Development of a Modified Plug-Flow Anaerobic Digester for Biogas Production from Animal Manures

Daniel Gómez, Juan Luis Ramos-Suárez, Belén Fernández, Eduard Muñoz, Laura Tey, Maycoll Romero-Güiza and Felipe Hansen
Additional contact information
Daniel Gómez: ProCycla SL, Pont de Vilomara 140, 2-1, 08241 Manresa, Spain
Juan Luis Ramos-Suárez: ProCycla SL, Pont de Vilomara 140, 2-1, 08241 Manresa, Spain
Belén Fernández: IRTA, Torre Marimon, E-08140 Caldes de Montbui, Spain
Eduard Muñoz: IRTA, Torre Marimon, E-08140 Caldes de Montbui, Spain
Laura Tey: IRTA, Torre Marimon, E-08140 Caldes de Montbui, Spain
Maycoll Romero-Güiza: IRTA, Torre Marimon, E-08140 Caldes de Montbui, Spain
Felipe Hansen: ProCycla SL, Pont de Vilomara 140, 2-1, 08241 Manresa, Spain

Energies, 2019, vol. 12, issue 13, 1-17

Abstract: Traditional plug-flow anaerobic reactors (PFRs) are characterized by lacking a mixing system and operating at high total solid concentrations, which limits their applicability for several kinds of manures. This paper studies the performance of a novel modified PFR for the treatment of pig manure, characterized by having an internal sludge mixing system by biogas recirculation in the range of 0.270–0.336 m 3 m −3 h −1 . The influence on the methane yield of four operating parameters (recirculation rate, hydraulic retention time, organic loading rate, and total solids) was evaluated by running four modified PFRs at the pilot scale in mesophilic conditions. While the previous biodegradability of organic matter by biochemical methane potential tests were between 31% and 47% with a methane yield between 125 and 184 L CH4 kgVS −1 , the PFRs showed a suitable performance with organic matter degradation between 25% and 51% and a methane yield of up to 374 L CH4 kgVS −1 . Operational problems such as solid stratification, foaming, or scum generation were avoided.

Keywords: plug-flow reactor; anaerobic digestion; animal manures; biogas; unconfined gas injection mixing; mixing recirculation (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: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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