Open AccessStirring and biomass starter influences the anaerobic digestion of different substrates for biogas production
Author(s) -
Rojas Christian,
Fang Sheng,
Uhlenhut Frank,
Borchert Axel,
Stein Ingo,
Schlaak Michael
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
engineering in life sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.547
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1618-2863
pISSN - 1618-0240
DOI - 10.1002/elsc.200900107
Subject(s) - biogas , starter , slurry , anaerobic digestion , silage , biomass (ecology) , pulp and paper industry , manure , chemistry , biogas production , waste management , food science , environmental science , agronomy , methane , biology , engineering , environmental engineering , organic chemistry
Here, we present the results of lab‐scale experiments conducted in a batch mode to determine the biogas yield of lipid‐rich waste and corn silage under the effect of stirring. Further semi‐continuous experiments were carried out for the lipid‐rich waste with/without stirring. Additionally, it was analyzed how the starter used for the batch experiment influences the digestion process. The results showed a significant stirring effect on the anaerobic digestion only when seed sludge from a biogas plant was used as a starter. In this case, the experiments without stirring yielded only about 50% of the expected biogas for the investigated substrates. The addition of manure slurry to the batch reactor as part of the starter improved the biogas production. The more diluted media in the reactor allowed a better contact between the bacteria and the substrates making stirring not necessary.