In-situ injection of potassium hydroxide into briquetted wheat straw and meadow grass – Effect on biomethane production. (September 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Feng, Lu; Moset, Veronica; Li, Wanwu; Chen, Chang; Møller, Henrik Bjarne
• Is Part Of: Bioresource technology. Volume 239(2017)
• Page Start: 258
• Page End: 265
• Publication Date: 2017-09
• Subjects: Anaerobic digestion -- Alkaline pretreatment -- Lignocellulosic biomass -- Biogas -- Potassium hydroxide; Biomass -- Periodicals; Biomass energy -- Periodicals; Bioremediation -- Periodicals; Agricultural wastes -- Periodicals; Factory and trade waste -- Periodicals; Organic wastes -- Periodicals; Bioénergie -- Périodiques; Déchets agricoles -- Périodiques; Déchets industriels -- Périodiques; Déchets organiques -- Périodiques; Déchets (Combustible) -- Périodiques; 662.88
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2017.05.032
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-8524

Abstract

Highlights: Lignocellulosic biomass was pretreated by in-situ injection of KOH during briquetting process. Pretreated capacity ranged from 350 to 800 kg.h −1 corresponding to 0.8%–10% (w/w) of KOH injection. Improvements in both biomethane yield and hydrolysis rate were observed. Abstract: Alkaline pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass has been intensively investigated but heavy water usage and environmental pollution from wastewater limits its industrial application. This study presents a pretreatment technique by in-situ injection of potassium hydroxide concentrations ranging from 0.8% to 10% (w/w) into the briquetting process of wheat straw and meadow grass. Results show that the biomethane yield and hydrolysis rate was improved significantly with a higher impact on wheat straw compared to meadow grass. The highest biomethane yield from wheat straw briquettes of 353 mL.g −1 VS was obtained with 6.27% (w/w) potassium hydroxide injection, which was 14% higher than from untreated wheat straw. The hydrolysis rates of wheat straw and meadow grass increased from 4.27 × 10 −2 to 5.32 × 10 −2 d −1 and 4.19 × 10 −2 to 6.00 × 10 −2 d −1, respectively. The low water usage and no wastewater production make this a promising technology.