Process enhancement for maximization of methane production in codigestion biogas plants

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop improvements in the efficiency of the codigestion process.

Design/methodology/approach

Two pilot plants, fed by different compositions of manure and industrial organic waste, generating biogas by mesophilic and thermophilic anaerobic fermentation, respectively, were analysed.

Findings

It was observed that these processes do not commonly operate at maximum theoretical efficiency.

Research limitations/implications

The limiting factor in the process was found to be the hydrolysis of the digested material.

Practical implications

A technical solution had been suggested: implementing a secondary (after) storage phase which has the purpose of exploiting, by promoting enhanced hydrolysis, the substrate potential that remains undigested after the traditional process.

Originality/value

The proposed configuration opens to original variations in the anaerobic digestion schemes.

Citation

Capodaglio, A.G., Ranieri, E. and Torretta, V. (2016), "Process enhancement for maximization of methane production in codigestion biogas plants", Management of Environmental Quality, Vol. 27 No. 3, pp. 289-298. https://doi.org/10.1108/MEQ-04-2015-0059