J. agric. Engng Res.

(1980) 25, 375-380

A Pilot Scale Treatment

Process
A. T.

for Laying Hen Manure

SOBEL*

The use of carbonaceous additives to increase handling ease, alter the physical appearance and
reduce the pollution potential of animal manures presents itself as an approach to solving many

waste management problems. The results of pilot scale studies concerned with the addition of
wood shavings to laying hen manure indicate that the resulting product is storable and has an
altered appearance.
Introduction
A horizontal batch mixer was adapted to process laying hen manure by the addition of wood
sawdust. This mixer had a capacity of 0.5 m3 and was powered by a 2 hp, 3-phase electric motor.
The motor was controlled by a time clock to run a preset time each hour. The mixer was insulated
with 5 cm of polyurethane.
The mixer was initially filled with approximately 9 1 kg of previously hand-processed material.
At 3-4 day intervals approximately 22.7 kg of material was removed and 22.7 kg of manure and
sawdust was added. The theoretical retention time was 14 days. The sawdust was a coarse
material of mixed woods and had a moisture content between 20 and 40% on a wet basis (wb).
The manure was from caged White Leghorn laying hens housed at the Agricultural Waste Management Laboratory, New York State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University.
The manure had been partially dried using the slot-outlet system of undercage drying. The
manure produced from this system had a moisture content of 30-50 % (wb).
The oxygen content of the air within the manure-sawdust mixture was measured using an
oxygen probe. The probe was placed within the material just after the material had been mixed
and periodic measurements were taken. While this was a unique use of equipment designed for
measuring the dissolved oxygen of a liquid, the information obtained indicated the uptake of
oxygen by the microorganisms within the system. Fig. 2 shows such an oxygen uptake study and
indicates that in 30 min the oxygen within the mixture had been reduced to 25 7: of that in the
surrounding air. The mixing sequence was therefore set for the mixer to be on 10 s every 30 min.
Temperatures were taken inside the mixer during operation. Fig. 2 shows this temperature for
several cycles of feeding and weighing plus a time when the mixer was accidentally left switched
on. The temperature reached an average maximum of 125F.
Mass balance
After the mixer had been in operation for 20 days and after conditions had been established
within the mixer, a detailed record was kept of the parameters of the process for a 35-day period.
The operating procedure was similar for that followed in the initial period. The amount of sawdust added was calculated to produce an approximate 20% sawdust : 80% manure ratio by
weight for 30% moisture manure. This is equivalent to 0.36 kg sawdust per kg of total solids.
Adjustment was made for changes in moisture content of the manure added but not for changes
in sawdust as this all came from a common supply. Water was added to the mixture in the mixer
to replace evaporation. To keep an approximate equal amount in the mixer, during each feeding
the entire contents of the mixer were removed, weighed, and a constant weight (68 kg) was placed
back into the mixer. Tables I and II present the various parameters for this study including a
*Department
Received

of Agricultural
19 December

1978;

Engineering,

New

accepted

in revised

York

State

form

College

10 May

of Agriculture

and

Life

Sciences,

Cornell

University,

Ithaca,

New

York

1980

315
OW-8634/80/040375

t-06

SOZ.OO/O

fi? 1980 The

British

Society

for

Research

in Agricultural

Engineering

376

TREATMENT

OF HEN

Fig. 1. Oxygen uptake within mixer

4Ol
0

I I I
20
40

I
60

I,
f::
00

100

120

Tame (h)

Fig. 2. Temperature within mixer

I40

160

180

MANURE

Average

30 Nov. 197 1
3 Dec. 1971
7 Dec. 1971
10 Dec. 1971
14Dec. 1971
17 Dec. 1971
21 Dec. 1971
24 Dec. 1971
28 Dec. 1971
31 Dec. 1971

Date

92.26

94.80
99.34
87.54
100.24
95.26
94.35
96.16
92.99

72.58
89.36

68.04

68.04
68.04
68.04
68.04
68.04
68.04
68.04
68.04
68.04
68.04
0

Left in
mixer
____~

I-

24.14

26.76
31.30
19.50
32.20
27.22
26.31
28.12
(92.99)

