Single-stage Digestion Research Articles

The Study of Two Stages Anaerobic Digestion Application and Suitable Bio-Film as an Effort to Improve Bio-Gas Productivity from Jatropha Curcas Linn Capsule Husk

The conversion program from kerosene to LPG in Indonesia has positive impact on saving budget of fuel subsidized. However, the program does not only depend on LPG supply from overseas but also inadvisable related to the LPG availability in the world. Bio-gas is renewable energy which categorized as modern cooking oil. This gaseous bio- fuel is feasible in Indonesia due to plenty of bio-gas resources such as bio-mass and waste, simple technology, supporting tropical climate on bio-gas process, no food competition on material supply, minimizing global warming, reducing water pollution and producing organic fertilizer. Some series of study are conducted on dried Jatropha curcas Linn. capsule husk (JCL-CH) as bio-gas feedstock. The objective of the study is to create technology for managing JCL integrally according to bio-refinery principle. This paper will present two studies, JCL-CH performance in single stage digester compared with two stages digester in laboratory and palm fiber compared with glass wool as bio-film/bio-carrier in methanogenesis reactor. The studies were conducted in Research Laboratory PT. Bumimas Ekapersada, Bekasi, West Java from March until May 2012. A liter of glass bottle as digester, arranged in Randomized Complete Design, three replications per treatment placed in 32°C water bath. The bio-gas feedstock was put continuously with Organic Loading Rate – OLR or concentration 1: 12 in single stage compared with 1: 12 and 1: 8 in two stages. The observed parameters were pH, temperature, bio-gas volume, methane concentration, volatile solid and acetic acid concentration. Bio-gas volume was measured by water displacement method and methane concentration was measured by gas chromatography. T-test was used for statistical analysis. The studies showed that two stages digester more efficient since it can increase methane concentration and bio-gas volume/gram VS. The bio-gas volume increase 63.83% in OLR 1: 8. Glass wool was more effective as bio-film carrier compared with palm fiber.

Comparative assessment of single-stage and two-stage anaerobic digestion for the treatment of thin stillage

A comparative evaluation of single-stage and two-stage anaerobic digestion processes for biomethane and biohydrogen production using thin stillage was performed to assess the impact of separating the acidogenic and methanogenic stages on anaerobic digestion. Thin stillage, the main by-product from ethanol production, was characterized by high total chemical oxygen demand (TCOD) of 122g/L and total volatile fatty acids (TVFAs) of 12g/L. A maximum methane yield of 0.33L CH4/gCODadded (STP) was achieved in the two-stage process while a single-stage process achieved a maximum yield of only 0.26L CH4/gCODadded (STP). The separation of acidification stage increased the TVFAs to TCOD ratio from 10% in the raw thin stillage to 54% due to the conversion of carbohydrates into hydrogen and VFAs. Comparison of the two processes based on energy outcome revealed that an increase of 18.5% in the total energy yield was achieved using two-stage anaerobic digestion.

Evaluation of microwave-assisted digestion condition for the determination of metals in fish samples by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry using experimental designs

This paper describes the development of a compromised single-stage microwave-assisted digestion condition for multi-element determination in fish samples by inductively coupled plasm: mass spectrometry using experimental designs. A Plackett–Burman design was carried out as a multivariate strategy to investigate the main effects of the following parameter on microwave-assisted nitric acid digestion: microwave irradiation time, ramp time, digestion temperature, microwave power limit and the addition of hydrogen peroxide or hydrochloric acid. The most significant microwave setting parameters (radiation time, ramp and temperature) were further evaluated by response surface methodology under Box–Behnken design, while others were kept constant. The influences of different parameters vary according to metal element, thus the working conditions were established as a compromise within optimum region found for each targeted element which ensures quantitative recoveries and time efficiency. The compromised conditions are: ramp to 185°C in 10.5 min then hold for 14.5 min with 1600W (50%) of microwave power, using reagent mixture composed of 2.5 mL nitric acid, 0.5 mL hydrochloric acid and 7.0 mL water. Good agreements were demonstrated between measured and certified values with respect to DORM-3, DOLT-4 and ECM-CE278 and this method was successfully applied for metals determination in tilapia tissues.

