Biogas Production Process Research Articles

Parametric Evaluation of Biogas Production from Sawdust and Treated Human Faeces: Optimal Custom Design Approach

As energy demand is increasing astronomically, fossil-based fuels became scarce and more expensive, and carbon dioxide emission levels became of greater concern. Thus, the need to convert the co-digestion of sawdust and treated human faeces to produce biogas, a carbon-neutral gas to replace fossil fuels. From the outcome, the logistic function model performance was satisfactory in the simulation of the experimental process. The codigestion of sawdust and human faeces at 2.5 kg each produced the highest biogas output of 5.43 L using Optimal (Custom) Design of Mixture approach but the human faeces alone gave a better biogas quality. Additionally, the high coefficient of determination (R2) ranging between 0.9959 - 0.9879 and standard deviation of 0.023 - 0.321 for temperature - biogas yield respectively, fall within an ideal range. Thus, the model proved to be a useful tool in predicting anaerobic digestion and biogas production processes. Furthermore, the FTIR analysis of sawdust and human faeces indicates their potential to produce biogas if subjected to anaerobic environment. In addition, the GCMS analyzed the % of methane to be 58.40% which is within accepted range. The biogas was tested with a locally fabricated gas burner for flammability and it ignited with a blue flame. Thus, this experiment can be translated to an industrial scale biogas production for cooking and electricity to boost local economy and alleviate poverty.

Isolation and Identification of Some Bacteria Associated with Biogas Production from Food Waste and Rumen Content

The goal of this study was to investigate the bacterial community associated with biogas production from food waste and rumen content. Anaerobic mono-digestion and co-digestion were performed using mixture design within Design Expert, resulting in 100 experimental runs. Parameters such as food waste and rumen content, water content, temperature, pH, number of digester agitation per day and retention time were varied during the anaerobic digestion processes. Classical microbiological techniques were used to isolate and identify strict anaerobic and facultative anaerobic bacteria from the food waste and rumen content before and after anaerobic digestion. Sixteen bacterial species belonging to 12 different generae were isolated and identified from the food waste, rumen content and composite digestates obtained from the 100 bio-digesters. These generae included Acetobacterium, Bacteroides, Clostridium, Enterobacter, Escherichia, Lactobacillus, Pseudomonas, Ruminococcus, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Syntrophomonas and Syntrophobacter. With the exception of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas sp., all other bacterial species identified in the substrates were also found in samples of the composite digestates, suggesting that they may have played important roles in the anaerobic digestion process inside the 100 bio-digesters. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the microbial community structure and function during biogas production from food waste and rumen content. The results could contribute to the development of more efficient and sustainable biogas production processes.

Processing of Agricultural Residues with a High Concentration of Structural Carbohydrates into Biogas Using Selective Biological Products

Biomass, particularly agricultural residues and biomass rich in structural carbohydrates, offers significant potential for sustainable biogas production. Biological pretreatment using microorganisms, particularly Trichoderma species, is discussed as a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable approach to improving the decomposition of structural carbohydrates into fermentable sugars. This study aimed to assess the impact of employing a selective biological product (BP) on the biogas production process and biomethane potential using winter wheat straw (WWS) as a representative feedstock. The biological product, consisting of microorganisms of the Trichoderma spp. genus, was introduced to enhance microbial activity. The biogas potential results showed that WWS treated with the BP exhibited a remarkable improvement in biogas production. Specifically, biogas yield increased from 364.1 L/kg of mass in untreated straw to 439.9 L/kg in BP-treated straw, representing a substantial 20.8% increase. Furthermore, in continuous loading tests, the steady-state biogas yield from BP-treated straw ranged from 553.6 to 582.0 L/kg VS, which was notably higher compared to untreated straw with a yield of 490.0 L/kg VS. Overall, the results of this study demonstrated that the application of selective biological products significantly enhanced biogas production and biomethane potential from structural carbohydrates containing biomass sources.

