Bioenergy

Anaerobic Digestion
Largus T. Angenent1,3, Khursheed Karim1, Muthanna H. Al-Dahhan1, Brian A. Wrenn2,3
and Rosa Domguez-Espinosa
Mechanisms of AD
 Anaerobic Process (Biogas
Process)

Waste from agro-industy, animal waste, MSW, Crop Residue

Organic waste CH4 + CO2 + H2 + N2 + H2S

Composition of Biomass
CH4 55-65 % CO2 35-45 % N2 0-3 %
H2 0-1% H2S 0-1%
 Comparison of heating value in
various fuel

Type of fuel unit Heating value

(Kcal)
Biogas m3 4,800
Electricity kwh 860
Kerosene kg 9,100
Diesel oil kg 10,300
Butane kg 11,000
Wood kg 4,800
Animal dung kg 2,100
 Microbial Process
Organic matter
Proteins, Carbohydrates, Lipids

Fermentative bacteria

Amino acids, Sugars, fatty acids

A Acidogenic bacteria

VFAs:propionic acids, lactic acids, butyric acids etc.

B Acetogenic bacteria

Acetic acid , CO2 and H2

C Methanogenic bacteria

CH4
Mechanism of Digestion
1 Liquefaction
Extracellular enzyme to digest organic matter
hydrolytic break down
Cellulosic and non cellulosic Microorganism
Mechanism of Digestion

2. Acid Formation
Form acid from liquefaction substrate
Acetic acid, butylic acid, propionic acid
CO2, H2, methanol alc.
Mechanism of Digestion

3. Methane Formation
Methanogen, obligate anaerobic
Acetic acid, methanol, H2 CH4
70 % of CH4 is from acetic acid
Environmental requirements

Good inoculum 50 %
Acclimation 3-4 weeks
Solid content of effluent 5-10 %
Physical factors: temperature
Physical factor: mixing
Physical factor: mixing
Physical factor: mixing
Physical factors : Start up
Chemical factors : pH and alkalinity

pH 6.6-7.6
Methanogen not active at low pH
alkalinity 2500-5000 mg/l
Added lime to control pH
 Chemical factors: Nutrient
C/N ratio 16-19
Plant residue should be around
N source
Scum reactor
Chemical analysis
 Feed or Loading

Organic Loading (kgCOD or VS/m3-day)

Hydraulic Loading (HRT)
High OL high acid low pH
Low OL low CH4 large volume
high retention time
 Feed or Loading
Short HRT less MO activity
Long HRT - digested materials accumulate
Increase TS reduce digester
 Mode of Operation
1. Batch Operation
load once in a day
seed inoculum 10-20 %
unsteady gas production
large quantities of organic compound
Mode of Operation
2. Semi continuous operation
load twice a day
take off digested organic matter
gas storage combined with digestor
high gas per unit organic waste
Mode of Operation

3. Continuous Operation
continuous feed and removed
constant level
low solid concertration
 Type of digesters

1. Dispersed- growth reactors

MO disperse in the reactor
HRT = Mean cell residence time
1.1 Combined digester gas holder (fixed dome)
1.2 Floating gas holder ( Indian type)
 Type of digesters
1.3 Plug flow digester
( Horizontal displacement)
1..4 Separate gas holder digesters
1.5 Conventional digesters
 Type of digesters

2. Attached-growth digesters
2.1 Anaerobic filter
2.2 Up flow sludge blanket reactor
(UASB)
 Gas refining

Fuel gas must contain 90 % methane

Heating value more than 1000 Btu/set
Low moisture content
CO2 and H2S should be seperated
 Gas refining
1. Wet Scrubbing
bubble column
MEA monoethanolamine
DEA diethanolamine
 Gas refining

2. Caustic Scrubbing
NaOH, KOH, Ca(OH)2
2 NaOH + CO2 Na2CO3 + H2O
Na2CO3 + CO2 + H2O 2NaHCO3
H2S + Na2CO3 NaHS + NaHCO3
 Gas refining
3. Dry gas scrubbing
Fe2O3 + 3 H2S Fe2S3 + 3 H2O
2Fe2S3 + 3O2 Fe2O3 + 3S
 Content of lecture
What is Anaerobic Digestion
Raw materials and end product
Application of AD

