Managing Biogas Plants: A Practical Guide

295 Pages·2018·8.64 MB·English

by  Mario Alejandro Rosato

Managing Biogas Plants
A Practical Guide
Green Chemistry and Chemical
Engineering
Series Editor: Sunggyu Lee
Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, USA
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Managing Biogas Plants: A Practical Guide
Mario Alejandro Rosato

Managing Biogas Plants
A Practical Guide
Mario Alejandro Rosato
CRC Press
Taylor & Francis Group
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© 2018 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
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Contents
Foreword ..............................................................................................................xiii
Preface .....................................................................................................................xv
About the Author ................................................................................................xix
1. Relevant Aspects for Optimizing the AD Process ..................................1
1.1 What Is Anaerobic Digestion? .............................................................1
1.1.1 Theoretical Notions .................................................................1
1.1.2 Practical Implications ..............................................................7
1.1.2.1 Complexity of the System .......................................7
1.1.2.2 Sequential Process ....................................................7
1.1.2.3 Multiparametric Process .........................................7
1.1.2.4 Two Degradation Paths of the Organic Matter ....8
1.1.2.5 Influence of Temperature ........................................8
1.1.2.6 Need of a Balanced Diet for the
Microorganisms........................................................9
1.1.2.7 Criterion for the Selection of Feedstock
for AD.........................................................................9
1.2 Technical Nomenclature ......................................................................9
1.2.1 Definitions...............................................................................11
1.2.2 Practical Applications and Numerical Examples ..............14
1.2.2.1 Approximate Ratio between COD and VS .........14
1.2.2.2 Methane Yield of a Substrate with a Known
BMP ..........................................................................16
1.2.2.3 Coherent Use of the TS, VS, and BMP values .....17
1.2.2.4 Calculation of the HRT ..........................................18
1.2.2.5 Checking the OLR ..................................................19
1.2.2.6 Optimizing the C/N Ratio of a Substrates
Mixture ....................................................................19
1.3 Managing the Plant “by Tables”: Limitations and Risks...............20
1.3.1 Conclusions on the Use of Tables ........................................27
1.4 The Dynamic Management of the Biogas Plant .............................29
1.4.1 The pH .....................................................................................31
1.4.2 The Relationship between pH and Alkalinity ..................32
1.4.3 The Chemical Composition of the Substrate .....................33
1.4.4 The VFA Profile ......................................................................35
1.4.5 Monitoring the Biogas’ Flow and Composition ................35
1.4.6 Monitoring the ORP ..............................................................36
1.4.7 Monitoring the Electric Conductivity .................................37
vii
viii Contents
1.5 The Outsourced Biological Management Service:
Limitations of the Traditional Techniques ......................................39
1.5.1 Conclusions .............................................................................41
1.6 The Automatic Titrator: Myths and Legends ..................................41
Bibliography ...................................................................................................47
2. Overview of the Laboratory Methods for the Analysis of
Fermentative Processes ................................................................................49
2.1 Basic Notions of Metrology: Accurateness
and Precision or Repeatability ..........................................................49
2.1.1 Definitions of Accurateness and of Precision or
Repeatability ...........................................................................50
2.1.2 Error Propagation ..................................................................51
2.2 Measure Methods Employed in the Biogas Industry ....................58
2.2.1 Classical Volumetric and Barometric Methods .................58
2.2.1.1 Volumetric Methods ..............................................60
2.2.1.2 Barometric Methods ..............................................67
2.2.2 Automatic Measure Systems: AMPTS and BRS ................74
2.2.3 Reactors for Biological Tests: Which Are Better?—Big
or Small Ones? ........................................................................77
2.2.4 The Most Frequent Errors in the Measure of Small
Gas Flows ................................................................................78
2.2.4.1 Normalization .........................................................78
2.2.4.2 Correction of the Moisture ....................................80
2.2.4.3 Elimination of Carbon Dioxide ............................80
2.2.5 Auxiliary Physicochemical Tests .........................................81
2.2.5.1 Measure of the pH and the ORP ..........................81
2.2.5.2 Determination of the DM and VS of
Biomass ....................................................................82
2.2.5.3 Determination of the COD of Sludge and
Liquid Substrates ....................................................84
2.2.6 The In Situ Laboratory for the Real-Time Control of
the Biological Process ............................................................87
Bibliography ...................................................................................................88
3. How to Perform Tests under Optimum Conditions ..............................91
3.1 Scope .....................................................................................................91
3.2 Measuring the DM and VS ................................................................91
3.2.1 Measuring the DM with a Moisture Analyzer ..................92
3.2.1.1 Confusing the “Moisture” and the “DM”
Scales ........................................................................93
3.2.1.2 Wrong Setting of the Drying Temperature ........93
3.2.1.3 Wrong Installation of the Moisture Analyzer ....94
3.2.1.4 Measuring the DM of Silage .................................94
3.2.1.5 Interpretation of the Scale’s Technical Sheet ......95
Contents ix
3.2.2 Measurement of the DM with an Oven and a Scale .........95
3.2.3 Measuring the Ash Content and VS....................................96
3.3 Measuring the COD and Total N ......................................................98
3.4 How to Design a Biological Experiment ........................................101
3.5 The Preparation of Both Inoculum and Sample ...........................102
3.6 The Inoculum/Substrate Ratio, I/S ................................................108
3.7 Defining the Mix ratio (Intensity of Stirring) ...............................110
3.8 The BMP Test: One General Procedure, Multiple
Applications .......................................................................................116
3.8.1 General Procedure for Measuring the BMP.....................116
3.9 Processing the Measured Data ........................................................117
3.9.1 Step-by-Step Data Processing ............................................117
3.9.2 Frequent Causes of Problems during the BMP Test .......118
3.9.2.1 Problems Caused by Human Errors ..................118
3.9.2.2 Problems Caused by Instrumental or
Method Errors .......................................................120
3.10 The Hydrolytic and Methanogenic Activity Tests: Checking
the Bacteria’s Health .........................................................................123
3.10.1 Degradation of Polysaccharides (Glucose, Starch,
and Cellulose) .......................................................................124
3.10.2 Casein and Gelatin in Powder ...........................................125
3.10.3 Propionic and Butyric Acids ..............................................126
3.10.4 Fatty Acids (Lipids) ..............................................................127
3.10.5 Acetic Acid and Sodium Acetate .......................................129
3.10.5.1 Stoichiometry of Acetic Acid and Sodium
Acetate....................................................................129
3.10.5.2 First Step: Checking the Methanogenic
Capacity of Acetate or Acetic Acid ....................130
3.10.5.3 Second Step: The SMA Calculation ...................132
3.11 Analysis of the Error Propagation in the BMP Assay and Its
Variants ...............................................................................................133
3.12 A Controversial Technique: Correcting the pH, the
Alkalinity, and Adding Nutrients before Starting the Batch
Tests .....................................................................................................136
Bibliography .................................................................................................138
4. Application of Laboratory Experimental Results to the
Management of the Biogas Plant .............................................................141
4.1 Practical Applications of the VS Test ..............................................141
4.1.1 Measuring the Organic Load (OL) and the Organic
Load Rate (OLR) ...................................................................141
4.1.1.1 Practical Application ............................................142
4.1.2 Measuring the Efficiency of the Feedstock’s
Conversion into Methane ...................................................143
4.1.3 Corrective Actions in the Case η < 45% ........................144
DA