4.54
21.32

Removed
from mixer

Total in
mixer

Wet weights, kg

TABLE

30.28

31.28

68.02
68.59

30-45
27.02
30.94
30.07
30.07
31.48
30.82
30.71
29.99

Ash,
%

66.24
68.45
65.69
67.87
66.85
72.35
70.68
69.7 1
70.06

Total
solids, %

mixer

47.36

51.97

39.56
41.34
40.31
45.13
49.15
45.31
48.39
50.46
62.03

Organic-N

14.74

16.09

15.20
14.35
13.94
13.88
15.32
13.23
14.42
14.74
16.27

NH,-N

Nitrogen mg/g ts

Mixture removedfrom

Measured parameters of pilot manure treatment process

67.03

63.27
69.19
69.04
65.95
66.44
67.01
63.10
70.53
68.73

Total
solids, %

25.37

2544
21.00
24.34
27.71
27.16
24.42
26.96
25.78
25.53

Ash,
%

54.41

57.95
57.19
52.25
63.41
54.41
46.28
41.40
49.00
67.80

Organic-N
.___

9.20

9.92
7.79
8.38
12.38
9.49
7.80
8.99
7.60
10.42

NH,-N

Nitrogen mg/g ts

Manure added to mixer

24.14*
- 9.34

Mixture
Change

68.59*

66.19

67.03 *
60,OOt

0y
/lJ
solids

7.58
- 3.74

16.56
- 5.60

Nitrogen;

NEG-Negligible

in

- 25.3
out

11.32

22.16

equals ash

9.71
1.61

19.75
2.41

kg

Moisture
kg

30.28*

22.61

25.37*
1.00*

/,
ash

5.01
0

5.01

5.01
NEG

Ash,
kg

- 32.6

11.55
-5.60

__\-___.
17.15

14.74
2.41

Volatile
solids,
kg

Wet weight of manure added

Wet weight of sawdust added
Water added
Wet weight of mixture removed
Evaporation [153,0+ 10 (3.74)]
Water evaporated/kg volatile solids lost

Totals during test period

Solids,

other
values
are calculated
ash remains
constant
and ash

- 27.9

33.48

Total

A Change

29.46
4.02

Manure
Sawdust:

* Measured
values--all
: ~;plations
assume
0 by weight
TKN-Total
Kjeldahl

OUT

IN

Wet
weight,
kg

TABLEII

92.0
3.5
13.0
35.0
10

62.10

56.68

63.61
NEG

mglg

kg
kg
kg
kg
kg
kg

-18.1

1028
- 228

1256

1256
NEG

kg
days
days
days

TKN

294.6
40.2
153.0
241.4
190.4
3.4

~~

balance on pilot manure process

Average total wet weight in mixer

Time between feedings
Theoretical retention time
Time of test period
Number of feedings

Mass

784
- 290
- 27.0

1074

48.46
47.36*

1074

NEG

NEG

g
54,41*

mglg

Organic-N

14.74*

8.21

NEG

9.20*

mglg

NH,-N

244
+62
+ 34.1

182

NEG

182

A.

T.

379

SOBEL

The comparison
was made based on the
mass balance on the solids and forms of nitrogen.
assumption that the fixed solids (ash or inorganic matter) remained constant and did not accumulate within the mixer, i.e. equal amounts of fixed solids were added and removed during each
feeding.2
The mass balance indicates that there was a loss of nitrogen and a substantial conversion of
organic nitrogen to ammonia.
This was apparent during the operation of the unit by a strong
ammonia odour. Considerable
evaporation
occurred with 3.4 kg of water evaporated per kg of
volatile solids lost. Assuming all the heat for evaporation
to come from the decomposition
of
manure solids, the energy used for the evaporation
of water was approximately
2000 kcal/kg
organic matter destroyed.
The energy potential of laying hen manure is 4000 kcal/kg of volatile
solids3 The portion of the released energy used for evaporation
was therefore 50;.

Storage of processed material-uncovered

The processed manure from the mass balance study was placed as removed from the mixer into
an outside storage. This storage was a simple 2.5 x 2.5 m plywood frame 0.6 m high. No cover
was provided and the manure was exposed to the rain, snow and sun. The mixture remained in
the storage for 5 months after the last material was added. At this time samples were taken from
various areas of the pile and the material was utilized for a home vegetable garden. Table III
presents the analysis of the manure at the end of the storage period. A fertilizer analysis on the
material from the storage indicated 2.9 % P and 2.14 y/, K. With an average nitrogen content of
4f,; and expressing the P and K as P,O, and KzO. the fertilizer value was therefore 4.0-6.6-2.6.
The material was of granular
nature and easy to handle.
The material did not resemble manure, but was similar in appearance to high organic soil or leafmould.
TABLE III