Comparison between a two-stage and single-stage digesters when treating a synthetic wastewater contaminated with phenol

Phenol is a pollutant found in many industrial wastewaters, which diminishes biogas formation in anaerobic digesters. In this study, a two-stage (acidogenic and methanogenic) anaerobic digester (TSAD) was compared to a single stage digester (SSD), in treating a synthetic wastewater contaminated with phenol. Both systems were operated in batch-dilution and semi-continuously at 35°C, and were loaded with a synthetic wastewater containing a constant concentration of readily biodegradable organic matter and an increasing concentration of phenol. The TSAD had greater biogas production, and its acidogenic reactor fermented the readily biodegradable matter without inhibition by accumulation of phenol (up to 1 450 mg∙l-1). The acidogenic reactor also prevented inhibition of biogas formation in the second phase (methanogenic), by holding phenol and fast produced organic acids. Batch TSAD is a potential wastewater treatment option to decontaminate streams containing readily biodegradable matter contaminated with phenol. This system enhances biogas production and allows better control of the acidogenic and methanogenic phases. Keywords : Acidogenic, biodegradation, biogas, industrial waste, methanogenic, phenol, two-phase anaerobic digestion

Digestion Performance of Various Combinations of Thermophilic and Mesophilic Sludge Digestion Systems

Various combinations of single- and multi-stage anaerobic and aerobic-anaerobic digestion systems were studied to evaluate their solids reduction potential with capabilities to control sulfur-based biosolids odor compounds. All the multi-stage digestion systems removed more volatile solids than the single-stage anaerobic digestion systems, even at the same overall retention time. However, digestion systems with mesophilic digestion as the final stage showed a much lower headspace organic sulfur content in the dewatered biosolids than the systems with thermophilic digestion as the final stage. This observation leads to the conclusion that placing a mesophilic anaerobic digestion system at the end of multi-stage digestion systems will enable greater sulfur-based odor reduction from dewatered biosolids with greater solid reduction than single-stage mesophilic or thermophilic digestion systems.

Putting microbes to work in sequence: Recent advances in temperature-phased anaerobic digestion processes

Methane biogas production through anaerobic digestion (or biomethanation) is one of the few technologies that both produce bioenergy and protect the environment. When the focus of anaerobic digestion (AD) is shifted from primarily wastewater treatment to bioenergy production, efficiency and process stability become critical to the economic viability of AD technologies. Temperature-phased anaerobic digestion (TPAD) is a promising process that can significantly enhance both digestion efficiency and process robustness. A TPAD system separates the conventional AD process into two phases, so both phases can be optimized according to their individual functional needs. In the first, thermophilic phase, the often rate-limiting hydrolysis step of polymeric feedstock is accelerated by elevated temperatures, while in the second, mesophilic phase, the fastidious syntrophic acetogens and methanogens are provided with permissive conditions where inhibitions to key guilds (e.g., syntrophic acetogens and methanogens) are attenuated. Although large-scale TPAD systems have not been applied widely, researchers have demonstrated the potential superiority of TPAD systems over single-stage digesters and other AD processes with enhanced VS (volatile solids) and pathogen removal; increased methane yield, process stability, OLR (organic loading rate); shorter HRT (hydraulic retention time); decreased foaming and short-chain fatty acids in effluent.

Digestion Performance of Various Combinations of Thermophilic and Mesophilic Sludge Digestion Systems

Various combinations of single- and multi-stage anaerobic and aerobic-anaerobic digestion systems were studied to evaluate their solids reduction potential with capabilities to control sulfur-based biosolids odor compounds. All the multi-stage digestion systems removed more volatile solids than the single-stage anaerobic digestion systems, even at the same overall retention time. However, digestion systems with mesophilic digestion as the final stage showed a much lower headspace organic sulfur content in the dewatered biosolids than the systems with thermophilic digestion as the final stage. This observation leads to the conclusion that placing a mesophilic anaerobic digestion system at the end of multi-stage digestion systems will enable greater sulfur-based odor reduction from dewatered biosolids with greater solid reduction than single-stage mesophilic or thermophilic digestion systems.

