emissions

• The way forward : whole farm strategies


Livestock production in Europe


Potential environmental impact

nitrates

BODphosphorus

nitrous oxide

methane

ammonia

pathogens

odours

Global warmingOzone

depletion

Soil contamination

Nutrient overload

Acidification

Disease


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


Nitrogen transformations


Nitrous oxide

82%

Ammonia

18%52%

7%29%

Dust (PM10)Methane

Water pollution

Livestock agriculture and pollution


• Treatment options and abatement techniques


Sources of emission


Spreading strategies

Weather

Timing and season

Location

QuantitiesPN


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


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


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


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


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


Treatment of emissions to air

Filters

Cyclones

Biofilters Incineration Scrubbing

Adsorption

Ozone UV


• Measuring emissions


Measuring gas emissions


24 hour ammonia emissions


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)


• The way forward : whole farm strategies


Importance of the « whole farm » approach

NH3

NH3

NO3-

Which technology to cut emissions?

N2ONH3


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


Any questions ?

After 4 hours of wandering, some began to wonder if the

project leader really did know the way to the restaurant

greenhouse gas emissions in animal husbandry | colin burton

Technology

glasgow caledonian university

offensive odours

removal

reduction

co2

stabilisation

forward

ammonia