Exccess horse muck

[wurzell1976]

For some time i have been learning how to compost horse muck from our own and the livery yard horses ,approx 65 horses.I then had a wild idea that the muck could be pelleted and fed into a chp unit ,which in turn would dry the stuff and generate power .I would be interested to know whether anyone else has had similar far fetched ideas of this nature.

 

[llamedos]

http://seabenergy.com/products/anaerobic-digesters/

 

[wurzell1976]

Thankyou IIamedos ,but although this technology is interesting it will not deal with horse muck

 

[Lucy's dad]

http://bioburner.com/products-2/biomass-processing-equipment/

Not CHP but may be of interest.

 

[Massey675]

Remember it costs alot to set up and maintain and you also need to think that if things go wrong it could be mega money and you maybe with out heating or electric which ever the boiler powers?

Cheaper option could be just too get a old tractor and trailer and cart the muck your self to a local farmer most probably a arable farmer.

 

[farmerfred86]

That is actually quite impressive... and brilliant to see some use from something that is generally waste. Spreading it on fields is almost a waste of time.

 

[Punch]

That is actually quite impressive... and brilliant to see some use from something that is generally waste. Spreading it on fields is almost a waste of time.

Why? As straw it would have a value plus organic matter. Is it not a question of how much it costs to compost and spread?

 

[Condi]

Not sure there is much value in it. Place I used to be at spread it, then after a few years found it more economical to heap it and burn it. By the time all the liveries have left their strings in the muck, some people have used shavings, and you've given it a little while to break down, then throwing some N around it cheaper and easier.

 

[Punch]

Maybe bit OT.
I'd agree if full of string etc. But is there a value to stable yard straw with added horse pee and muck? I reckon my wheat straw was worth £4.96 in P&K last year. That would still be there wouldn't it? I do get paid for taking some away and its clean but always like another opinion!

 

[DGC1]

http://bioburner.com/products-2/biomass-processing-equipment/

Not CHP but may be of interest.

this video is interesting but it posses the questions
- has the boiler stood the test of time on this material?
- who makes the small pre dryer unit, its pretty interesting
- why has this not been replicated and used for other lower dm wastes? (or maybe it has)

 

[f0ster]

there is a biomass boiler on the market that uses chicken litter as fuel,

 

[smallholder99]

anyone seen www.landgenerator.com

 

[selectedecoenergy]

For some time i have been learning how to compost horse muck from our own and the livery yard horses ,approx 65 horses.I then had a wild idea that the muck could be pelleted and fed into a chp unit ,which in turn would dry the stuff and generate power .I would be interested to know whether anyone else has had similar far fetched ideas of this nature.

This is not a far fetched idea as i have installed a 500kw boiler that pre-drys the horse bedding and it is then burnt in the boiler, however this fuel is not for the faint hearted!! It requires economies of scale and any less that 40T per week would not be viable. It is also classed as a waste product which will require the boiler to be WID/IED compliant to ensure it meets the correct UK emissions.

 

[wurzell1976]

Remember it costs alot to set up and maintain and you also need to think that if things go wrong it could be mega money and you maybe with out heating or electric which ever the boiler powers?

Cheaper option could be just too get a old tractor and trailer and cart the muck your self to a local farmer most probably a arable farmer.

I spread it on my own land ,but if it could be better utilised financially ,you could buy alot of cover crop seed and still have some left over to take the family away for the weekend.

 

[Fiveospades]

We take the muck from our local livery yard for a fee. If you keep pushing it up into a heap it heats quite quickly and rots down to almost compost like consistency. I agree that if you spread it on the land it is of poor nutritional value but we get paid to take it away.
Pure horse poo without the straw can be dried and made into brickets for log burning stoves. I am told this is common practice in Denmark and the low countries where the rules to recycle are more stringent than our own at the moment. The brickets I have seen are odourless and give no residual horsey smell when burnt.
I don't know the cost of a drying and bricking plant but if you are producing enough saleable product to justify it then it could be marketed as a truly green sustainable fuel source. Certain sectors of society would buy this product if you get the marketing right.