The effect of enzyme addition on anaerobic digestion of JoseTall Wheat Grass

The effects of the addition of enzyme products containing cellulase, hemicellulase, and β-glucosidase to anaerobic digestion systems were studied using Jose Tall Wheat Grass (wheat grass) as a model substrate. Anaerobic digestion tests were performed using batch reactors operated at 50 °C. The application of enzyme products in three digestion configurations were simulated and investigated: (1) enzyme addition to a single-stage digester, (2) pre-treatment of wheat grass with enzymes followed by a single-stage anaerobic digestion, and (3) enzyme addition to the first stage (hydrolysis and acidification) of a two-stage digestion system. The enzyme products showed positive effects on the solubilization of wheat grass when used alone to treat the wheat grass. However, no significant differences in biogas and methane yields, and volatile solids reduction resulted when the enzyme products were tested in the anaerobic digestion systems. This reveals that the microorganisms present in the inoculum were effective in carrying out the digestion of wheat grass. The types of microorganisms present in the inoculum were identified using 16S rRNA sequence analysis. A comparison of the sequences between the different inocula revealed that the prevalent operational taxonomic units were similar, but that the acidified inoculum contained a higher percentage of the species Thermotogae.

Microthrix parvicella and Gordona amarae in mesophilic and thermophilic anaerobic digestion systems

The scope of the study presented in this paper is to determine the fate of the filamentous bacteria Gordona amarae and Microthrix parvicella in anaerobic digestion operating under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions. In order to detect and quantify foaming bacteria in the anaerobic digesters, a fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) method was developed and applied. This paper presents the results of a laboratory‐scale study that involved the operation of four lab‐scale anaerobic digestion systems operating in the mesophilic (35 °C) and thermophilic (55 °C) temperature ranges at 20 days’ detention time. According to the FISH counts of G. amarae and M. parvicella, it appears that thermophilic conditions resulted in a higher destruction of both filamentous bacteria, averaging approximately 97% and 94% for the single thermophilic digester and the dual thermophilic/ mesophilic system, respectively. Within the context of this study, the overall performance of the four different anaerobic digestion systems was evaluated in terms of biogas production per mass of volatile solids destroyed, COD destruction, sludge dewaterability and foaming characteristics. The dual stage systems used in this study outperformed the single stage digesters.

Evaluation of continuous mesophilic anaerobic sludge digestion after high temperature microwave pretreatment

Effect of microwave pretreatment (MW) high temperature (175 °C) and MW intensity to waste activated sludge digested with acclimatized inoculum in single- and dual-stage semi-continuous mesophilic anaerobic digesters at different sludge retention times (SRTs) (20, 10 and 5 days) were investigated. MW pretreatment led to similar sludge stabilization at low SRTs (5 and 10 days). Although lowering MW intensity slightly improved sludge solubilization, it had a negative effect on digestion at low SRTs. Single-stage digesters with MW pretreatment surpass dual-stage digesters performances.

Effect of phase separation on anaerobic digestion of kitchen waste

The anaerobic digestion of kitchen waste was studied in both batch and continuous modes. The effect of increasing loading rates on pollutant removal and biogas production was investigated for single-phase digestion and two-phase digestion systems. The anaerobic biodegradability of the kitchen waste obtained from the batch study was 83.5%. Single-stage digestion of kitchen waste was subjected to varying organic loading rates (OLR) ranging from 1.5 kg volatile solids (VS) m–3 d–1 to 5.5 kg VS m–3d–1, with a common hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 15 d. The optimum performance of the system was observed at an OLR of 4.5 kg VS m–3 d–1 in terms of pollutant removal efficiency and biogas production. The removal rates for chemical oxygen demand (COD) and VS at this optimal OLR were 81% and 79%, respectively. Maximum production of the methane was 0.288 m3/kg of VS added. Beyond the optimal OLR, the volatile fatty acids concentration increased and reached its maximum value (9.2 g/L) at the higher loading rate tested (5.5 kg VS m–3 d–1). Anaerobic digestion of the kitchen waste was carried out in a two-stage reactor with different loading rates of 4, 6, and 8 kg VS m–3 d–1. The retention time given to both hydrolysis and methanogenesis phases was 5 d, for a total HRT of 10 d. Best performances were observed in the third run with the OLR of 8 kg VS m–3 d–1. High removal efficiencies for COD and VS were found as 92% and 94%, respectively. A total of 0.22 m3 of methane was produced by 1 kg of VS added. Responses to the fluctuations in the loading rates were sudden and many times unfavourable in the single-stage system, while the fluctuations were suppressed or overcome at a faster rate in the two-stage reactor, without creating too many problems. Comparison of the overall performance showed that phase-separated digesters or the two-stage digesters may offer the best choice for high efficiency, concerning pollutant removal.