Analysis of mixture stored outside uncovered

Location

Centre of pile
Centre cross section, dry portion
10 cm from surface, high manure content
18 cm from surface, high sawdust content,
some fly larvae
Outside edge, very wet
Average

Moisture
content,
% (wb)
__~_
34.48

31.06
67.54
66.94
70.77
______
54.16

Total
solids,
0,
0

solid.s,
I
0

Fixed

65.52
68.94
32.46

Nitrogen,

rng/x t.v

TKN
___~~

NH,-N

21.30
28.88
42.35

25.66
39.11
54.41

IO.81
15.48
34.60

33.06
29.23

35.27
41.28

47.92
34.38

31.68
13.37

45.84

33.82

39.90

21.19

Analysis of overall system

The overall system of treating laying hen manure would include predrying the manure under the
caged birds, moving this to the mixer for combination
with a carbonaceous
additive such as
sawdust, a period of time in the mixer for treatment,
storage of the treated mixture, possible
bagging of the stored material, and final use of the material as a soil conditioner.
Based on
analysis during the various components of such a system, the overall losses and concentrations
are
presented in Table IV. The composition of the As Produced manure was taken from References
(4) and (5). The losses have been calculated based on the assumption that the fixed solids (ash)
remain constant.

TREATMENT

380
TABLE

OF

HEN

MANURE

IV

Overall concentrations and losses for laying hen manure treatment system

As produced

Wet weight, W, units

Moisture, m, %
Total solids, S, %(100/A)
Volatile solids, V, % of S (V/A)
Fixed solids, A, % of S

Nitrogen: TKN, % of S (N/A)

Organic N, % of S (ON/A)
NH,-N, % of S (AN/A)

Predrying

Treatment

100~00
35.28
75.004
32.97
25.004 (4.167)
67.03 (3.942)
76.00 (3.167)
74.63 (2.942)
24.004
25.37
7.5005 (0.3 125)
6.361 (0.2507)
6.97S (0.2906)
5.441 (0.2145)
0.5255 (0.0219)
0.920 (0.0368)
_
_

Storage*

28.89
31.41
68.59 (3.302)
69.72 (2.302)
30.28
6,210 (0.2051)
4.736 (0.1564)

1.474 (0.0487)

___._

38.70
54.16
45.84 (2.957)
66.18 (1.957)
33.82
3.990 (0.1180)

1,871 (0.0553)
2.119 (0.0627)
_--__-

% loss (or gain) from As Producedt

Wet weight

- 64.72
- 5.40
- 7.10
0
- 19.78
-26.19
+ 65.75

0
0
0
0
0
0
0

Total solids
Volatile solids
Fixed solids
Nitrogen: TKN
Organic-N
NHS-N

71.11
- 20.76
-27.31
0
- 34.37
-46.18
+ 122.37

-61.30
- 29.04
- 38.21
0
- 62.24
- 80.97
+ 186.30

Values presented are for the uncovered

storage
based on assumption
that fixed solids remain
t Calculations
4,s Data taken from References
(4) or (5) as indicated
??

constant

The major losses occurred during the storage portion of the system. There was a great increase
in ammonia during the treatment and storage portions resulting in the ammonia being released.
Whilst these losses resulted in a stable material, the decrease in nitrogen (62 7:) represented
a
significant nutrient loss.
Conclusions
A manure treatment system was investigated that provided a storable product.
This product
had the advantages
of granular nature making it easy to handle, low pollution potential, and
altered appearance,
making it more acceptable as a soil conditioner.
The product had the disadvantage of being low in nitrogen due to losses during treatment and storage.
REFERENCES

Sobel, A. T. Undercage

drying

of laying hen manure.

Proc.

Cornell Agricultural

Waste Management

Conf., Ithaca, New York, 1972 187-200

Sobel, A. T.; Ludingion, D. C. Management
research

investigations.

Sobel, A. T.; Ludington, D. C. Destruction

animal

of laying hen manure

Proc. Cornell Agricultural

wastes. ASAE Pub].

Sobel, A. T. Physicalproperties

by moisture

Waste Management

of chicken

manure

removal-results

of several

Conf., 1977 549-579

by incineration.

Management

of farm

No. SP-0366. Proc. nat. Symp. Animal Waste Management, 1966 95-98
of animal manures associated with handling.
ASAE Pub]. No. SP-0366.
Proc. natn. Symp. Animal Waste Management, 1966 27-32
Hashimoto, A. G. Characterization
of White Leghorn
manures.
Proc. Cornell University Agricultural
Waste Management Conf., Ithaca, New York, 1974 141-152