Possibilities of landfills and solid waste sites for energy production in Ukraine

Dynamic changes in the energy sector towards the priority of renewable energy are stimulated by the political decisions in the European integrated environment aimed at achieving climate neutrality within the framework of the European Green Deal. The study aims to provide an in-depth investigation of the potential of landfills and solid waste sites for energy production in Ukraine. The study was conducted using general scientific methods, in particular, analysis and synthesis, abstraction, and comparison. The study examined the issues of developing the bioenergy potential of solid waste sites in Ukraine, including organisational, regulatory, technological, financial and investment aspects. The position of various operations for bioenergy waste processing in the solid waste management system, in particular, anaerobic digestion and solid fuel production, was identified, and an analysis of several thermal waste processing technologies was carried out. Among the features and characteristic requirements for the biogas production process using anaerobic methodology, the aspects of technological availability and economic feasibility are highlighted. The study examines the experience of production and use of organic Refuse Derived Fuel and Solid Recovered Fuel produced from solid waste sites, proving the need to optimise the regulatory support for biogas production at solid waste sites storage sites in the national legislative field. The article emphasises the possibility of practical use of Refuse Derived Fuel and Solid Recovered Fuel, in a partial format, to offset the shortage of fossil fuels in Ukraine and actively implement the concept of a sustainable green course for rational waste management. The results obtained can be used to improve the optimisation of strategic programmes for solid waste management in terms of their bioenergy potential

Simple Methods for Observing and Utilizing Biogas as a Renewable Energy Source

One combustible and burnable gas that can be created through an anaerobic fermentation process is biogas. An anaerobic process occurs when organic material, like animal dung, is processed in a digester (reactor) without the presence of oxygen. This observation's objectives are to (i) disseminate knowledge about the biogas production process and (ii) acquire a generation system for producing biogas. The observation methods are based on the use of an observation algorithm in the form of a flow chart, and it includes (a) observations related to various stages of choosing the type of installation, the requirements and processes for the formation of biogas observed and utilized from readily available organic materials, and influencing factors; and (b) observations related to the generation system for the production of biogas observed and utilized, including the physical reservoir, the amount of biogas produced, and the biogas utilized for supply to the electricity generator. The results of the observations related to the generation system, including the physical reservoir, the amount of biogas produced, and the biogas used for supplying the electricity generator, while the results of the observations related to the biogas production process, including the availability of installations, requirements and processes for biogas production, and influencing factors for the formation of biogas. Based on these findings, it can be said that the best period of time for biogas production is between 14 and 16 days, with a production volume of 6.0 m3 /day. While 0.64 m3 of biogas is needed for electric lighting, 0.30 m3 /hour of biogas at a pressure of 75 mm H2O is needed for cooking activities. While pure methane gas has an energy content of 8,900 kcal/m3 , the resulting calorific value is relatively high, ranging from 4,800 to 6,700 kcal/m3.

Simulating Biogas Production Process from Palm Oil Mill Effluent for Power Generation

The rapid growth of the palm oil industry in Indonesia has made it the world's largest palm oil producer. However, this progress comes with a challenge as the industry generates Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME), which poses an environmental threat if directly discharged into the environment. POME contains high concentrations of organic compounds that can be harnessed to produce energy in biogas through anaerobic treatment processes. This study aims to develop an efficient POME biogas production technique for large-scale power generation. The biogas production process with a capacity of 675.38 Kg/batch, 51,9 tonnes/year, and economic evaluation were simulated using SuperPro Designer v13.0. Biogas production from POME involves a series of stages employing anaerobic microorganisms for organic material decomposition, including hydrolysis, acidogenesis, acetogenesis, and methanogenesis. The simulation results indicate that the plant can produce biogas with a composition of 86.228% methane, 1.507% water, 0.059% hydrogen, 0.016% hydrogen sulfide, and 1.959% carbon dioxide within a batch time of 114 hours. The economic feasibility simulation resulted in a Net Present Value (NPV) of $553,000, Internal Return Rate (IRR) of 19.3%, and Payback Period (PBP) of 4.22 years. Those results confirm the viability of these projects.

The Biogas Production and its Application in Energy-Efficient Water Sprinkling Systems for Irrigation

This paper explores the integration of biogas production with energy-efficient water sprinkling systems for irrigation. Biogas, produced through the anaerobic digestion of organic waste, offers a renewable and sustainable energy source. Utilizing biogas to power irrigation systems can enhance energy efficiency and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. This research investigates the process of biogas production, its potential energy yield, and its application in water sprinkling systems. Additionally, the paper examines the economic and environmental benefits of this integrated approach, providing a comprehensive analysis of its feasibility and impact on sustainable agriculture.