Biogas production from water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms) grown under different nitrogen concentrations

This paper reports the biogas production from water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms) grown under different nitrogen concentrations of 1-fold [28 mg/L of total nitrogen (TN)], 2-fold, 1/2-fold, 1/4-fold and 1/8-fold and plants harvested from a polluted water body. This study was carried out for a period of 4 months at ambient mesophilic temperatures of 30.3–31.3°C using six 3-barreled batch-fed reactors with the innermost barrel (45 L) being used as the digester. There was no marked variation in the C/N ratios of the plants cultured under different nitrogen concentrations. The addition of fresh cow dung having a low C/N of 8 resulted in a significant reduction in the C/N ratios of the water hyacinth substrates. However, gas production commenced 3 days after charging the reactors and gas production rates peaked in 4–7 days. The volatile solids (VS) degradation and gas production patterns manifested that in conventional single-stage batch digesters acidogenesis and methanogenesis of water hyacinth requires a retention time of around 27–30 days and 27–51 days, respectively. Substrates in the f-1 digester (i.e., the digester containing plants grown under 28 TN mg/L) having the lowest VS content of 45.3 g/L with a highest C/N ratio of 16 showed fairly higher gas production rates consistently (10–27 days) with higher gas yields containing around 50–65% of CH4 (27–51 days). Moreover the highest overall VS (81.7%) removal efficiencies were reported from the f-1 digester. Fairly higher gas production rates and gas yields with fairly higher CH4 contents were also noticed from the f-2 digester containing substrates having a C/N of 14 and f-out digester (containing the plants harvested from the polluted water body) having the lowest C/N ratio of 9.7 with a fairly high VS content of 56 g/L. CH4 production was comparatively low in the f-1/8, f-1/4 and f-1/2 digesters having VS rich substrates with varying C/N ratios. We conclude that water hyacinth could be utilized for biogas production irrespective of the fact that the plants are grown under higher or lower nitrogen concentrations and that there is no necessity for the C/N ratio to be within the optimum range of 20–32 required for anaerobic digestion. Further it is concluded that several biochemical characteristics of the substrates significantly influences biogas production besides the C/N ratio.

Two-stage thermophilic-mesophilic anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge from a biological nutrient removal plant

A two-stage thermophilic-mesophilic anaerobic digestion pilot-plant was operated solely on waste activated sludge (WAS) from a biological nutrient removal (BNR) plant. The first-stage thermophilic reactor (HRT 2 days) was operated at 47, 54 and 60 degrees C. The second-stage mesophilic digester (HRT 15 days) was held at a constant temperature of 36-37 degrees C. For comparison with a single-stage mesophilic process, the mesophilic digester was also operated separately with an HRT of 17 days and temperature of 36-37 degrees C. The results showed a truly thermophilic stage (60 degrees C) was essential to achieve good WAS degradation. The lower thermophilic temperatures examined did not offer advantages over single-stage mesophilic treatment in terms of COD and VS removal. At a thermophilic temperature of 60 degrees C, the plant achieved 35% VS reduction, representing a 46% increase compared to the single-stage mesophilic digester. This is a significant level of degradation which could make such a process viable in situations where there is no primary sludge generated. The fate of the biologically stored phosphorus in this BNR sludge was also investigated. Over 80% of the incoming phosphorus remained bound up with the solids and was not released into solution during the WAS digestion. Therefore only a small fraction of phosphorus would be recycled to the main treatment plant with the dewatering stream.

