Anaerobic digestion

Ngoc Thuan Le
** 김 투안 **
Contents

What is Anaerobic Digestion?

Feedstock for AD ?

Anaerobic Digestion Metabolic Reactions

Parameters in Anaerobic Digestion

Types of AD Systems

Advantages/Disadvantages of Digestion
 What is Anaerobic Digestion?

di·ges·tion (Merriam-Webster on-line)

Function: noun

The process in sewage treatment by which organic

matter in sludge is decomposed by anaerobic
bacteria with the release of a burnable mixture of
gases
Historical Background
The Anaerobic Digestion (AD) process is one of the oldest technologies. Biogas
was used for heating bath water in Assyria during the 10th century BC and in
Persia during the 16th century (www.biogasworks.com)

The industrialization of AD began in 1859 with the first digestion plant in

Bombay, India

1895- England - Developed a septic tank for Exeter to utilize gas for lighting

1904- England - First dual-purpose tank (sedimentation and sludge treatment)

installed in Hampton

1930's- Anaerobic digestion of manure/ agriculture waste for methane gas

In recent times, developing AD market because of two significant reasons: High

energy prices and stringent environmental regulations,
Feedstock for Anaerobic Digester ?
Agricultural Waste
Municipal (including Household) Green
Waste
Food Industry Waste Carrot Processing
Tourism and Leisure Catering waste Wastewater
Storage Pond
Other animal or vegetation wastes and
residues
Municipal Waste-water sludge
Purpose grown vegetation crops

Manure Storage Pond

More Details on the Digestion Process

Odor
Acid forming
Volatile bacteria Volatile
Solids (VS) organic acids
GAS utilisation Methane forming
bacteria

CH4 (55-60%), CO2(35-40%),

H2O, trace gases
 Anaerobic Digestion Metabolic Reactions

insoluble organics

Days 1. Hydrolysis

Soluble organics
Minutes
to days 2. Acidogenesis

Minutes
to
hours 3. Acetogenesis

Seconds
to 4. Methanogenesis
minutes
Hydrolysis
Degradation of complex substrates such as:
 Celluloses

 Starch & other sugar

polymers
+ H 2O Monomers + 2H2
 Simple sugars (lactose, (C6H12O6)

sucrose)

 Fats, oils
Acidogenesis

Converts soluble monomers into simple organic compounds, mostly

short chain (volatile) acids (e.g., propionic, formic, lactic, butyric, or
succinic acids), ketones (e.g., ethanol, methanol, glycerol, acetone) and
alcohols.

C6H12O6 ↔2 CH3CH2OH + 2CO2

C6H12O6 + 2H2 ↔ 2CH3CH2COOH + 2 H2O

Acetagenesis
Converts the result of acidogenesis into acetic acid, carbon
dioxide, and hydrogen
 CH3CH2COO- + 3H2O ↔ CH3COO- + H+ + HCO3- + 3H2

 C6H12O6 + 2H2O ↔ 2CH3COOH + 2 CO2 + 4H2

 CH3CH2OH + 2H2O ↔ CH3COO- + 2H2 +H+

 2HCO3- + 4H2+ H+ ↔ CH3COO- + 4H2O

Acetogenic bacteria:
 syntrophobacter wolinii, propionate decomposer
 sytrophomonos wolfei, a butyrate decomposer.
 Other acid formers are clostridium spp., peptococcus anerobus,
lactobacillus, and actinomyces
 …..
Methanogenesis

2 CH3CH3OH+ CO2 ↔ 2 CH3 COOH + CH4

CH3COOH ↔ CH4 + CO2

CH3OH + H2 ↔CH4 + H2O

CO2 + 4H2 ↔CH4 + 2H2O

CH3COO- + SO4 2- + H+ 2HCO3 + H2S

CH3COO- + NO- + H2O + H+ 2HCO3- + NH4+

Methanogenic bacteria:
methanobacterium, methanobacillus,
methanococcus and methanosarcina.
Parameters in Anaerobic Digestion
Acceptable pH for the bacteria: 5.5 -8.5.
Most methanogens function in a pH range between 6.7 and 7.4, and optimally
between 7.0 and 7.2.
Temperature: Anaerobic digestion can occur in two main of temperature ranges:
– Mesophilic condition, between: 20-45oC, usually: 35oC
– Thermophilic condition, between: 50-65oC, usually: 55oC

C/N Ratio: the optimum C/N ratio is between 20-30

This value can be achieved by mixing waste of low and high C/N ratio, such as
organic solid waste mixed with sewage or animal manure
Retention Time:
– Mesophilic condition: 15 – 30 days
– thermophilic condition: 12-14 days
 Types of AD Systems
• Single Stage
Single stage reactors make
use of one reactor for both
acidogenic phase as well as
methanogenic phase.
 Types of AD Systems…
Multi Stage

Two reactors are used:

1st one for

hydrolysis/liquefaction-
acetogenesis

2nd one for

methanogenesis.

Multi-stage AD processes was intended to improve digestion by having separate

reactors for the different stages of AD, thus providing flexibility to optimize each
of these reactions.
 Types of AD Systems…
Batch Reactors
Batch reactors are loaded with feedstock, subjected to reaction, and then
are discharged and loaded with a new batch.

A. The single-stage batch system involves re-circulating the leachate to the top of the
same reactor.
B. The sequential batch process: the leachate from the first reactor, containing a high level
of organic acids, is re-circulated to the second reactor where methanogenesis occurs.
C. The hybrid batch-UASB process, which is very similar to the multi-stage process with
two reactors. The first reactor is simple batch reactor but the second methanogenic
reactor is an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor.
 Advantages of Digestion

Less farm odor

Better fertilizer
Source of revenue
Heat source
Pathogen reduction
Weed seeds killed
Pollution control
Other
 Disadvantages of Digestion

Is somewhat costly
Higher management levels required
Startup is sometimes difficult
Storage required
–Cannot store methane as a liquid!!
Some risk of explosion
Thank you for your attention!