Methane production by

anaerobic digestion of biomass

Energias Renovveis 1 Mdulo de Biomassa - Mestrado em Energias Sustentveis - Ndia de S Caetano, 2014

Estimating the amount of biogas from biomass in

anaerobic conditions
Estimate the total theoretical amount of biogas that can be produced under
anaerobic conditions in an organic recovery facility, per ton of biomass. Assume
that the available biomass has a composition such that the moisture content is
41.5% and the overall chemical formula for dry fraction is C61.3H97.8O35.2N.
Also estimate the monetary value of biogas and the amount of energy that can
be obtained from the biogas produced.

Ca H b Oc N d H 2 O
CH 4 CO2 d NH 3
CH4 and CO2 densities are 0.7177
and 1.9783 kg/m3, respectively.

4a b 2c 3d

8
4a b 2c 3d

4a b 2c 3d
4

8
3

Carbon: MC= 12 g/mol

Hydrogen: MH= 1 g/mol
Oxygen: MO= 16 g/mol
Nitrogen: MN= 14 g/mol
Heating value of biogas = 4450 kcal/m
Value of biogas = 0,426 /m3

Energias Renovveis 1 Mdulo de Biomassa - Mestrado em Energias Sustentveis - Ndia de S Caetano, 2014

Estimation of the amount of biogas produced from

the organic fraction (OF) of municipal solid waste
(MSW) under anaerobic conditions
Estimate the total theoretical amount of gas that can be
produced under anaerobic conditions in a landfill per unit mass
of solid waste. Assume that the waste has a composition such
that the overall chemical formula for the organic constituents is
C60.0H94.3O37.8N.

Ca H b Oc N d H 2 O
CH 4 CO2 d NH 3
CH4 and CO2 densities are 0.7177 and 1.9783 kg/m3, respectively.
Consider also the following atomic weights:
4a b 2c 3d

Carbon: MC= 12 g/mol

8
Hydrogen: MH= 1 g/mol
4a b 2c 3d

Oxygen: MO= 16 g/mol

4a b 2c 3d
4

Nitrogen: MN= 14 g/mol

Energias Renovveis 1 Mdulo de Biomassa - Mestrado em Energias Sustentveis - Ndia de S Caetano, 2014

Methane recovery from the anaerobic digestion of

the organic fraction (OF) of MSW
Calculate the amount of methane that can be recovered from 1
ton of biowaste, consisting of the organic fraction (OF) of MSW,
and its monetary value.
Assume that the following conditions are applicable and data :
- Moisture content of the organic fraction of MSW = 20%
- Retention time = 30 d
- Volatile solids volteis, VS = 0.93 x ST (total solids)
- Biodegradable volatile solids, BVS = 0.70 x VS
- Expected efficiency for the conversion of BVS = 95%
- Gas production = 8 ft3/lbBVS destroyed
- Biogas heating value = 500 BTU/ft3
- One term of power = 105 BTU/term
- The value of 1 term of power = 108$00/term
Energias Renovveis 1 Mdulo de Biomassa - Mestrado em Energias Sustentveis - Ndia de S Caetano, 2014

Sizing a digester operating under

steady state

Energias Renovveis 1 Mdulo de Biomassa - Mestrado em Energias Sustentveis - Ndia de S Caetano, 2014

Sizing of a CSTR for sludge digestion operating at

high load - Example
It must be studied a process for treating a sludge from a primary treatment
system, designed to handle 38000 m3/ day of wastewater. It is known that
the residual water to be treated has 0,15 kg/m3 of dried VS and the
biodegradable chemical oxygen demand (bCOD) removed by the system
is 0.14 kg/m3. The sludge consists of about 95% water and has a density
of 1.02. For this purpose it is intended:
a) Estimate the volume of digester required;
b) Calculate the volumetric load fed to the digester and estimate :
b.1) The percentage of stabilization of the organic material;
b.2) The biogas production.
Additional data:
1 The reactor to size is Constant stirring Tank reactor;
2 = SRT = HRT = 10 days at 35 C;
3 The efficiency of utilization of the residue (solids conversion) E = 0.70;
4 The slurry has nitrogen and phosphorus in adequate amounts for microbial growth;
5 Y = 0.08 kg VSS/ kg bCOD used and Kd = 0,03 day-1;
6 The constants were determined at room temperature 35 C.
7 The gas produced in the digester has 65% methane.

Energias Renovveis 1 Mdulo de Biomassa - Mestrado em Energias Sustentveis - Ndia de S Caetano, 2014

Sizing of a CSTR for sludge digestion operating at

high load Example Solving
a) Estimated volume of required digester
Calculating the volume of sludge produced daily

Vsludge

SV0 Q
lama fraction solids sludge

0.15 kg m 38000 m day 111.8 m

1.0210 kg m 0.05
3

Vsludge

day

Calculation of the volume of the digester

V Q 111.8 m3 day 10 day 1118 m3

b) Calculating the load applied to the reactor volume

Calculating the load of biodegradable COD fed to the digester

load bCOD removal of bCOD Q

load bCOD 0.14 kg m3 38000 m3 day 5320 kg day

Energias Renovveis 1 Mdulo de Biomassa - Mestrado em Energias Sustentveis - Ndia de S Caetano, 2014

Sizing of a CSTR for sludge digestion operating at

high load Example Solving
load bBOD 5320 kg day
3

4
.
76
kg
m
day
3
V
1118 m
b.1) Estimating the stabilization of organic matter (%)
kg bCOD m3 day

Calculating the amount of VS produced daily, Px

Px

YQ S0 S
1 K d SRT

S0 S 0.14 kg m3

S0 0.14 / 1 0.70 0.467 kg m3

Calculation of the stabilized material

Px

0.08 * 38000 0.14 kg day

327.4 kg day
1
1 0.03 day 10 day

Stabilized Material volatile solids consumed volatile solids produced S0 S Q 1.42 Px

Stabilizat ion,%

S0 S Q 1.42 Px 5320 kg
Q S0

day 1.42 327.4 kg day

100 27.4%
17733 kg day

Energias Renovveis 1 Mdulo de Biomassa - Mestrado em Energias Sustentveis - Ndia de S Caetano, 2014

Sizing of a CSTR for sludge digestion operating at

high load Example - Solving
b.2) Calculating the biogas production
Calculating the amount of methane produced daily

VCH4 0.40 S0 S Q 1.42 Px

VCH4 0.40 m3 kg 5320 kg day 1.42 327.4 kg day

1942.0 m3 day
Calculating the rate of biogas produced daily

1942.0
Total biogas production
2987.7 m3 day
0.65

Energias Renovveis 1 Mdulo de Biomassa - Mestrado em Energias Sustentveis - Ndia de S Caetano, 2014