Do two-phase biogas plants separate anaerobic digestion phases? – A mathematical model for the distribution of anaerobic digestion phases among reactor stages

Muha, Ivo; Zielonka, Simon; Lemmer, Andreas; Schönberg, Mandy; Linke, Bernd; Grillo, Alfio; Wittum, Gabriel

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2012.12.031

Cited by 24 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…Another major advantage of the two-phase process is the fractionation of the gases during anaerobic digestion. [21] This allows the AF, even with high-cellulose feed, to reach methane concentrations of 85%, on average. [22] However, an investigation of Hanaki et al [23] questions the effectiveness of the two-phase anaerobic digestion systems for the degradation of complex substrates.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of different pH-values on process parameters in two-phase anaerobic digestion of high-solid substrates

Lindner

Zielonka

Oechsner

et al. 2014

Environmental Technology

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In many publications, primary fermentation is described as a limiting step in the anaerobic digestion of fibre-rich biomass [Eastman JA, Ferguson JF. Solubilization of particulacte carbon during the anaerobic digeston. J WPCF. 1981;53:352-366; Noike T, Endo G, Chang J, Yaguchi J, Matsumoto J. Characteristics of carbohydrate degradation and the rate-limiting step in anaerobic digestion. Biotechnol Bioeng. 1985;27:1482-1489; Arntz HJ, Stoppok E, Buchholz K. Anaerobic hydroysis of beet pulp-discontiniuous experiments. Biotechnol Lett. 1985;7:113-118]. The microorganisms of the primary fermentation process differ widely from the methanogenic microorganisms [Pohland FG, Ghosh S. Developments in anaerobic stabilization of organic wastes-the two-phase concept. Environ Lett. 1971;1:255-266]. To optimize the biogas process, a separation in two phases is suggested by many authors [Fox P, Pohland GK. Anaerobic treatment applications and fundamentals: substrate specificity during phase separation. Water Environ Res. 1994;66:716-724; Cohen A, Zoetemeyer RJ, van Deursen A, van Andel JG. Anaerobic digestion of glucose with separated acid production and methane formation. Water Res. 1979;13:571-580]. To carry out the examination, a two-phase laboratory-scale biogas plant was established, with a physical phase separation. In previous studies, the regulation of the pH-value during the acid formation was usually carried out by the addition of sodium hydroxide [Cohen A, Zoetemeyer RJ, van Deursen A, van Andel JG. Anaerobic digestion of glucose with separated acid production and methane formation. Water Res. 1979;13:571-580; Ueno Y, Tatara M, Fukui H, Makiuchi T, Goto M, Sode K. Production of hydrogen and methane from organic solid wastes by phase separation of anaerobic process. Bioresour Technol. 2007;98:1861-1865; Zoetemeyer RJ, van den Heuvel JC, Cohen A. pH influence on acidogenic dissimilation of glucose in an anaerobic digestor. Water Res. 1982;16:303-311]. A new technology without the use of additives was developed in which the pH-regulation is executed by the pH-dependent recycling of effluent from the anaerobic filter into the acidification reactor. During this investigation, the influence of the different target pH-values (5.5, 6.0, 7.0 and 7.5) on the degradation rate, the gas composition and the methane yield of the substrate maize silage was determined. With an increase in the target pH-value from 5.5 to 7.5, the acetic acid equivalent decreased by 88.1% and the chemical oxygen demand-concentration by 18.3% in the hydrolysate. In response, there was a 58% increase in the specific methane yield of the overall system. Contrary to earlier studies, a marked increase in biogas production and in substrate degradation was determined with increasing pH-values. However, these led to a successive approximation of a single-phase process. Based on these results, pH-values above 7.0 seem to be favourable for the digestion of fibre-rich substrates.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of different pH-values on process parameters in two-phase anaerobic digestion of high-solid substrates

Lindner

Zielonka

Oechsner

et al. 2014

Environmental Technology

Self Cite

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“…The authors were able to predict the process performances of both stages individually. Muha et al (2013), simulated the share of reactions in a leach bed reactor and an anaerobic filter. According to the model, all steps of AD took place in both reactors except for the hydrolysis: about 40% of the acidogenesis and nearly 75% of the methanogenesis occurred in the second stage.…”

Section: Modelling Of Multi-stage Ad Processesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phase Separation in Anaerobic Digestion: A Potential for Easier Process Combination?

et al. 2021

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The flexibilization of bioenergy production has the potential to counteract partly other fluctuating renewable energy sources (such as wind and solar power). As a weather-independent energy source, anaerobic digestion (AD) can offer on-demand energy supply through biogas production. Separation of the stages in anaerobic digestion represents a promising strategy for the flexibilization of the fermentative part of biogas production. Segregation in two reactor systems facilitates monitoring and control of the provision of educts to the second methanogenic stage, thus controlling biogas production. Two-stage operation has proven to reach similar or even higher methane yields and biogas purities than single-stage operation in many different fields of application. It furthermore allows methanation of green hydrogen and an easier combination of material and energy use of many biogenic raw and residual biomass sources. A lot of research has been conducted in recent years regarding the process phase separation in multi-stage AD operation, which includes more than two stages. Reliable monitoring tools, coupled with effluent recirculation, bioaugmentation and simulation have the potential to overcome the current drawbacks of a sophisticated and unstable operation. This review aims to summarize recent developments, new perspectives for coupling processes for energy and material use and a system integration of AD for power-to-gas applications. Thereby, cell physiological and engineering aspects as well as the basic economic feasibility are discussed. As conclusion, monitoring and control concepts as well as suitable separation technologies and finally the data basis for techno-economic and ecologic assessments have to be improved.

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“…One advanced model contributes to this challenge, while it simulates either a two‐stage biogas production process, and after adaptation, the distribution in a leach‐bed bioreactor. The model includes a coupling of chemical reactions with transport of process liquid variation of microbial population . The link from a model to control a plant at industrial scale is described for a dynamic plant operation using non‐linear predictive control .…”

Section: Next Generation Technologiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fueling the future with biomass: Processes and pathways for a sustainable supply of hydrocarbon fuels and biogas

Junne

Kabisch

2016

Engineering in Life Sciences

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Global economic growth, wealth and security rely upon the availability of cheap, mostly fossil‐derived energy and chemical compounds. The replacement by sustainable resources is widely discussed. However, the current state of biotechnological processes usually restricts them to be used as a true alternative in terms of economic feasibility and even sustainability. Among the rare examples of bioprocesses applied for the energetic use of biomass are biogas and bioethanol production. Usually, these processes lack in efficiency and they cannot be operated without the support of legislation. Although they represent a first step towards a greater share of bio‐based processes for energy provision, there is no doubt that tremendous improvements in strain and process development, feedstock and process flexibility as well as in the integration of these processes into broader supply and production networks, in this review called smart bioproduction grids, are required to make them economically attractive, robust enough, and wider acceptance by society. All this requires an interdisciplinary approach, which includes the use of residues in closed carbon cycles and issues concerning the process safety. This short review aims to depict some of the promising strategies to achieve an improved process performance as a basis for future application.

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Do two-phase biogas plants separate anaerobic digestion phases? – A mathematical model for the distribution of anaerobic digestion phases among reactor stages

Cited by 24 publications

References 9 publications

Effect of different pH-values on process parameters in two-phase anaerobic digestion of high-solid substrates

Effect of different pH-values on process parameters in two-phase anaerobic digestion of high-solid substrates

Phase Separation in Anaerobic Digestion: A Potential for Easier Process Combination?

Fueling the future with biomass: Processes and pathways for a sustainable supply of hydrocarbon fuels and biogas

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