Syntrophy between bacteria and archaea enhances methane production in an EGSB bioreactor fed by cheese whey wastewater

The cheese-making process generates large amounts of cheese whey wastewater (CWW), which is abundant in nutrients but difficult to dispose of, contributing to the eutrophication of natural environments due to inadequate waste management. Here we show the anaerobic digestion of CCW by syntrophy between bacteria and archaea in an expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB) bioreactor as a low-cost alternative for bioremediation and biofuel production. The performance of the EGSB bioreactor and the composition of the natural microbial community were evaluated. During the operation of the EGSB bioreactor, physicochemical parameters such as alkalinity ratio (0.25), pH (7.5), and temperature (26°C) were attained and maintained, as well as light- and oxygen-free conditions, which favored the metabolism of oxygen-sensitive bacteria and methane-producing archaea (methanogens). Under these conditions, the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rate was highly efficient (> 89%). Methane (CH4) was produced from organic matter degradation by a few methanogens, mainly from Methanosaeta spp., and was enhanced by the metabolic interaction between bacteria and archaea. The biochemical methane potential (BMP) was >335 mL CH4/gCOD, indicating that the syntrophic microbial community is very efficient in removing organic matter and CH4 produced from CWW. Our results suggest that CWW could be treated in EGSB bioreactors and used as a sustainable alternative to CH4 production and also provide insights for the design of synthetic microbial communities (SynComs) for bioremediation, biogas production, and other biotechnological processes.

Feeding strategy determine flexible biogas via shaping microbial abundance and interaction in anaerobic digestion

The optimization of anaerobic digestion systems for enhanced biogas production is reliant on the manipulation of feeding regimes and organic loading. However, the impact of these operations on the microbiota remains unclear. Here, the effects of three distinct feeding regimes (once daily, every 2nd day, and every 3rd day) with two different loading amounts (300 g and 500 g) were investigated in 2 continuously stirred tank reactors treating swine manure. Results indicated that the high organic loading (500 g daily feeding) resulted in increased biogas and methane production, albeit with reduced archaeal alpha diversity. Furthermore, a significant alteration in species distribution was observed with sudden feeding regime changes (300 g every 2nd day) and higher organic loading. Wherein, the core species determined the methane production regarding the different organic loading. The resultant species turnover likely drove the increased biogas production while species loss contributed to the fluctuation of biogas production in intermittent feeding regimes. Despite a decrease in positive connections with high organic loading, the connectivity of Methanosarcinaceae with bacteria increased, thus ensuring higher biogas production. In conclusion, the present study underscores the association between feeding strategies and elevated levels of organic loading with regards to the interdependence between methanogenic microorganisms and keystone bacterial populations. As a consequence, this interplay exerts a discernible influence on the biogas production process.

Application of Nanotechnology in Environmental Protection

Numerous applications of nanochemistry and nanotechnology in electronics, medicine, catalysis, and environmental protection have become popular scientific disciplines in the last decades. Besides the presence of nanomaterials in pharmaceutical products, textiles, food, and packaging, or its applications in the catalysis of traditional organic synthesis at high efficiency, the relationship between nanoscience and environmental protection stands out. This relationship has two aspects. One aspect shows numerous possibilities of nanomaterials applications in drinking water treatment, wastewater treatment, gas emissions, and acceleration of anaerobic digestion in biogas production processes from organic waste, together with others. Another aspect is the production of nanomaterials from waste and its contribution to the valorization and elimination of waste that can significantly contribute to the environment. This chapter will show the tendency of nanochemistry and nanotechnology applications in sensors, catalytic degradations of pollutants, adsorption and filtration, and production of nanomaterials from industrial waste and the potential risks of nanomaterials.

A Systematic Review of Machine-Learning Solutions in Anaerobic Digestion.

