Pig+Manure+Fuel

Pig Manure oil As crude oil and gas prices are at their highest, one scientist found an alternative source: Pig manure! The process involves thermochemical conversion, uses heat and pressure to break down carbohydrate materials and turn waste into liquid. Each 2L batch of manure converts to only .26L of oil. It has a heating value similar to diesel fuel and it could offer an alternative to petroleum oil. It doesn’t require pre-drying of the manure and conversion takes 15min and has a strong energy return: for every portion of energy in you get three portions out. The researchers converted 70% of swine manure volatile solids into oil. About 20% of it is solid, the rest is water and 90% of it is volatile/organic. It’s a nice material to process because it is easy and it’s already been biologically processed by the pigs. One pig during its lifespan could produce up to 80L of crude oil. A swine farm producing 10,000 pigs per year could produce 5000 barrels/795,000L of crude oil per year. The system could also work with humans because our waste is similar to pigs. Chicken or cow manure would need to be modified to work properly. As a renewable energy the pig oil has great benefits; Odour is reduced, minerals are preserved in treatment systems and the biological oxygen demand of manure is reduced by 70%.