Thermodynamic and environmental analysis of an auto-thermal supercritical water gasification system for ammonia and power production from chicken manure

Abstract

Supercritical water gasification (SCWG) technology, a clean and efficient method for organic waste treatment, has considerable application prospects in the background of carbon emission reduction. In this study, an auto-thermal SCWG system of chicken manure for NH3 and power production was proposed for recycling waste resources. Thermodynamic analysis and environmental impact assessment were conducted under different operational conditions. The system exhibited optimal energy, exergy, and cold gas efficiencies of 62.34 %, 53.75 %, and 57.75 %, while simultaneously generating 3372.11 kg/h of NH3 and 1677.1 kW of net power, all within processing 10 t/h of dry chicken manure. The global warming potential of this system was only 3.31 kg CO2-eq/kg NH3 with carbon capture and storage. The sensitivity analysis indicated that the moderate increase in gasification temperature, higher feedstock concentration, appropriate preheated water flow, and suitable feedstock distribution ratio collectively enhanced system performance by mitigating exergy destruction in the partial oxidation and heat exchange process. By converting waste heat into electrical energy rather than industrial steam, the Organic Rankine Cycle system enhances the practical viability of waste heat recovery. This work expects to provide essential theoretical guidance for the scale-up and design of the biomass waste SCWG system.