The use of machine learning (ML) in anaerobic digestion (AD) is growing in popularity and improves the interpretation of complex system parameters for better operation and optimisation. This systematic literature review aims to explore how ML is currently employed in AD, with particular attention to the challenges of implementation and the benefits of integrating ML techniques. While both lab and industry-scale datasets have been used for model training, challenges arise from varied system designs and the different monitoring equipment used. Traditional machine-learning techniques, predominantly artificial neural networks (ANN), are the most commonly used but face difficulties in scalability and interpretability. Specifically, models trained on lab-scale data often struggle to generalize to full-scale, real-world operations due to the complexity and variability in bacterial communities and system operations. In practical scenarios, machine learning can be employed in real-time operations for predictive modelling, ensuring system stability is maintained, resulting in improved efficiency of both biogas production and waste treatment processes. Through reviewing the ML techniques employed in wider applied domains, potential future research opportunities in addressing these challenges have been identified.

A comparative cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment of three cotton stalk waste sustainable applications

This paper presents a novel approach to utilizing agricultural waste. It compares three different applications for cotton stalks: fabrication of wood composites, bioethanol production, and biogas cradle-to-gate Life cycle assessment production processes. Cotton cultivation generates a lot of debris, mostly cotton stalks, which are incinerated or landfilled, Sustainable resource management is critical for maintaining the ecosystem, and economic stability, and promoting social fairness since it ensures the long-term availability of resources while minimizing environmental damage. The investigation uses the Ecological Footprint, Impact 2002 +, Global Warming Damage Potential, Greenhouse Gas Protocol, Recipe Midpoint, Ecosystem Damage Potential, and CML IA Baseline—open LCA-enabled environmental sustainability assessments. The analysis showed that bioethanol has a lower carbon footprint and climate change impact than both wood composite and biogas production processes, as a result, this could cause a preference for bioethanol production as an environmentally friendly strategy for cotton stalks utilization. While human toxicity was higher in the biogas production process, it emits less fossil CO2 than biogenic CO2. The total climate change of wood composite, bioethanol, and biogas production processes was 0.01761, 0.011300, and 0.01083 points, respectively. This research helps accomplish wider ecological and economic aims by giving insights into sustainable waste management practices.

Optimal pretreatment of plantain peel waste valorization for biogas production: Insights into neural network modeling and kinetic analysis

This work proposed a model for the substrate treatment stage of biogas production process in an anaerobic digestion system. Adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS), response surface method (RSM), and artificial neural network (ANN) were comparatively used in the simulation and modeling of the treatment process for improved biogas yield. Waste plantain peels were pretreated and used as substrate. FTIR and SEM results revealed that the pretreatment improved the substrate's desirable qualities. The amount of biogas yield was controlled by time, NaOH concentration, and temperature of the substrate pretreatment. Optimum pretreatment conditions obtained were a temperature of 102.7 °C, time of 31.7 min and NaOH concentration of 0.125 N. RSM, ANN, and ANFIS modeling techniques were proficient in simulating the biogas production, as evidenced by high R2values of 0.9281, 0.9850, and 0.9852, respectively. Furthermore, the values of the calculated error terms such as RMSE (RSM = 0.04799, ANN = 0.00969, and ANFIS = 0.00587) and HYBRID (RSM = 18.556, ANN = 0.803, and ANFIS = 0.0447) were low, indicating a satisfactory correlation between experimental and predicted values. Scrubbing of the biogas with caustic soda and activated charcoal increased the methane content to 94 %. The kinetics of the cumulative biogas yield were best fit with the Logistics and Modified Logistics models. The low C/N ratio in addition to the presence of potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorus suggested that the spent plantain peel slurry can be utilized as an agricultural fertilizer in crop production. The observations of this study therefore recommends the pre-treatment of biodigestion substrates as a key means to enhance beneficiation of methane production.

