Characteristics of Biogas Production from Organic Wastes Mixed at Optimal Ratios in an Anaerobic Co-Digestion Reactor

Young-Ju Song, Kyung-Su Oh, Beom Lee, Dae-Won Pak, Ji-Hwan Cha and Jun-Gyu Park
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Young-Ju Song: Department of Environmental Energy Engineering Graduate School of Convergence Science, Seoul National University of Science and Technology, 232 Gongneung-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul 01811, Korea
Kyung-Su Oh: Department of Environmental Energy Engineering Graduate School of Convergence Science, Seoul National University of Science and Technology, 232 Gongneung-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul 01811, Korea
Beom Lee: Nature Engineering Co., Ltd., E-9, 1 Chungdae-ro, Seowon-gu, Cheongju-si 28644, Chungcheongbuk-do, Korea
Dae-Won Pak: Department of Environmental Energy Engineering Graduate School of Convergence Science, Seoul National University of Science and Technology, 232 Gongneung-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul 01811, Korea
Ji-Hwan Cha: Department of Environmental Engineering, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju-si 28644, Chungcheongbuk-do, Korea
Jun-Gyu Park: Department of Advanced Energy Engineering, Chosun University, 309 Pilmun-daero, Dong-gu, Gwangju 61452, Korea

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 20, 1-16

Abstract: This study determined the optimal mixing ratio of food waste and livestock manure for efficient co-digestion of sewage sludge by applying the biochemical methane potential (BMP) test, Design Expert software, and continuous reactor operation. The BMP test of sewage sludge revealed a maximum methane yield of 334 mL CH 4 /g volatile solids (VS) at an organic loading rate (OLR) of 4 kg VS/(m 3 ·d). For food waste, the maximum methane yield was 573 mL CH 4 /g VS at an OLR of 6 kg VS/(m 3 ·d). Livestock manure showed the lowest methane yield. The BMP tests with various mixing ratios confirmed that a higher mixing ratio of food waste resulted in a higher methane yield, which showed improved biodegradability and an improved VS removal rate. The optimal mixing ratio of 2:1:1 for sewage sludge, food waste, and livestock manure was determined using Design Expert 10. Using continuous co-digestion reactor operation under an optimal mixing ratio, greater organic matter removal and methane yield was possible. The process stability of co-digestion of optimally mixed substrate was improved compared with that of operations with each substrate alone. Therefore, co-digestion could properly maintain the balance of each stage of anaerobic digestion reactions by complementing the characteristics of each substrate under a higher OLR.

Keywords: sewage sludge; food waste; livestock manure; anaerobic co-digestion; mixing ratio (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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