Effects of temperature and hydraulic retention time on anaerobic digestion of food waste

Evaluation of regional bioenergy recovery by local methane fermentation thermal recycling systems

This paper evaluates the potential for regional bioenergy recovery as electricity and heat by small-scale methane fermentation systems from organic waste matter generated from urban, industrial, and agricultural sectors. Biogas production functions of high-strength organic wastes are derived from data of implemented methane fermentation systems. The distributions of organic wastes from sewage, household, wholesale/retail, manufacturing, farming, and livestock activities in the Tokyo Bay region are calibrated into a disaggregated spatial database by compiling general activity statistics and emission intensity parameters using Geographic Information System (GIS). Three scenarios of organic matter circulation by co-digestion in sewage treatment plants (STPs) are designed and assessed. Surplus electricity and heat from methane fermentation systems are used for STP operations and household demand. The spatial database allows a preliminary examination for the suitability of locations for technology implementation from the aspects of bioenergy supply and balance. The results show that an additional 368,000-1,328,000 MW of electricity would be generated, and 1300-3600 TJ of heat could be used by households, reducing the annual emissions of CO2 from fossil fuels by 307,000-798,000 t.

New data on temperature optimum and temperature changes in energy crop digesters

As a result of self-heating in anaerobic digesters when using energy crops in the feedstock, the influence of temperature on the digestion process came back into focus. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of such temperature increases on process stability. Furthermore, different strategies for the transition from mesophilic to thermophilic conditions and the resulting methane yields at different temperature levels were evaluated. Two main effects were identified with different bio-slurries from agricultural biogas plants: (1) a failure of methane production connected to changes in the microbial community; and (2), a slow but continuous accumulation of propionic acid, though without an immediate effect on methane production. All strategies for increasing the operating temperature showed negative effects on digester performance, some with serious economic consequences for the operator. It was shown that methane yields at different temperature levels in the mesophilic and sub-thermophilic ranges are similar.

Production of hydrogen and methane from potatoes by two-phase anaerobic fermentation

A two-phase anaerobic process to produce hydrogen and methane from potatoes was investigated. In the first phase, hydrogen was produced using heat-shocked sludge. About 12h lag-phase vanished, hydrogen yield increased from 200.4 ml/g-TVS to 217.5 ml/g-TVS and the maximum specific hydrogen production rate also increased from 703.4 ml/g-VSS d to 800.5 ml/g-VSS d when improved substrate was used, in which Cl(-) was substituted for SO(4)(2-). Better performances of 271.2 ml-H(2)/g-TVS and 944.7 ml-H(2)/g-VSS d were achieved when potatoes were pretreated by alpha amylase and glucoamylase. In the second phase, methane was produced from the residual of the first phase using methanogens. The maximum additional methane yield was 157.9 ml/g-TVS and the maximum specific methane production rate was 102.7 ml/g-VSS d. The results showed that the energy efficiency increased from about 20% (hydrogen production process) to about 60%, which indicated the energy efficiency can be improved by combined hydrogen and methane production process.

Methane production from the soluble fraction of distillers' dried grains with solubles in anaerobic sequencing batch reactors

Methane production from the soluble fraction of distillers' dried grains with solubles, a co-product of ethanol production, was studied in 2-L anaerobic sequencing batch reactors (ASBRs) under 10 different operating conditions. Methane production and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal were quantified for a wide range of operating parameters. Chemical oxygen demand removals of 64 to 95% were achieved at organic loading rates ranging from 1.5 to 22.2 g COD/L x d, solids retention times from 8 to 40 days, and food-to-microorganism ratios ranging from 0.4 to 1.9 g COD/g volatile suspended solids (VSS) x d. Biogas methane content varied from 61 to 74%, with 0.29 L CH4 produced/g COD removed. Roughly 56% of the influent COD and 84% of the COD removed in the ASBRs was converted to methane. Microbial yield (Y) and decay (b) constants were determined to be Y = 0.126 g VSS/g COD removed and b = 0.032 day(-1), respectively. Methane produced from co-products can reduce the costs and fossil-fuel consumption of ethanol manufacture.