subscribesubscriber servicescontact usabout ussite map
Thu, Dec 04 2008 

Published June 30, 2007 04:32 pm - FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — An agricultural engineering researcher at the University of Arkansas said he has found a way to burn poultry litter to heat poultry houses. He said it could be better for the birds, better for the farmers and better for the environment.

Researcher explores way to burn poultry litter to provide heat source



By Mike Surbrugg

msurbrugg@joplinglobe.com

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — An agricultural engineering researcher at the University of Arkansas said he has found a way to burn poultry litter to heat poultry houses. He said it could be better for the birds, better for the farmers and better for the environment.

Tom Costello worked with Lynndale Systems Inc., a furnace manufacturer in Harrison, to test a furnace prototype that uses a blend of poultry waste and bedding material as fuel to heat chicken houses.

The prototype needs improvements before it is economically feasible for a commercial market, Costello said.

Bob Dodson, Lynndale’s chief executive officer and president, said his company expects to produce furnace units before the end of the year.

Costello’s research team believes the poultry-litter furnace is a way to offset the use of propane or natural gas, and will lower operating costs for the grower and create a use for excess litter on farms where it is generated.

Costello said it also would help protect water quality and decrease greenhouse-gas emissions by lowering the consumption of fossil fuels.

Burned litter produces an ash with phosphorus and potassium. There also is a potential market for that ash as either a fertilizer or as an additive to concrete mix, Costello said.

With the system, a farmer can gather litter from a chicken house and store it under cover outside, close to the poultry-house furnace. The farmer uses a tractor with a front-end loader to dump the litter into a hopper, which delivers it to an auger that feeds the furnace.

A typical chicken house would burn two to four bucket loads of litter a day, depending on the outside temperature, Costello said. A farmer could expect to use about a ton of litter per day to heat a broiler house under typical winter conditions in Northwest Arkansas, he said.

After initial ignition by a propane burner, the prototype maintains combustion with 100 percent raw litter. The furnace is connected to a thermostat in the chicken house that signals when heat is needed to fire the furnace.

Costello said tests have demonstrated that the energy content of litter is in a range of 4,000 to 5,000 British Thermal Units per pound of litter.

With design improvements, the unit could use 100 tons of litter per year, an amount easily produced on most poultry farms. The litter could generate 80 percent of the annual space-heating needs for one broiler house; the other 20 percent could come from propane or natural gas.

Mike Surbrugg is the farm editor for The Joplin Globe.



print this story    email this story    comment on this story   

Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.


Add a comment on this story





monster
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide
TV LIsitngs

Vote Today!

Get Our Free Pod Cast!



Click Here!

32 buy 1 get 1 free offers


Find a job! Find a Home! Find a car!
Featured Jobs

MUSICIANS NEEDED
MUSICIANS NEEDED to play in a weekly variety show. Call 417-673-0501...>MORE

NEW RESTAURANT OPENING, COCONUTS TROPICAL GRILL
Now accepting applications for all positions. Please apply in person between
10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Saturday
...>MORE

FULL TIME DENTAL ASSISTANT
Full time dental assistant to float between clinics in Carthage, Neosho, and Anderson. Experience preferred, but will tr...>MORE

NEW RESTAURANT OPENING
NEW RESTAURANT OPENING COCONUTS TROPICAL GRILL
Now accepting applications for all positions. Please apply in person
...>MORE

companions
to assist aging adults. Prefer older workers, but others considered. Hours 48 hour on and 48 hour off. CNA experience h...>MORE

ASE CERTIFIED MECHANIC
ASE Certified Mechanic. Apply at Russell Tire and Auto, 1501 E. 4th, Joplin. ...>MORE

ASE CERTIFIED MECHANIC
ASE Certified Mechanic. Pay up to $20.50 per hour. Apply at Russell Tire and Auto, 1501 E. 4th, Joplin. ...>MORE

See all ads

Featured Transportation

KIA 2005 SEDONIA
KIA, 2005 Sedonia, 7 passenger, V6, automatic, 70,000 actual miles, super nice. $5500. (417)623-2011...>MORE

CHRYSLER 2004 PACIFICA
CHRYSLER, 2004 Pacifica, light blue, 65,000 miles, 3rd row seat, power seats/locks/windows, lift gate, sunroof, front/re...>MORE

