Application of trigeneration with direct co-combustion of poultry waste and coal: A case study in the poultry industry from Turkey

This study implies the significance of a trigeneration (TG) system, which converts a single fuel source into three useful energy products (i. e. power, heating, and cooling), and focuses on the simulation of a TG system with direct co-combustion of poultry wastes. The methodology is applied to a case study in northwest of Turkey to investigate how local poultry manure and environmental conditions can be effective in the production of energy. In addition, thermodynamic assessment of the system is performed, and the performance of the TG system is assessed by using energy, exergy, and parametric analysis methods. Poultry litter to coal ratio was 50% at the beginning, then poultry litter ratio in the mixture was increased to 90%, and this has led to less CO2 emissions from the TG and combined heat and power systems co-firing with poultry litter. With rice husk however the consumptions of TG and combined heat and power increased from 6533-6624 tonne per year, and 6549-6640 tonne per year, respectively. As a result, co-combustion of poultry waste can be considered as the best environmentally-friendly remedy to dispose chicken farm wastes, while catering the energy demand of the facility.