Theoretical Models of Reaction Mechanisms in Solid Anaerobic Digestion: A Review

Abstract

Compared with the traditional anaerobic digestion, solid anaerobic digestion (SAD) of organic solid wastes has many advantages. But lower moisture content of the substrate seriously impedes the transmission and diffusion of the intermediate products and microorganism cells, therefore affects reaction speed, gas production and stability of the process. Studies on the mechanisms of SAD are very difficult because of multiple steps of the reactions and complexity of the substrates, which restricted the development of SAD. In this paper, reaction mechanisms and kinetic models of SAD process were reviewed and the research perspectives in this field were discussed.