Pilot Scale Study of Horizontal Anaerobic Digester For Biogas Production Using Food Waste
Pilot Scale Study of Horizontal Anaerobic Digester For Biogas Production Using Food Waste
Pilot Scale Study of Horizontal Anaerobic Digester For Biogas Production Using Food Waste
Vol:5 2011-11-20
Horizontal
I. INTRODUCTION
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Food-waste
pH
4.3 (0.36)
Alkalinity (mg/L)
10,315 (689)
TS (mg/L)
199,047 (11,641)
VS (mg/L)
165,088 (4,235)
SS (mg/L)
127,498 (4,709)
CODcr (mg/L)
234,959 (37,181)
TN (mg/L)
7,433 (1,344)
NH4 (mg/L)
1,128 (170)
TP (mg/L)
2,537 (352)
( ) : standard deviation
B. Horizontal Digester
The horizontal anaerobic digester has a total volume of 15 m3
(working volume of 12 m3) and the section of lower part of the
digester was round-shape to avoid sludge precipitation in the
dead space (Fig. 1). A device for removing the sediment was
equipped in the bottom of the digester and the media for
attachment of sulfur-oxidizing microorganisms was installed
on whole wall above surface inside the digester to greatly
enhance the biological desulfurization. The vertical impellers
on a horizontal axis were designed to mix waste inside and
remove scum on surface in the digester. The agitating speed
was adjusted at 4 rpm.
C.Operation Condition
The storage tank was not heated to prevent excessive
acidification and aerobic decomposition, but the horizontal
digester (15m3, working volume 12m3) was maintained at
37-38 . No chemical for adjusting pH was added in the
digester. Food waste of 120 L/day, HRT of 100 days, was
added for initial 11 days of operation. Until the next 25 days of
operation, 220 L/day (HRT 55 days) of food waste was added.
Then, influent amount was increased to 300 L/day (HRT 40
days) for the third period and to 350 L/day (HRT 34 days) for
the last period. All the input amounts were divided by 4 and
added to the digester with 6 hours of interval. The produced
biogas was stored in a membrane type gas storage bag (biogas
holder) through the biological desulfurization equipment
installed inside the horizontal digester to remove hydrogen
sulfide and water-trap for the removal of moisture (Fig. 2).
Stored biogas was used for heating the horizontal digester using
a biogas boiler and remained biogas was discharged into the air.
Media was installed in headspace of the reactor for easy
attachment of desulfurization microorganisms which oxidized
hydrogen sulfide in biogas by injecting air. Plant operation was
also monitored and controlled through internet.
The pH, alkalinity, TS, VS, SS, CODcr, TN, NH4+ and TP
were measured according to the standard methods for the
examination of efficiencies of the horizontal digester treating
food waste.
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Fig. 7 The daily and cumulative biogas productions during the total
operation period
IV. CONCLUSION
The treatment of Korean food waste using the horizontal
digester developed in this study was successful and all
parameters and factors analyzed indicated high efficiency and
stability of this digestion system. The following conclusions
were obtained.
1) The horizontal digester developed in this study was highly
efficient and stable by the effective mixing, minimized
precipitation and removal of sediment in the bottom, and easy
removal of scum.
2) The horizontal digester treated food waste at high loading
rate more than 4 kgVS/m3day and accomplished methane gas
production rates of 0.62-0.65 m3/kgVSremoved at HRTs of
40-34 days.
3) The biological desulfurization equipment inside the
digester removed more than 90% of hydrogen sulfide and it was
thought that this equipment could be an economic alternative
for saving the desulfurization cost of biogas.
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