Thermophilic two-phase anaerobic digestion using an innovative fixed-bed reactor for enhanced organic matter removal and bioenergy recovery from sugarcane vinasse

Lucas Tadeu Fuess, Luma Sayuri Mazine Kiyuna, Antônio Djalma Nunes Ferraz, Gabriela Felix Persinoti, Fabio Marcio Squina, Marcelo Loureiro Garcia and Marcelo Zaiat

Applied Energy, 2017, vol. 189, issue C, 480-491

Abstract: This study considered the application of anaerobic digestion (AD) with phase separation combined with the use of an anaerobic structured-bed reactor (ASTBR) as the methanogenic phase for the treatment of sugarcane vinasse, a high-strength wastewater resulting from ethanol production. Two combined thermophilic acidogenic-methanogenic systems formed by one single acidogenic reactor followed by two methanogenic reactors operated in parallel were compared, namely, a conventional UASB reactor and an upflow ASTBR reactor. Increasing organic loading rate (OLR) conditions (15–30kgCODm−3d−1) were applied to the methanogenic reactors. The results highlighted the feasibility of applying the ASTBR to vinasse, indicating a global COD removal higher than 80%. The ASTBR exhibited a stable long-term operation (240days), even for OLR values as high as 30kgCODm−3d−1. The application of similar conditions to the UASB reactor indicated severe performance losses, leading to the accumulation of acids for every increase in the OLR. An energetic potential of 181.5MJ for each cubic meter of vinasse was estimated from both hydrogen and methane. The provision of bicarbonate alkalinity proved to be a key factor in obtaining stable performance, offsetting the limitations of relatively low hydraulic retention times (<24h).

Keywords: Sugarcane vinasse; Structured-bed reactor; Innovative system; Long-term stable operation; Biohydrogen; Bioenergy recovery (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (14)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:appene:v:189:y:2017:i:c:p:480-491

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DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2016.12.071

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