Advances in Biogas Technology - Biotechnology in China: Biofuels and Bioenergy - page 119

Advances in Biogas Technology

Ai-Jie Wang, Wen-Wei Li and Han-Qing Yu

Abstract Biogas technology has been practiced for over a century and is widely
used in full-scale facilities in China. However, there are still many technological
and economic barriers to be overcomed in its applications. Recent advances and
multi-disciplinary cooperations in microbiology, biochemistry, and engineering
science are bringing new promises of a better understanding and control of the
anaerobic digestion processes, and thus a renaissance of this technology. In par-
ticular, great progress in biogas technology has been achieved in China in the
approach to larger-scale and more widespread applications. This chapter over-
views the recent advances in biogas technology in China, evaluates the current
challenges, and discusses the emerging technologies and future perspectives.

Keywords Anaerobic digestion Lignocellulosic waste Methanogen Municipal
solid waste Process engineering

Contents

1 Methanogens Involved in Biogas Fermentation............................................................... 120

1.1 Methanogens ............................................................................................................. 120

1.2 Conditions for Predominance of Methanogens ....................................................... 120

2 Biogas Fermentation Processes......................................................................................... 122

2.1 Anaerobic Digesters.................................................................................................. 122

2.2 Substrates .................................................................................................................. 123

3 Emerging Technologies..................................................................................................... 134

3.1 Anaerobic Membrane Reactor.................................................................................. 134

3.2 Dry Digestion Technology ....................................................................................... 135

3.3 Biomass Gasification ................................................................................................ 137

4 Perspectives of Biogas Technologies in China ................................................................ 137

4.1 Industrialization and Standardization....................................................................... 137

4.2 Matching Facilities ................................................................................................... 138

4.3 Future Trends in Biogas Engineering ...................................................................... 138

References ............................................................................................................................... 139

A.-J. Wang
State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment,
Harbin Institute of Technology, 150090 Harbin, China
W.-W. Li H.-Q. Yu ( )

Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China,
230026 Hefei, China
e-mail: [e-mail]

&