The Influence of Previous Treatment of Wheat Straw from Bales on the Intensity of Biogas Outlet

The purpose of the research is the experimental determination of the effect of preliminary mechanical and additional magnetic treatment of wheat straw from bales on the intensity of biogas output. This goal is achieved by solving the following problems: determining the physical-chemical properties and component composition of winter wheat straw from packs; obtaining chopped straw by grinding on a laboratory grinder to a fraction of 5–25 mm in length; processing soaked straw in water in an extruder to form 15 pre-treatment samples; calculation the carbon-nitrogen ratio for mixture of straw of certain pretreatment option and inoculum; determination the specific energy intensity of the extrusion process; conducting fermentation experiments and studies of the biogas output process for 42 days for various options for pre-treatment of winter wheat straw from packs, in particular the option with the simultaneous action of constant magnetic field. The most important results of the research are: experimental proof of the effectiveness of the method of preliminary mechanical-magnetic treatment of winter wheat straw from bales in the production of biogas, which forms a synergetic effect; with a one-time extrusion of straw and treatment with constant magnetic field of 1.8 mT, the biogas output increases, which makes it possible to obtain the same amount of biogas as with 5-fold extrusion, but with energy costs for extrusion reduced by 4.28 times. At the same time, sufficient productivity of the biogas production process is maintained, the lag phase is reduced, and the biomethane output increases by approximately 5.5%. The significance of the obtained results is that the proposed approach to the formation of biogas technology with using mechanical-magnetic processing of wheat straw ensures the intensification of biogas output and an increase in the level of production.

Characterisation of synthesised trimetallic nanoparticles and its influence on anaerobic digestion of palm oil mill effluent

The augmentation of biogas production can be achieved by incorporating metallic nanoparticles as additives within anaerobic digestion. The objective of this current study is to examine the synthesis of Fe–Ni–Zn and Fe–Co–Zn trimetallic nanoparticles using the co-precipitation technique and assess its impact on anaerobic digestion using palm oil mill effluent (POME) as carbon source. The structural morphology and size of the synthesised trimetallic nanoparticles were analysed using a range of characterization techniques, such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) . The average size of Fe–Ni–Zn and Fe–Co–Zn were 19–25.5 nm and 19.1–30.5 nm respectively. Further, investigation focused on examining the diverse concentrations of trimetallic nanoparticles, ranging from 0 to 50 mgL−1. The biogas production increased by 55.55% and 60.11% with Fe–Ni–Zn and Fe–Co–Zn trimetallic nanoparticles at 40 mgL−1 and 20 mgL−1, respectively. Moreover, the lowest biogas of 11.11% and 38.11% were found with 10 mgL-1 of Fe–Ni–Zn and Fe–Co–Zn trimetallic nanoparticles. The findings of this study indicated that the trimetallic nanoparticles exhibited interactions with anaerobes, thereby enhancing the degradation process of palm oil mill effluent (POME) and biogas production. The study underscores the potential efficacy of trimetallic nanoparticles as a viable supplement for the promotion of sustainable biogas generation.

Review: Biogas Fermentation Process

Biogas is a gas generated through anaerobic processes that involve the decomposition of organic materials. Various sources of methane can be utilized to produce biogas, including household waste, biodegradable waste, animal waste, or organic materials that can break down under anaerobic conditions. The objective of this study is to investigate how different conditions, such as time, pH levels, stirring duration, and the type and concentration of inoculum, influence biogas production, with the aim of identifying the optimal conditions for the biogas production process. This research focused on examining the factors that impact the biogas production process, which includes several stages like hydrolysis, acetogenesis, acidogenesis, and methanogenesis. The findings from prior experiments showed that the optimal biogas production was achieved using tofu liquid waste, resulting in a volume of 26,700 ml over a 36-day period. This was achieved by maintaining an operating temperature between 35-40°C and employing cow dung as the inoculum, along with a 36-liter digester.

Neural network model of investment process of biogas production

The paper forms a neural network model of the investment process of biogas production, which allows increasing the efficiency of the management decision-making process on the feasibility of investing in biogas plants. Biogas plants are becoming widespread in the world, although natural climatic conditions are not favorable for biogas production. But modern technological solutions for insulation of bioreactors, their automation and thermal stabilization, allow obtaining biogas in different latitudes. The construction of biogas plants requires significant capital investment. Therefore, these investments require a detailed feasibility study, including consideration of both technical and economic aspects of biogas production. The authors propose to use the mathematical apparatus of shallow neural networks and create a ten-neuron shallow neural mathematical model with the MATLAB mathematical package, which can serve as a tool to support investment decisions in the implementation of the biogas plant project. The proposed model, in contrast to existing approaches, allows us to take into account both quantitative and qualitative factors, which are obtained analytically, expertly and experimentally. In addition, the proposed model allows combining both economic and technical criteria that affect the decision-making process for investing in the process of biogas production. The calculation of investment attractiveness of introduction of biogas utilization unit for the researched enterprise is given. According to the simulation results, it is determined that the investment attractiveness of the introduction of a biogas plant for the given set of input factors indicates the feasibility of implementing a biogas plant.

