Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
10
Process control in biogas plants
JENS BOHOLM-NIELSEN,
Aalborg University, Denmark and
PIOTR OLESKOWICZ-POPIEL,
Poznan University of Technology, Poland
DOI: 10.1533/9780857097415.2.228
Abstract: Efficient monitoring and control of anaerobic digestion (AD)
processes are necessary in order to enhance biogas plant performance.
The aim of monitoring and controlling the biological processes is to
stabilise and optimise the production of biogas. The principles of process
analytical technology (PAT) have been identified as some of the most
promising on-line facilities for monitoring and controlling heterogeneous
bioconversion processes. The future trend is to keep procedures as simple
as possible, but to have available on-line monitoring systems with early
warning strategies for plant operators, which would help to avoid
significant process disturbances. The general aim is to move the processes
efficiently towards their theoretical maximum. Mathematical modelling of
AD is another method to help control the process and avoid significant
instabilities during fermentation. Such models can improve the
understanding of biological processes.
Key words: anaerobic digestion, process monitoring, on-line process
control, process analytical technologies, mathematical modelling.
10.1
Introduction
Some of the most efficient biogas plants run on controlled mixtures of
feedstocks using co-digestion processes. On the other hand, very hetero-
geneous biomass feedstocks are challenging from a biogas plant process
control perspective. Digestion of single substrates, such as a single source of
pig or cow manure, produces a low biogas yield due to the lack of energy-
rich organic substrates, often a lack of carbon sources. Nutrient deficiency
in single substrates can be balanced when co-digesting multiple feedstocks.
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