Syngas Production from Liquid and Solid Fractions of Swine Manure in a 0.5 kWth Chemical Looping Gasification Unit

Swine manure, a heterogeneous livestock waste composed of solid and liquid excreta, can be sustainably converted through Chemical Looping Gasification (CLG) to produce syngas and bioenergy. Integrated with CO2 capture, the process enables high-purity hydrogen generation and offers a potential route toward net-negative carbon emissions. The experimental campaign was conducted at 900 °C in a continuously operated 0.5 kWth CLG unit consisting of two interconnected fluidized bed reactors (fuel and air). Ilmenite was employed as the oxygen carrier to provide the oxygen required for gasification. This study focuses on the gasification of raw swine manure, comprising both solid and liquid fractions. The solid fraction was introduced via a screw feeder, while the liquid fraction was simulated by injecting an ammonia–water solution as gasifying agents (water or ammonia + water). The effect of the liquid fraction on syngas composition, carbon conversion, and nitrogen species (N2, NH3, N2O, NO2, and NO) was evaluated at ammonia concentrations typical of swine manure (800–5600 mg/L). Results showed an average syngas composition for solid and liquid fraction feeding of ~31% CO2, 20% CO, 41% H2, 7% CH4, and 0.5% C2 hydrocarbons, with 91–96% carbon conversion. Benzene and naphthalene dominated the tar compounds. CO2 capture potential reached 60%, with nitrogen mainly converted to N2.