Two-stage anaerobic digestion process for complete inactivation of enteric bacterial pathogens in human night soil

Anaerobic digestion offers a good alternative for human waste treatment. However, the fate of enteric bacterial pathogens present in human night soil (HNS) remains a major concern for hygienic safety of the process. A two-stage anaerobic digestion process, consisting of separate acidogenic and methanogenic digesters, was designed and its efficacy in the inactivation of Salmonella typhi was compared to a single-stage digestion process. In a single-stage digestion, complete pathogen inactivation was achieved only in the digesters with high levels of volatile fatty acids (VFA approximately equal to 18,000 mg/l) and acidic pH (approximately equal to 6.0). These digesters, however, showed drastic reduction in methane yield. In the two-stage digestion process, S. typhi was completely inactivated in the acidogenic digester and the methanogenic digester was free from the pathogen even after receiving a daily dose of the pathogen. The process also achieved complete inactivation of other enteric pathogens, viz., Shigella dysenteriae and Vibrio cholerae. The two-stage process was efficient in biogas generation from HNS. Thus, the two-stage process ensures complete hygienic safety in anaerobic digestion of human night soil.

Mesophilic and thermophilic temperature co-phase anaerobic digestion compared with single-stage mesophilic- and thermophilic digestion of sewage sludge

The performance of thermophilic and mesophilic temperature co-phase anaerobic digestions for sewage sludge, using the exchange process of the digesting sludge between spatially separated mesophilic and thermophilic digesters, was examined, and compared to single-stage mesophilic and thermophilic anaerobic digestions. The reduction of volatile solids from the temperature co-phase anaerobic digestion system was dependent on the sludge exchange rate, but was 50.7–58.8%, which was much higher than 46.8% of single-stage thermophilic digestion, as well as 43.5% of the mesophilic digestion. The specific methane yield was 424–468 mL CH 4 per gram volatile solids removed, which was as good as that of single-stage mesophilic anaerobic digestion. The process stability and the effluent quality in terms of volatile fatty acids and soluble chemical oxygen demand of the temperature co-phase anaerobic digestion system were considerably better than those of the single-stage mesophilic anaerobic processes. The destruction of total coliform in the temperature co-phase system was 98.5–99.6%, which was similar to the single-stage thermophilic digestion. The higher performances on the volatile solid and pathogen reduction, and stable operation of the temperature co-phase anaerobic system might be attributable to the well-functioned thermophilic digester, sharing nutrients and intermediates for anaerobic microorganisms, and selection of higher substrate affinity anaerobic microorganisms in the co-phase system, as a result of the sludge exchange between the mesophilic and thermophilic digesters.

Measurement of microbial numbers and biomass contained in thermophilic anaerobic reactors.

This paper describes the determination of the microbial population in terms of the number, biomass, and composition of single- and two-phase, laboratory-scale thermophilic (55 degrees C) anaerobic reactors under steady-state conditions. Epifluorescence microscopy with 4',6-diamidine-2-phenylindole (DAPI) as fluorochrome was used to determine the total number of microorganisms in the reactors, and autofluorescence microscopy was used to determine the total methanogenic bacteria populations. The results obtained by the direct count methods were compared to the quantity of biomass contained in the system, which was determined by volatile suspended solids. The concentration of acidogenic bacteria was estimated by subtraction of the autofluorescence results from those of the DAPI epifluorescence microscopy. The viable bacterial population was determined by plating techniques using an anaerobic chamber. The total bacterial and methanogenic populations of single-stage digesters increase when the hydraulic retention time decreases; nevertheless, the percentages of the principal bacterial groups (acidogenic and methanogenic) remain constant at 87% and 13%, respectively. In the two-stage reactors, the percentages of the acidogenic and methanogenic groups are 99% and 26% of the total population in the acidogenic and methanogenic reactors, respectively. In the single-stage reactors, biomass determinations can be used to estimate microbial concentrations, and vice versa, as there is a high positive correlation between microorganism concentration and biomass. The syntrophic relationship between the bacteria involved in the anaerobic process is a possible explanation for the low values of viable population obtained in the reactors studied. Nevertheless, there is a high correlation between direct counts by epifluorescence microscopy and viable plate counts for the combined system studied.