- Mechanism
- Processes/technologies
- Key parameters
 What is bioenergy
Energy from biomass
Wood and agricultural residue
Direct burning heat and electricity
Pyrolysis and gasification Charcoal, syngas,
pyrolysis oil, heat
Agricultural crop
Biological treatment :
Anaerobic digestion Methane
Fermentation ethanol
Wastewater and solid waste
Biological treatment
Anaerobic digestion Methane
 Input
Biomass
- energy crops and trees,
- agricultural food and feed
crops,
-agricultural crop wastes and
residues,
-wood wastes and residues,
-aquatic plants, animal
wastes,
-municipal wastes, waste
materials
Processes Output
Conversion Products
Thermal conversion Primary Energy : Fuel
Combustion Solid fuel :wood chip, RDF, char
Pyrolysis
Liquid fuel : ethanol, biodiesel, oil
Fast pyrolysis Gases : CH4, H2, syn gas
Gasification Secondary Energy :
Biochemical conversion Electricity
Anaerobic digestion Heat
Fermentation
Hydrogen production
Biophysical conversion
Microbial fuel cell
Chemical conversion
Esterification
 What is anaerobic digestion

Anaerobic digestion is a process by which

organic matter is decomposed by bacteria
in the absence of oxygen to produce
methane and other byproducts. The
primary energy product is a low to medium
calorific gas, normally consisting of 50 to 60
percent methane.
 Why Biogas
Agricultural country
Expansion of agro-industry
Reduce environmental problem
Energy production
CO2 reduction
SPP and IPP
Largus T. Angenent1,3, Khursheed Karim1, Muthanna H. Al-Dahhan1, Brian A. Wrenn2,3
and Rosa Domguez-Espinosa
 What can biogas do
Biogas can, after appropriate treatment, be
used directly for cooking and heating, or it
can be used in secondary conversion
technologies like gas engines and
turbines. High moisture biomass
feedstocks are especially well suited for
the anaerobic digestion process. The
produced biogas is composed of 60-65%
methane, 30-35% carbon dioxide and the rest
a mixture of other gases, mostly nitrogen
 The use of biogas
can illuminate lamp
of 40 Watt for 7 hour
can cook 3 meals for
can run 2 horse power family of 4 person
engine for one hour
One m3 of
biogas

can run 300 litre of

refrigerator for 2 hour can generate 1.25 kW
of electricity
 Utilization of Biogas

Gas pipe in the landfill to produce 2.9 MW at Glasgow landfill

Gas collection system at landfill site Electric generator

Biogas Burner
 Anaerobic Digestion
Three-fold over the ten year period from 2004-2013,
growing from 185 MW in 2004 to 575 MW in 2013
Europe 203 MW
North America 68 MW
Australasia 46 MW
Africa and the Middle East, limited progress over the
next ten years.
Asia and Australasia is ongoing, but not rapid and
become second largest region by the end of the
period.
 Sources of AD
Agricultural Residue
Industrial Waste water
Animal manure
Municipal solid waste
 Biogas from wastewater
Animal farm
Industrial wastewater
 Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket - UASB

Pig farm Chiang Mai University

Consultancy firm
Industry
 SPM Farm

Technology : UASB (indigenous technology)

Capacity : 2800 m3
Gas production : 1000 m3
 Pig farm : NK Farm

Technology : Cover lagoon( Local technology)

Capacity : 3500 m3
Gas production : 700 m3
 Starch Industry

There are about 60 large and medium starch factories in Thailand

generated wastewater between 20 and 50 m3 per ton of starch production

Thai Prasit Starch, Tapioca starch wastewater :

Anaerobic ENVIROASIA-UASB plant (capacity: 38,340 kg COD/day)

www.enviroasia.org
 Soft drink Industry

Serm Suk (Pepsi Cola),

Thailand
Softdrinks wastewater
Anaerobic ENVIROASIA-
UASB +
aerobic activated sludge
(capacity: 9,600 kg COD/day)

www.enviroasia.org
 Brewery Industry

Khon Kaen Brewery (Singha),

Thailand
Brewery wastewater
Anaerobic ENVIROASIA-UASB +
aerobic activated sludge plant
(capacity: 16,800 kg COD/day)

www.enviroasia.org
 Rice Industry : Bangkok Interfood

Technology : Fixed film Concrete Pond( KMUTT)

Capacity : 5000 m3
Gas production : 2400 m3
 Palm Oil Industry : Asia Palm Oil

Technology : CSTR( TU)

