DEVELOPMENT OF A NOVEL FIXED-FILM ANAEROBIC DIGESTER FOR BIOGAS PRODUCTION
PUBLISHED IN AD SAPIENTIAM VOLUME X 2016; COPYRIGHT: ISSN 2012-290X
LUIS S. JIMENEZ AND REYFEL A. DESCA
ABSTRACT
A hybrid anaerobic digester design was developed to incorporate into a conventional digester, an innovative attachment media for bacterial cell attachment and biofilm development. The novel media also allows thorough mixing of feedstock for easy access by microbes to the organic matter to increase their rate of conversion to biogas. The agitator/attachment media assembly comprises an array of six vanes circumferentially spaced apart; each vane comprises a rectangular piece of kitchen scrub pad attached to a stainless steel frame extending radially from the axis of the central shaft. The experimental digester produced biogas at a faster rate than the control digester. The pH remained essentially at 7 in the two digesters in all experimental runs, indicating that they are operating normally. When the two digesters were subjected to an upset condition both digesters started to recover as indicated by their biogas production after 50 hours. However, the experimental digester produced biogas at a faster rate than the control digester. The feedstock pH remained essentially at the optimum value of 7 in the two digesters throughout the experimental run, indicating stable operation. No unpleasant odor was detected while the pig manure feedstock was undergoing biodegradation in the digesters in all experimental runs.