Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket Reactor Codigestion of Algae and Acetate to Produce Methane. (1st November 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Soboh, Yousef M.; Sorensen, Darwin L.; Sims, Ronald C.
• Is Part Of: Water environment research. Volume 88:Number 11(2016)
• Page Start: 2094
• Page End: 2103
• Publication Date: 2016-11-01
• Subjects: anaerobic digestion -- codigestion -- algae -- UASB -- biogas -- C/N ratio; Water quality management -- Periodicals; Water -- Purification -- Periodicals; Water -- Pollution -- Periodicals; Water -- Pollution; Water -- Purification; Water quality management; Sewage; Water Pollution; Periodicals; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 628.16
• DOI: 10.2175/106143016X14733681695645
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1061-4303

Abstract

ABSTRACT: : Algae grown in wastewater treatment lagoons are a potentially important substrate for biofuel production. The feasibility of using upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors in anaerobic digestion of algae to produce methane was investigated. A favorable carbon to nitrogen (C/N) weight ratio of 21/1 was determined in batch reactor experiments in which the ratio was adjusted by blending algal biomass with sodium acetate as a carbon source. This blend of algae and acetate was used in the feedstock applied to the UASB reactors. Duplicate, 34‐L, UASB reactors initially received an organic loading rate (OLR) of 0.9 g chemical oxygen demand (COD)/L . d at a 7.2‐day hydraulic retention time (HRT). The OLR was gradually increased to 5.4 g/L . d and the HRT was decreased to 5.5 days resulting in a methane production increase from 247 to 298 mL/g COD biodegraded. The COD removal efficiency was 80% with a biogas methane composition of 90%.