Use of the UASB reactor for the anaerobic treatment of stillage from sugar cane molasses

Riera, F. Sánchez; Córdoba, Pedro R.; Siñeríz, Faustino

doi:10.1002/bit.260271212

Cited by 58 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Furthermore, vinasses obtained from hydrous ethanol production from sugar cane molasses present high sulfate, potassium and iron concentrations compared to vinasses from alcoholic beverages [3,7]. This leads us to assume that the low percentage COD removal achieved in this study is a result of the high complexity of the vinasse used, which can be corroborated with other similar studies where the substrate used was hydrous alcohol vinasse [6,21-23]. Likewise, the HRT in this study is found amongst the higher values obtained by previous studies, due to the fact that the vinasse was fed undiluted into the modified UASB reactor, which causes a high organic loading rate at low flow rates (L/day), thereby saving water resources which permit a reduction in the discharge volumes of the modified UASB reactor.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 87%

Methane production by treating vinasses from hydrous ethanol using a modified UASB reactor

España-Gamboa

Mijangos‐Cortés²,

Hernández-Zárate

et al. 2012

Biotechnol Biofuels

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BackgroundA modified laboratory-scale upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor was used to obtain methane by treating hydrous ethanol vinasse. Vinasses or stillage are waste materials with high organic loads, and a complex composition resulting from the process of alcohol distillation. They must initially be treated with anaerobic processes due to their high organic loads. Vinasses can be considered multipurpose waste for energy recovery and once treated they can be used in agriculture without the risk of polluting soil, underground water or crops. In this sense, treatment of vinasse combines the elimination of organic waste with the formation of methane. Biogas is considered as a promising renewable energy source. The aim of this study was to determine the optimum organic loading rate for operating a modified UASB reactor to treat vinasse generated in the production of hydrous ethanol from sugar cane molasses.ResultsThe study showed that chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency was 69% at an optimum organic loading rate (OLR) of 17.05 kg COD/m3-day, achieving a methane yield of 0.263 m3/kg CODadded and a biogas methane content of 84%. During this stage, effluent characterization presented lower values than the vinasse, except for potassium, sulfide and ammonia nitrogen. On the other hand, primers used to amplify the 16S-rDNA genes for the domains Archaea and Bacteria showed the presence of microorganisms which favor methane production at the optimum organic loading rate.ConclusionsThe modified UASB reactor proposed in this study provided a successful treatment of the vinasse obtained from hydrous ethanol production.Methanogen groups (Methanobacteriales and Methanosarcinales) detected by PCR during operational optimum OLR of the modified UASB reactor, favored methane production.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 87%

Methane production by treating vinasses from hydrous ethanol using a modified UASB reactor

España-Gamboa

Mijangos‐Cortés²,

Hernández-Zárate

et al. 2012

Biotechnol Biofuels

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“…Treatment by a UASB reactor resulted in 75% COD removal in sugarcane molasses spentwash and 90% COD reduction in whisky pot ale (Goodwin and Stuart, 1994;Sa´nchez Riera et al, 1985). However, dilution is required before treatment due to the presence of some inhibitory substances such as sulfur compounds, potassium and calcium ions and free hydrogen ions left in solution after pH correction (Sa´nchez Riera et al, 1985). Wolmarans and de Villiers (2002) have reported a similar COD removal efficiency of greater than 90% over three seasons in a UASB plant treating distillery wastewater.…”

Section: Anaerobic Processmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…Upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor is the most popular high rate digester that has been utilized for anaerobic treatment of various types of industrial wastewaters (Akunna and Clark, 2000;Syutsubo et al, 1997). Treatment by a UASB reactor resulted in 75% COD removal in sugarcane molasses spentwash and 90% COD reduction in whisky pot ale (Goodwin and Stuart, 1994;Sa´nchez Riera et al, 1985). However, dilution is required before treatment due to the presence of some inhibitory substances such as sulfur compounds, potassium and calcium ions and free hydrogen ions left in solution after pH correction (Sa´nchez Riera et al, 1985).…”

Section: Anaerobic Processmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wastewater treatment in molasses-based alcohol distilleries for COD and color removal: A review

Satyawali

Balakrishnan

2008

Journal of Environmental Management

402

194

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“…The COD removal rate was set to 1 g/L/h in the simulations, which is comparable to the results reported by Sanchez Riera et al . on biogas production from sugarcane ethanol stillage [53]. …”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of production and market factors on ethanol profitability for an integrated first and second generation ethanol plant using the whole sugarcane as feedstock

Macrelli

Galbe

Wallberg

2014

Biotechnol Biofuels

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BackgroundSugarcane is an attractive feedstock for ethanol production, especially if the lignocellulosic fraction can also be treated in second generation (2G) ethanol plants. However, the profitability of 2G ethanol is affected by the processing conditions, operating costs and market prices. This study focuses on the minimum ethanol selling price (MESP) and maximum profitability of ethanol production in an integrated first and second generation (1G + 2G) sugarcane-to-ethanol plant. The feedstock used was sugarcane juice, bagasse and leaves. The lignocellulosic fraction was hydrolysed with enzymes. Yields were assumed to be 95% of the theoretical for each of the critical steps in the process (steam pretreatment, enzymatic hydrolysis (EH), fermentation, solid/liquid separation, anaerobic digestion) in order to obtain the best conditions possible for ethanol production, to assess the lowest production costs. Techno-economic analysis was performed for various combinations of process options (for example use of pentoses, addition of leaves), EH conditions (water-insoluble solids (WIS) and residence time), operating cost (enzymes) and market factors (wholesale prices of electricity and ethanol, cost of the feedstock).ResultsThe greatest reduction in 2G MESP was achieved when using the pentoses for the production of ethanol rather than biogas. This was followed, in decreasing order, by higher enzymatic hydrolysis efficiency (EHE), by increasing the WIS to 30% and by a short residence time (48 hours) in the EH. The addition of leaves was found to have a slightly negative impact on 1G + 2G MESP, but the effect on 2G MESP was negligible. Sugarcane price significantly affected 1G + 2G MESP, while the price of leaves had a much lower impact. Net present value (NPV) analysis of the most interesting case showed that integrated 1G + 2G ethanol production including leaves could be more profitable than 1G ethanol, despite the fact that the MESP was higher than in 1G ethanol production.ConclusionsA combined 1G + 2G ethanol plant could potentially outperform a 1G plant in terms of NPV, depending on market wholesale prices of ethanol and electricity. Therefore, although it is more expensive than 1G ethanol production, 2G ethanol production can make the integrated 1G + 2G process more profitable.

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Use of the UASB reactor for the anaerobic treatment of stillage from sugar cane molasses

Cited by 58 publications

References 7 publications

Methane production by treating vinasses from hydrous ethanol using a modified UASB reactor

Methane production by treating vinasses from hydrous ethanol using a modified UASB reactor

Wastewater treatment in molasses-based alcohol distilleries for COD and color removal: A review

Effects of production and market factors on ethanol profitability for an integrated first and second generation ethanol plant using the whole sugarcane as feedstock

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