A method for stunning animals and a respective stunning system is disclosed. Animals are lowered in a cradle into a pit filled with anoxic stunning gas. The cradle is provided with a heat sink, preferably comprising solid carbon dioxide, for cooling the stunning gas in the pit resulting in a density increase of the stunning gas in the pit. This reduces demixing of the stunning gas and rising of components such as nitrogen (N.sub.2) usually having a lower density than the air surrounding the stunning system.

An apparatus for stunning an animal with an exhaust gas mixture includes a stunning chamber located at a processing site to contain therein as many an animal selected to be stunned; and a combustion chamber located at the processing site for combusting a mixture to provide therefrom an exhaust gas mixture which includes carbon dioxide for stunning the animal in the stunning chamber.

An apparatus is for gas-stunning live poultry intended for slaughter and located in containers, by a gas mixture containing a stunning gas. The apparatus has at least one stunning chamber, having at least two stunning zones, and a transport device with at least one transport conveyor for transporting the containers along at least one transport path. The stunning chamber is arranged above ground and the stunning zones lie substantially horizontally one above the other. The gas mixture of the two stunning zones has different stunning gas concentrations. The stunning gas concentration in the gas mixture of the stunning zones increases, starting from the uppermost to lowermost stunning zone. The transport device provides that the containers can be transported on the at least one transport path substantially horizontally in a meandering manner through the stunning zones along a stunning path in the stunning chamber. A corresponding method is disclosed.

The invention relates to a stunning device (1) for poultry, having an elongated stunning space (2) with a poultry feed opening and a poultry discharge opening which elongated stunning space is subdivided in at least two connecting compartments, a controlled anaesthetic gas feed connecting to the elongated stunning space, and a conveyer (9) leading through the elongated stunning space providing a transportation path for the poultry, wherein at least one side of the elongate stunning space is connecting to a transition compartment. The invention also provides a method of operating such a stunning device.

The apparatus of the present invention serves to stun animals prior to slaughter, these being introduced with a gondola into a pit. On a sidewall of the pit is/are designed a gas module, preferably a plurality of gas modules. Each gas module comprises a gas introduction line having a multitude of pores through which an anaesthetic gas can flow laterally into the pit. The multitude of pores ensures a laminar inflow of the anaesthetic gas. The lateral laminar inflow of the anaesthetic gas avoids an increase in the stress of the animals being stunned, thus enabling humane stunning prior to slaughter. At the same time, the modular construction by means of the gas modules facilitates simple dimensioning of the gas introduction capacities required and also the construction and retrofitting of corresponding apparatuses.

An apparatus for producing heat and reducing emissions with an exhaust gas mixture at an industrial facility is provided, which consists of a CO2 generation chamber (61) located on-site at the industrial facility (110), the CO2 generation chamber adapted to generate an exhaust gas mixture (57) comprising gaseous carbon dioxide; a production chamber (112) located on-site at the industrial facility, the production chamber constructed and arranged to receive therein gaseous carbon dioxide and as many a product selected to be processed with the gaseous carbon dioxide at the industrial facility; and a first pipeline (74) interconnecting the CO2 generation chamber with the production chamber for delivering at least a portion of the exhaust gas mixture comprising the gaseous carbon dioxide from the CO2 generation chamber to the production chamber without the portion being vented directly to atmosphere. A related method and exhaust gas mixture is also provided.

A method of preparing an animal for slaughter, said method comprising at least one the steps of subjecting the animal to a gaseous muscle relaxant without inducing unconsciousness of the animal; and stunning the animal in a space using a gas composition suitable for stunning.

The present disclosure relates to a method of and a system for treatment, stunning, slaughter and/or destruction of animals, such as cattle, livestock, poultry and the like.

An apparatus for stunning an animal with an exhaust gas mixture includes a stunning chamber located at a processing site to contain therein as many an animal selected to be stunned; and a combustion chamber located at the processing site for combusting a mixture to provide therefrom an exhaust gas mixture which includes carbon dioxide for stunning the animal in the stunning chamber.

An apparatus for stunning, in a stunning chamber, poultry animals for slaughter supplied in transport containers, includes a stunning chamber, a transport device for introducing the containers into the chamber, transporting therethrough and discharging therefrom. The stunning chamber has a vertically oriented stunning shaft. The transport device has a lifting device to lower each container into the chamber, top to bottom, on a first transport path. Each container is transported in the stunning shaft bottom region transversely from the first to a second transport path and is lifted, bottom to top, on the second path. A device in the shaft bottom region introduces stunning gas into the shaft to form inside the stunning chamber a stunning medium of ambient air and stunning gas. A ventilation system inside the stunning shaft circulates parts of the stunning medium in an upper region of the chamber. A method is also provided.