Production of Methane Biogas as Fuel Through Anaerobic Digestion - Sustainable Biotechnology: Sources of Renewable Energy - page 108

Keywords Anaerobic digestion · Biomethanation · Methanogens · Methane

biogas · Digesters · Biomass wastes · Feedstocks

Abbreviations

AD anaerobic digestion

BMP biochemical methane potential

BOD biological oxygen demand

CAFO confined animal feeding operation

CMCR completely mixed contact reactor

COD chemical oxygen demand

CSTR continuously stirred tank reactor

DRANCO dry anaerobic combustion

EGSB expanded granular sludge bed

HRT hydraulic retention time

MPFLR mixed plug-flow loop reactor

MSW municipal solid wastes

OFMSW organic fraction of municipal solid wastes

OLR organic loading rate

RDP ribosomal database project

SCFA short chain fatty acids

SRT solid retention time

SS suspended solid

TPAD temperature phased anaerobic digestion

TS total solid

UASB upflow anaerobic sludge blanket

VS volatile solid

1 Introduction

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is underpinned by a series of bioconversion processes
that transform organic compounds, especially biomass wastes, to methane biogas (a
mixture of approx. 60% CH 4 and 40% CO 2 ). Although it has been used for more
than a century in treatment of municipal sludge and high-strength organic wastew-
aters from industries, the main objectives have been to stabilize and sanitize the
sludge and to remove the organic pollutants from the influents, with relatively little
focus on biogas production. Recently, AD received tremendous renewed interest as
the demand for and price of fuels continue to rise. AD is looked upon to be an impor-
tant biotechnology to help build a sustainable society by simultaneously producing

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