Rapid-rate thermophilic, single-stage and two-phase methane fermentation of synfuel-industry wastewaters

Thermophilic (55 degrees C) anaerobic digestion of wastewaters from wet carbonization of Minnesota peat was conducted in a simple, upflow digester at an HRT of one day to provide a methane yield of 0.20 SCM/kg VS added and a BOD5 reduction of 85%. Carbonization of Maine peat conducted for a much longer duration of thermal treatment produced recalcitrant and potentially toxic end products that reduced the biodegradability of wastewaters. Methane fermentation of the Maine-peat wet-carbonization waste was inhibited at an HRT of one day in the single-stage digester. However, two-phase digestion with separate acid-phase fermentation to promote hydrolytic degradation of toxic end products followed by separate methane fermentation at an HRT of 2 days exhibited a methane yield of 0.21 SCM/kg VS added and a BOD5 reduction of 76%. Volatile fatty acids profiles along the depths digesting cultures indicated that single-stage and two-phase digestion could be accomplished at one-half the reactor residence times (one day for single-stage and three days for two-phase) used in this research.

An operational strategy for improved biomethanation of cattle-manure slurry in an unmixed, single-stage, digester

In the quiescent state, cattle-manure slurry stratifies into three discernible layers; a floating “scum” layer, a bottom “sludge” layer and a watery middle layer, with most of the biologically degradable component of the slurry being contributed by the particulate matter in these layers. The top layer has the highest biochemical methane potential and the middle layer the least. In a single-stage digester, an improved operational strategy to enhance methane production was determined. This strategy took advantage of the different rates of biomethanation and biochemical methane potentials of the different layers of the slurry. This was achieved by allowing the slurry to digest without mixing and discharging the digested material from the middle liquid layer rather than from the bottom or top layers.

Kraft-Mill Biosolids Treatment by Conventional and Biphasic Fermentation

Kraft primary and mixed primary-activated sludges were gasified by thermophilic (50 °C) high-rate and mesophilic two-phase digestion. Kraft sludges were deficient in nitrogen, phosphorus, and other unidentified nutrients. Municipal sludge proved to be a much better nutrient source than inorganic salts. Performance of the mesophilic (35°C), two-phase anaerobic digestion (TPAD) system was about the same as that of thermophilic single-stage, high-rate digestion at a 10-day HRT as judged in terms of methane yield (0.17 SCM/kg VS added) and VS reduction efficiency (43%). The mesophilic TPAD process yielded a higher methane-content (65%) fuel gas; it is capable of exhibiting higher net-energy recovery efficiency than thermophilic single-stage digestion.

Two-Stage, Thermophilic-Mesophilic Anaerobic Digestion of Sewage Sludge

Three configurations for dual anaerobic digestion were examined. Each configuration consisted of two completely stirred tank reactors (CSTRs), a 5 litre thermophilic digester linked to a 10 litre mesophilic digester. The first-stage thermophilic (55°C) digesters were operated at 4, 8 and 12 hours retention time and these were used to provide the feed to each of the second-stage mesophilic (35°C) digesters. These second-stage digesters were operated at hydraulic retention times of 10 days. A single-stage mesophilic digester (10 litre capacity), which was operated at a 20 day retention time, was used as the digestion bench mark. The results showed that dual digestion can be operated with retention times in the first-stage digesters much lower than suggested previously. Also, varying the retention time in the first-stage digester had little effect on the properties of the sludge produced. Although the volatile solids’ (VS) reduction was not as great as reported by other workers, the specific methane yield (m 3 CH 4 per kg VS removed) suggested that dual digestion had an advantage over conventional mesophilic digestion.