An Overview of the Socio-Economic, Technological, and Environmental Opportunities and Challenges for Renewable Energy Generation from Residual Biomass: A Case Study of Biogas Production in Colombia

The escalating global energy demand, driven by heavy reliance on fossil fuels, worsens environmental degradation and triggers socio-economic shifts in extraction and refinery hubs. In Colombia, the energy matrix is predominantly fossil-based (76%), with hydroelectric power accounting for 70% of electricity generation. However, renewable energy sources only contribute 2% to the national energy mix. To reduce emissions by 20% by 2030, Colombia has presented an energy transition roadmap. The need for bioenergy production in Colombia arises from the residual biomass availability, the potential to provide sustainable energy access, and the potential to mitigate climate change impacts, while addressing energy poverty and enhancing energy security. This study presents an overview of biogas production in Colombia, emphasizing the need for financial resources to overcome barriers. Policy incentives, awareness campaigns, and research and development play a vital role in fostering social acceptance, technology adoption, and optimizing biogas production processes. Collaborative efforts among the government, private sector, and local communities are recommended to ensure wide-scale adoption of biogas, promoting economic, social, and environmental sustainability. By enabling informed decision-making, this research supports the transition to renewable energy sources and the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDGs), with a particular focus on bioenergy. The aim of this study is to explore the challenges and opportunities associated with biogas production in Colombia, including technical, economic, social, and environmental aspects, and provide recommendations for promoting its sustainable implementation and widespread adoption in the country.

Correlation Analysis Model of Environment Parameters Using IoT Framework in a Biogas Energy Generation Context

Recently, the significance and demand for biogas energy has dramatically increased. However, biogas operators lack automated and intelligent mechanisms to produce optimization. The Internet of Things (IoT) and Machine Learning (ML) have become key enablers for the real-time monitoring of biogas production environments. This paper aimed to implement an IoT framework to gather environmental parameters for biogas generation. In addition, data analysis was performed to assess the effect of environmental parameters on biogas production. The edge-based computing architecture was designed comprising sensors, microcontrollers, actuators, and data acquired for the cloud Mongo database via MQTT protocol. Data were captured at a home digester on a time-series basis for 30 days. Further, Pearson distribution and multiple linear regression models were explored to evaluate environmental parameter effects on biogas production. The constructed regression model was evaluated using R2 metrics, and this was found to be 73.4% of the variability. From a correlation perspective, the experimental result shows a strong correlation of biogas production with an indoor temperature of 0.78 and a pH of 0.6. On the other hand, outdoor temperature presented a moderated correlation of 0.4. This implies that the model had a relatively good fit and could effectively predict the biogas production process.

Modeling multiple linear regression analysis in the formation of biogas pressure

Fossil energy reserves to date are dwindling inversely proportional to the amount of consumption. So to overcome this problem, alternative energy is needed, one of which is biogas which is sourced from organic waste. The biogas production process has so far experienced many obstacles so that the formation of pressure has not been optimal. The aim of the research was to create a model to see the magnitude of the influence of humidity and temperature on the pressure of the biogas produced. The method used is multiple linear regression with the following stages, identifying variables, testing classical assumptions, model building, and model goodness. Based on the results of the analysis, the model Y ̂=17.029-0.042X_1+3.480X_2 is obtained. Simultaneous test results show that simultaneously humidity and temperature have a significant effect because the sig is 0.000<α(0.05). The results of the partial test (T-Test) of each variable also showed significant results on biogas pressure because the sig was 0.000<α(0.05). The coefficient of determination of 0.8180 means that humidity and temperature variables affect the formation of biogas pressure by 81.80% and the rest is influenced by other factors such us pH, C/NRatio, starter, and so on.