Analysis of the physical-mechanical properties of a pelleted chicken litter organic fertiliser

Abstract

Pelleted fertiliser production represents improvements in fertiliser management and ensures several benefits, such as a more accurate dosing (less applications), the slow-release of long-lasting nutrients, the possible application during the whole year, easier storage and transportation and better separation of fertilisers and pesticides. The present research investigated the physical-mechanical properties of a pelleted chicken litter organic fertiliser. The pellet samples' particle density ρ (kg.m-3), mechanical durability DU (%), compressive strengths in the cleft σc (N.mm-1) and in simple pressure σp (MPa) were investigated. The last two indicators, σc and σp, demonstrated the pellets' resistance to the compressive stress. The resulting values proved ρ = 1 289.73 kg.m-3, DU = 95.5%, σc = 58.61 N.mm-1 and σp = 20.02 MPa, while all the results were evaluated positively. The observed level of the DU (%) did not achieve the mandatory level for the commercial production of pellets (DU = 97.5%), however, such a level is stated for a pellet solid biofuel intended for energy production. Therefore, the achieved level of the DU (%) represents a satisfactory result within the investigated pellet samples' mechanical quality. In general, the viability and practicability of chicken litter pellet production was proven, as well as, the suitability of such a feedstock for pellet production. Moreover, the observed results proved a high level of the investigated pellet samples' mechanical quality.

Keywords

• compression force
• densification process
• sustainable technology
• poultry manure
• pellet strength