Capacity : 2300 m3
Gas production : 5000 m3
Cassava Industry: Anaerobic baffles
reactor
Cassava Development Co
Capacity : 7100 m3
Technology : Import

Snguanwong Co.
Capacity : 100,000 m3
Gas production : 8400 m3
Technology : Import
 Opportunity of Biogas from
Wastewater
Existing production is only 25 percent of the
potential in 2005
Increasing rate of production is high
Potential in the next 10 year can be approx 200
MW (power generation equipvalent)
More than 20 projects are in CDM pipeline
Technology is under development
Pay back period is short
Invesment is promoted by NSTDA softloan
project
 Biogas from municipal solid waste
High waste generation rate
High organic content and high moisture
content
Recycle promotion is on the way
Technology feasible
Waste projection in the next 10 years

MSW tons/day Increasing amount tons/day
(/) (/)
2547 42,780 839

2548 43,635 856

2549 44,508 873

2550 45,398 890

2551 46,306 908

2552 47,232 926

2553 48,177 945

2554 49,141 964

2555 50,123 983

2556 51,126 1,002

2557 52,148 1,023

 Relationship of waste generation rate
and GNP of Asian Countries
GNP Per Capita (US$)

50000
40000 Japan

30000 Singapore
20000
10000 Korea
Malaysia Thailand
0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2
Waste generation rate (kg/capita/day)
 Solid waste treatment

Incineration 1%
Landfill 27 %

Dumping and burning

72 %

Central Treatment plant at Chonburi

200-300 tons/day
stirage separation recycle

medical waste biogas composting

landfill
treatment

power generation 1 MW
Landfill site
Transferstation
Transferstationatat
Oan Waste
Wastepackaging
packaging (1.2-
(1.2-
OanNuch
Nuch((3,500-
3,500- 1.3tons/package
4,200
4,200tons/day)
tons/day) 1.3tons/package

Rachadhawa
Rachadhawa

Biogas
Biogasproduction
production
50%
50%CH
CH44
landfill
landfill (4.31
(4.31M
Mm3/yr)
m3/yr)

Power
PowerProduction(935
Production(935
kW)
kW)

Landfill at Rachadhawa
 What is the differences of
application of AD on MSW

Volume
Homogeneity
Composition
Rapid acid formation
TVA/Alkalinity
 Landfill vs AD
Anaerobic Digestion
Landfill Preferable separated
organic waste, market
Large amount of
waste, food waste
MSW
Small area
Large area, longer
time Daily operation
Operation after Higher efficiency
closure
Leachate
management
Gases loss
Sanitary Landfill
PHASE 1 = INITIAL PHASE PHASE 2 = TRANSITION PHASE PHASE 3 = ACID PHASE
PHASE 4 = METHANE PHASE PHASE 5 = MATURATION PHASE

Generalized Phases in The Generation of Landfill Gases and Leachate

Composition of Landfill gas

Typical constituents found in and characteristics of

landfill Gas
Component Percent
(dry volume basis)
Methane 45-60
Carbon dioxide 40-60
Nitrogen 2-5
Oxygen 0.1-1.0
Ammonia 0.1-1.0
Sulfides,disulfides,
mercaptans etc. 0-1.0
Hydrogen 0-0.2
Carbon momoxide 0-0.2
Trace constituents 0.01-0.6
Characteristics Value
Moisture content Saturated
Specific gravity 1.02-1.06
Temperature, oF 100-160
HHV, Btu/stdft3 475-550
 Sanitary Landfill

Bradford County.
 Power generation from landfill gas and solid waste to energy recycling
(Image adapted Australian Energy News)

www. reslab.com.au/resfiles/ biomass/text.html

Monitoring well
 Utilization of Biogas

Extraction well and gag pie line for 2.9 MW at Glasgow

Gas collection system Electricity generator

Landfill Gas Utilization Plant at Shuen Wan Landfill Gin Drinkers Bay Leachate Treatment
Plant where landfill gas is collected
and utilised for heating up leachate
n the ammonia removal process for
the treatment of leachate.
Problems of methane generation in Landfill

Waste composition
Moisture content
Landfill structure
Gas collecting system
Leachate treatment
 Potential to solve problems

Leachate recirculation
Combined reactors
Co digestion
 Leachate Recirculation
Reduce wastewater Point of concern
treatment organic loading
Retain moisture and leachate distribution
nutrient to the landfill
Maintain bufferization
Balance of
microorganisms
Accelerate methane
production