FORD 2004 ESCAPE XLT
FORD, 2004 Escape XLT, V6, automatic, air, CD, more, 61,000 miles, $9,250. 417-781-2474....>MORE

LEXUS 1998 ES300
LEXUS, 1998 ES300, 120,000 miles, tan, loaded, terrific car, all records since new, $7,950. Please call (417)793-1620....>MORE

DODGE 2006 DAKOTA QUAD CAB
DODGE, 2006 Dakota, quad cab, SLT, 8000 actual miles, automatic, loaded with options. $9100. (417)623-2011...>MORE

NISSAN 2003 X-TERRA XE
NISSAN, 2003 X-Terra XE, V6, 4x4, 70,000 miles, leather, tilt, cruise, CD, tow package, excellent condition, $11,500. 41...>MORE

CHEVROLET 2006 Z71
Chevrolet, 2006 Z71, crew cab, 4x4, 38,000 miles, $17,500. 417-439-4177...>MORE

CHEVROLET 1998 ASTRO VAN
Chevrolet, 1998 Astro Van, industrial style roof rack, 89,000 miles. $2500 )438-6436...>MORE

CHEVROLET 1991 TRICKED OUT
Z28 Camaro, too much to list. $12,000. 359-5619....>MORE

HONDA 2005 ACCORD EX
4 door, 1 owner, 45,000 miles, dark green, buckskin leather, loaded, excellent condition, $15,900. (417)483-1307....>MORE

See all ads

Featured Homes

2 BR CARTERVILLE
2 BR, Carterville, $395/$175. 417-673-0303, 850-6154....>MORE

NICE 2BR
new central heat/air, newly decorated, gar with opener, $69,000. 330 S. McConnell. (417)623-4058, 850-5695....>MORE

TABLE ROCK LAKE, BY OWNER
Table Rock Lake, by owner, 4 BR cabin with appliances, including stack washer and dryer, 1/4 interest in boat dock with ...>MORE

See all ads

Other Cool Stuff

627 GREY
3 br, 1 ba, central heat/air, washer/dryer hookup, rent $475, $400 deposit. 417-781-2239....>MORE

CONTRACTORS TO BID
CONTRACTORS TO BID, Site utility contractors solicitation for bids - Quapaw, OK area. New pressurized sewer system and n...>MORE

GE 19 CU. FT. REFRIGERATOR
GE 19 cu. ft. white refrigerator for sale, $175; Roper white matching washer/dryer, set $265, all are in clean good work...>MORE

LIVING ESTATE SALE
LIVING ESTATE SALE – Saturday, December 6, 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
906 N.W. Murphy Boulevard, Joplin, MO Follow signs. Ma
...>MORE

YORKIE PUP
YORKIE PUP - FEMALE, Female Yorkie pup for sale, $400.
No papers. (417)717-0416, 417-673-1600.
...>MORE

BLUE TICK HOUND PUPPY
BLUE TICK hound puppy, 6 months old, house-broken, free to good home. Interview and meeting required. Please call 417-62...>MORE

WILLIAMS CASINO SLOT MACHINE
Williams Casino Slot Machine. 2003, 9 line video, 5¢ INSTANT WINNER pays out 50,000 coins on maximum win pay line, bonus...>MORE

FLEETWOOD 1992 CORONADO
34’ Class A, Ford 460 engine, good condition, 2 air conditioner, 3 way refrigerator, microwave, TV, $12,000. (417)359-56...>MORE

BROYHILL FLORAL SOFA
Broyhill floral sofa, pastel colors, $250; glass top coffee table, 2 end tables, $150/set, maple dining table/4 padded c...>MORE

BLOODHOUND PUPPIES
BLOODHOUND PUPPIES, APRI registered, 2 black and tan males and 1 female, 8 weeks old, no health problems and are good s...>MORE

See all ads


 

Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.CNHI Classified Advertising NetworkCNHI News Service
Associated Press content © 2008. All rights reserved. AP content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Our site is powered by Zope and our Internet Yellow Pages site is powered by PremierGuide.
Some parts of our site may require you to download the Flash Player Plugin.
View our Privacy Policy
Advertiser index

 

 

Find A Home Find A Car