CHIMERA reinvents the chicken manure disposal process. Chicken manure requires specific treatment procedures in order to optimize its nutritious and, at the same time, reduce its environmental impact.

Nowadays, chicken manure disposal is twofold: the waste is either bestowed to waste-to-energy plants or directly broadcasted on the ground. Costs related to storage, transport, disposal and/or broadcasting are high for the farmer.

CHIMERA solves all those issues related to waste management. A “ready and easy to use” solution, which works in small farms or farm districts for meat (broiler) and/or eggs production laying hen. The dimension of the plant is limited and can be installed within any sized farm.

CHIMERA’s ambition consists of transforming waste into a fertilizer, while producing energy. CHIMERA solution: from manure to flowers!

This project becomes true thanks to the EU financing of the LIFE programme, GA n. LIFE15 ENV/IT/000631, and the collaboration between Tre P Engineering Srl, Italian engineering company and project coordinator, and Renders&Renders V.O.F., Dutch farmer.

CHIMERA is a small size chicken manure disposal plant (7,5×2,5×3,5 m) working at continuous cycle. In eggs’ production sites, where manure is continuously produced, its management is immediate: manure is transferred through a conveyor belt into the combustion unit and processed. In broiler houses, instead, a small storage for manure has to be set, since the production is not continuous.

The technological innovation related to the burner allows a more efficient fumes treatment and a combination of the fumes’ organic elements together with the ashes’ inorganic ones.

At the end of the combustion, the ashes and the fumes’ by-product pass through two serial scrubbers and are transformed into sludge. Subsequently, the sludge passes through a centrifugal decanter that separates liquid – water – from solid – compost – ready for packaging. The compost is a fertilizer rich in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium to be spread on land for corn and wheat production.

Made 10 the amount of manure generated in the farm, the amount of fertilizers produced by the plan will be equal to 1, with relevant savings in terms of volumes too.

The heat produced during the combustion process is conveyed through dedicated pipes into sheds used for breeding and, in part, transformed into electric energy to support the farm’s daily operations.

Finally yet importantly, the water obtained from manure, which is an extremely humid substance, is completely reused to hydrate ashes and break down the pollutants contained in the fumes.

The first two prototypes have been installed in the Marche region, in Italy, while the real scale pilot plan will be built in the Noord-Brabant region, in Netherlands.